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Photographic 

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L_J  p 


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la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

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dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
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et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

54 


CO 


54th  Oonobess,  ) 
Ut^ession.       ) 


SENATE. 


(  Document  137, 
\         Part  1. 


EEPOETS 


o^ 


AGENTS,  OFFICERS,  AND  PERSONS,  ACTING  UNDER  THE  AUTHORITY 
OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY. 


m  BELATION  TO  THS 


CONDITION  OF  SEAL  LIFE  ON  THE  ROOKERIES 
OF  THE  PBIBILOF  ISLANDS, 


AOT)  10 


PELAGIC  SEALING  IN  BERING  SEA  AND  THE 
NORTH  PACIFIC  OCEAN, 


m 


•#^i;^-^ 


THE  YEARS  1893-1895. 


nsr  TWO  E»-A.Ra70. 

X  Part  I, 

lAvt  n  (with  mspB  and  illustrations)  contains  results  of  inyestigationa 
the  direction  of  the  U.  S.  Commissioner  of  Fish  and  Xlaheriaa.] 


WASmNGTON: 

OOYEBNMENT  PBINTINO  OFFIOB. 

189G. 


51 


1^. 


Cl 


■  **> 


i$i^^:''r 

54th  Congress,  ) 
Ist  Session.       ) 


SEN  AT K 


Document  137, 
Part  1. 


R  E  P  ( )  Pv  T  rt 


OK 


AliKNTS,  OFFICERS,  AND  PERSONS,  ACTINIJ  UNDKR  TlIK  AUTHORITY 
OF  THK  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY, 


IN  KKLATtoN  TO  TIIH 


CONDITION  OF  SEAL  LIFK  ON  THE  IIOOKERIES 
OF  THE  PRIBILOF  ISLANDS. 

AND  TO 

i'Ki.A(;ic  si:alin(j  in  hkuing  ska  and  thk 

NORTH  PACIFIC  OCKAN, 

IN 

TIIK    VKAR^<    1 893-1  >^9.-i. 


insr  T-wo  :b'J^:rts. 
P  A  H  T   I  . 

[r.trt  II  (with  iimpH  niid  .IliistratioiiH)  ('outaiiia  refiults  of  invcstigationn  under 
the  direction  of  tlip  I'.  S.  Cominissionor  of  Fish  niid  Fisheries.] 


WASHINGTON: 

OOVEUNMENT   PRINTING   OFFICE. 
l.S9(J. 


rl 


I 

'I 


ViU) 


Let 


Rep 


Ann 


Anni] 


( 

10 
11 
13 

la 

14 
E: 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


Letter  from  Secretary  of  Treasury  transmitting  reports  to  Senate ^"'l 

REPORT  OF  ASSISTANT  SECRETARY   HAMLIN. 

^^^ifVur'^eaf **°*  ^'"'^^^^y  ^-  ^-  Hamlin  on  Alaska 4 

2.  Salmon  fisheries.......... " " --  •"» 

3.  Liquor " H 

4.  Fur-bearing  animals '' 

5.  Land  laws 9 

Exhibit:  Letter  of  instructions.. !.!!.!  11!..]  "     " |^ 

J.   B.   CROWLEY'S  REPORT,   18W. 

2.  Schools.                                          12 

3.  Fuel...      13 

4.  Foxes                   " 13 

5.  Seals......;;;.' - 14 

6.  Driving  of  seals. 14 

7.  Specimen  for  Smithsonian  lii'stitutYon K* 

«.  Guardmg  rookeries                                " " " " " 1 ' 

Exhibit  A.  Census  of  natives,  sL'  Paulisland"  " \l 

B.  Census  of  natives,  St.  George  Island               ' "   " "  \a 

C.  Report  of  St.  Paul  School                    " ;? 

D.  Annual  statement  of  seals  killed,  St.  PauVisland ol 

F    ^^^^"l  ^*^*T?"*  f  •'^^^^^  ^^^^^^  St.  George  Island'   o^ 

b.  Receipts  tor  skms  shipped                                  "laim 0 

G.  Division  money,  St.  George  l8iandVl894                      oi 

H,  Division  money,  St.  Paul  Island,  1894 . . . ; ; ; " "  ZL 

J.  B.   CROWLEY'S  REPORT.   18!t5, 

""""T'  S^'""':^':^^  ^-  ^^«"^«>''  «^-t  i-  -h-rge  of  seal  islands . .  30 

3.  Expenditures           30 

3.  Coal ;;;;;;;;;;     30 

4.  Furniture  for  Government  houses " '^^ 

5.  Blue  foxes 31 

6.  Marine  guard '.''.'.. *^1 

7.  Specimen  seals                 " - «^2 

8.  Killing  of  seals. 32 

9.  No  difficulty  to  get  quota ' '^'^ 

10.  New  killing  grounds -  -^4 

11.  Overdriving 34 

12.  Pelagic  sealing '.[" 34 

13.  Excess  of  male  life ;;     '^'* 

14.  Deadpups                         35 

Exhibit  A " - 36-37 

Census  of  St.  Paul " 37 

Census  of  St.  George " "<7 

Physician's  report              •*! 

42 

I 


II 


CONTKN'IS. 


Ht'lMH-t  I'lii'  IM»")  (>{■  .1.  1!.  ( 'luwlcv— (.'oiitiiiiK'il. 

KxhilMt  B  ■ 

Seals  i.illcd  on  St.  Piinl.  IS!).-) 

Scalsl<illc.l  oiiSt.  (T('()rK(',  IH'.).") 
Exlnl)il  (,'.  Itt'ccii)ts  lorskms  .sliipji'd. . .    . 
D.  Distribntion  connuimitv  fund. 


I'UK<' 


48 

4a 

44 
44 
4.5 


.liiSKI'll    Ml'UKAYS    KKl'oUr   ON    sr.AI,s.    IS'.il. 

K('l)or!  for  \xu\.  on  s(;al  life,  of  Special  Agent  .Joseph  Mnrr.iy . 

1.  Cliniale  . _ ... 

'2.  Seals,  iiabits.  etc _ 

:j.  J)iiviii,t,'an(lldllinj^ . 

4.  Dead  pupa _ 

."i.   i)<'(n-ease  ot  seals,  laek  of  male  life  not  the  caiiHe. . .      . . 

(i.  l)ei)osition  nf  cln'ef  of  Coniniander  Islands 

7.  Ciivnlar  leiter.  Dr.  ('.  Jl.  Merriaiu 

X.  Re] (lies  to  letter  of  Dr.  .M(MYiani_ 

!).   }{etrospe(tiv(,'  and  ex])]anatory .... 

10.  I'ela^ie  sealin;^  and  di])louiaey 

1 1 .  I'elai^ic  seaiiii.t;'.  cdose  Heasoii.  etc 


47 

48 
49 

r)'2 

•"),  (')7 

tt3 

80 

83 

Hfi 

its 

10.3 

III! 


Ai'iM'.NDix   lo  .Mvun.w's  i;':nii;r  koh  isnt. 
Snl>,ie<'ts: 

Pela,!.;it'  .sealinu' •.       I'^r. 

Haliits  and  nianfi.i^enicnt  of  seals  and  peia.^ic  sealin.u;     

Habits  and  niaiia.u'enient  ot'  seals  and  rules  of  fur  comiianios 

Pribilof  I'oola-ries . 

Managi.'nienl  of  killin,:;'  and  pelayic  soalin:.,' _ 

Miinajrenient  on  islands — pelagic  sealin;;'. 

Pela.nii'  sealing-.  Pri1  lilof  ro( )kei"ies 

Dead  pui)s 

Destrucrion  of  female  seals IT").  lS|.-J4;i.'J():i.2(>7. 

General  seal  s!cin  imlnstry       .._ ISO,  ] So. 

(huise  of  the  l.,ouis  Olsen  iu  Bering'  Sea.  by  A.  B.  xMe.xander. 

Decreiise  of  seals "    'JIT. '34s.  ■,>70, '2:7. 2S;{. 

Cause  of  decrease  in  seal  herd 

Increase  of  sealing-  fleet. 


Tables  of  seals  killed  on  rookeries . . 

Past  and  future  of  fur  seal,  by  J(».seph  Stanley-Brown... 

Award  of  Tribunal  of  Arbitration 

Letter  transmittin.u;  Elliotfs  report  to  State  Department. 
Mr.  Phelps's  argument  Ijefore  Tribunal 


ISO 
i:U 
i:5() 
141 
14;! 
14.5 
l.-)l 
1(')3 
•3(»I 
20!t 
liHi 

■.m 

!i44 
'37.") 
:!01 

;{20 
;«o 
:!4(t 
:J47 


hiih'.v  to  Dcjxhsifioiin. 

Index  of  names  of  persons  whose  depositions,  etc.,  in  whole  or  in  part,  are 
cited  in  the  appendix  to  Murray's  report  for  1S94: 

Abbev.  C.  A   .       .     '... 250.383 

Ackerly.J.C.S .._.       103 

Adams,  (ieorge 21H, 3."il . 2()3 

Adair 3.10. 3(50, 30;i,  3i)l 

Akat<  )o - - 3S;i.  391 

Alexaniler.  A.  B lOfi.  318,  3l(0,  383 

x\lexandrotf,  J 377 

Allen .  Dr _ 318. 358 

Allis,  W.  C 335 

Amei'ican  Commissioners 317, 335, 339, 375 

Anderson.  A _ 307. 370 

Anderson,  C.  H  _ 335 

Anderson.  C.  T _ 370 

Anderson.  Peter 348 

Andricus.  H. 248. 383 

Apokshee.  N _ _ _      377 

Armstrong,  James _ _ _ . .      318 

Armstrong.  .John 234, 235 

Artonianolf .  Kerrick 145. 319, 330 


!'»«<• 


4;{ 
4a 

44 
44 
4f> 


47 

l.s 
41t 
:<■> 

(i2 

HO 

,s;$ 

'.IS 

lo:! 


127.  ISO 

ll'.l 

141 
\V.\ 

.      iir, 
l.-)l 

102 
2i»l 
20!) 
1U(> 
2s;}.  :i:j8 
;m 


IS.-) 


275 
:i01 
:{20 

•.m 

:i4« 
;J47 


are 


..  250. 

283 

103 

18,251. 

203 

i0,20;i, 

2i)l 

..  28;5. 

291 

18.  200, 

283 

277 

..  218 

258 

O0 1 

35,23!) 

275 

..  267 

270 

225 

270 

248 

..  248 

,283 

277 

218 

..  224 

,225 

15.210 

,220 

CONTENTS. 


Ill 


ludi'x  nf  iijiini's  nf  persons,  etc. — ( 'ontinueil.  l'ii«'' 

Av.'iv,  CliarUs 2«0.2H:!.'J!tl 

Ayoii'ki'c,  Adam     251 ,  277.  2M3.  ■.'•.»1 

iia<icii-l'((\V(!ll.  Sir  (jeor^e. 2i»l) 

Mall.  (  U'ln-^e 208, 270.  201 

Hariies,  M 127 

Baroiiovitih.  J 220,  20(l.  2H3.  201 

Bates.  ^lanrict; . .  251 .  277. 283 

Holiiow.  ( 'hades  J . . .    244 

Beiiilt.  William .         203 

liemiet t.  \V.  C 251 .  20M.  277.  2s4 

Beiisdii.  I-: 251 .  2(1H.  -277.  2S4 

BtMisi  111.  M 240.  251 . 2.H  1. 2!tl 

Hejisoii.  William 203 

Beviii''t(Hi.ll.S 1S2.1S5 

Bliediier.  Bernlianl 24s,esi,20l 

Bunde.  Neil 210.251.203 

Fioiidtcr.s 2.S0 

IJowa-ehui) 25N,277.2!)1 

Bradlev.  ,1.  A 24S.'>7U.2S4 

Bradley.  T .    .    204.  2S4.  2iil 

Bremian.  William 27 1 .  2H4 

Brown.  Henry 24(t.  2M4 

Brown.  Peter" 25s.  •.>(;().  204. 277. 2S3. 284 

Brown.  ThomuH 24s.','51. 201 

Bryant.  Cliarle.s 23(i 

Biiterin.  K 21<i.220 

Buynitskv.  S.  N  _ 230 

('aila])0,  L 284.201 

(;ami)l)ell.  Charles 200. 204. 2H4 

Canetak.  I  . 277 

L'antwell,  J.  C 227. 291 

Carlhcnt.  J.  L 240. 271 

Cathcnt.  Captain 210 

Chalall.  Charles 251.204.291 

Charlie 277. 292 

Chickanoff,  V ....   27S,284 

Chin-koo-tin,  S ....     247.278,284 

Christiiinsen,  J 251 .  2H4. 292 

Church,  Peter 2 17. 251 .  271 .  2S5.  292 

Circus  Jim 27S.292 

Claplanhoo.  James 2.58. 27S.  285 

Clark.H.N 227,239 

Clark.  William 251.27H.292 

Clan,sen,  C. 210. 210. 292 

Clausen.  D ..     208.271 

Clement.  John  C 251.271.285 

Cohen.  M.. 24s.  285 

Collins. P .    .  24S. •,)S5. 292 

Coulson.W.  C 151.215.227.200 

Cox,  Leander 227.  230.  248. 208. 271 

Culler,  Louis .2.52.204 

Dahtlin,  Charles _ 200. 285. 292 

Dal^arduo.  James. 24s.  2()0, 292 

Dalton.  J 204,  292 

Dardeaii.  A 211. 285. 292 

Dardean.  J 259 

Davis.  Frank 2!).  204. 292 

Davis.  Jeff • 278 

Deimis.  J 293 

Dick.  Hooniah 2(>1 

Dishow,  George 210. 285. 293 

Dohrn.  John _ 252 

Dolan.  Richard . .  252.  29:', 

Douglas.  J.  H 220. 22S.  240. 247.  2(i4 

D\ittv.P 239.204. 2H5 

Duncan.  William 200. 271 .  293 

Echon 2S5 


IV 


CONTENTS, 


Index  of  names  of  persons,  etc— Continned.  Pftxi*- 

EllabuHh 2r)(».  L'78 

Elliott.  H.  W - 104 

Erskine,  M,  C ^'2H, 24». !i(i8.  'JTl, ',>8r) 

Eshon 3TN 

Ffiirchild.  (ieorge ^17.  '2r,2,  -Mi 

Falconer,  S _ ''M,  2'.\i> 

Feenv,  F.  F 349, 368, 37 1 ,  3H."»,  3i»!{ 

Fcodor,  V 378 

Fof^al.  George 3(M),  3()8. 371 

Foster,  Charles ;{46 

Foster,  William 371 

Fowler,  C.  L 338 

Frank 353, 378 

Frank.  Chief 3fi().  378, 308 

Frank.  Luke 3«8. 379. 393 

Franklin,  L.  F 308. 373. 393 

Eraser.  A 183, 188, 193 

Fratis.  John 340 

Frazer.  Thomas 3«8, 373, 385 

Frazer.  William  . .   2't'i,  385 

Funcke.  Ed.  W 2r)2, 3(i8.  373, 393 

F vf  e,  John 304 

(ieorKe.Chad .         3G0. 379. 385, 393 

Cxibson.C ...,       385 

Gibson.  Charles. 379 

Gibson.  Th ,'«4 

Gibson.  Thomas _ 349,  ^L  j 

Glidden.  H.  A. 335. 340 

(+olf .  C.  J 141 .  330. 339 

Gonastnt . .   ....   349. 379. 386 

(Tondowen.  James 349, 379.  386. 393 

Gould  A.J... 373.386 

Grady,  George 368 

Greenleaf .  E.  HI 310. 353, 360, 394 

•  Gregoroff.N 379,386 

Griffin.  A _ 310.394 

(iriffin.J 386 

Griffith ,  W .  P . . 360. 368 

Gryuies,  A .      394 

Gry mes.  James 349 

Grynies,  Joseph 340 

Guild,  A.J 394 

Haldane.  H 353.369.379.386 

Hannon,  M 353, 286, 394 

Hansso7i,  A 330 

Harms™.  H 253. 373. 294 

Harrison.  J. 311. 249. 386 

Hayikahtla.  S 394 

Hays. J. M.... 273,294 

Hayward.  J 311, 373 

Healy,  M.  A. 315, 320, 349, 264, 286 

Heilbronner.  M 240 

Henriques,  J.  A 276 

Henson.  William 269, 394 

Hentz.  E... 182 

Hereford. W.S 330,330,376 

Hermann,W... 386 

Hodgson,  N 317, 265, 286, 394 

Hoffman,  A.  J 253.372,294 

Hofsted.E ..  247.272,394 

Hogman.  C.  H 269,294 

Hogue,  C.J 230,272 

Holm.O 253,286 

Hooper.  C.L... 138,173,213 

Hotham,  Rear- Admiral 209 

Hughes,E - 230 

Irving,  Alfred 253,361,365.379,395 


CONTKNTS. 


286. 294 
15.  •,>72. 294 
272, 294 
269, 294 
230, 272 
253, 286 
8,173,213 
.  209 
.  230 
5.279.295 


1 


IikIcx  111  ii;tiii(>s  of  persons,  etc. - 

Isaac,  Williiim 

Isaacson. (jj 

Islika  

.1(1 


-Continued. 


261», 


lacobi 


V 


.la'Jiicson.  J 

.loluison.  Frank 

.Tolius(.n.  J 21 1 .  253. 2S6. 

Jolinsoii.  Jack 279. 

Jolinson.  Selvviah 259. 

Joliiitin.  J  253, 279. 2H6, 

Kaliiktdav.  P  ~'47, 253, 279. 

Kashcvaroff,  P 279,287, 

Kasliwa 253. 2H(). 

Kas( .(,h.  J .    .  253, 2N(). 

Kcan.  .Tames 265. 

Kcniicdv.  .Tames  253. 265. 

Kctlins(W'k.  M 253.2H(», 

Kiciiiaii.  ,T  214.  249. 253.  265.  269.  273. 

Kiiiiv-Hall.  F.  R - 254. 265. 273. 

Kiiik()oj,'a         2.S0, 

Klaiiancck,  C - - 261. 2.S0, 

Kl(  ptiackct.  .Tames -  -  249, 

Kohoorotf,  S 

Kooko.  R 254.280. 

Kotclioottcn.  .T  ... 

Kowiiicct,  ,1 247.287. 

Krcl.s.  C.  F.  E - 

Knikotr.  N 

Kiishcn.  A .  -     220, 231 .  241 , 

Kvam.  Olaf .- 

Lachcck.  (i 247, 28U.  287. 

Lachcek.  .T .   

Lainji:.  A .- 

LaiiiiiMon  &  Co - 

Lavender.  A.  W 

Lawson.  E.  N 
Lenard.  L.  M. 
Lcnnan.  .1,  E. . 
Liebcs.  (t 


354, 265. 27;'..  2H7 
217 


LifOu's.  H - 177. 

Liebcs.  I 177.220.249. 

Liehes.  S 

LiKlitlumse.  J 259. 2.so. 

Lindahl.C 273.2^7. 

Lortin.  .T ...      .261. 

Littlcjolm.  E.  W - 273. 287. 

Lorn,'.  W.  H... ..     247.254.273, 

Loud.  A.  P 143. 221.  231 .  246. 249, 

Lowe.Thomas 280. 

Lntjens.  Charles _ 254. 273. 

McAlpine.  G. 254.  288. 

McClennen,  Charles  E 

McDonald,  ,T.  D _ 254. 273, 288, 

Mclntyre,  H.  H 129, 221 .  231 ,  238. 241 .  27().  344 


Mclsaac,  William 254. 273, 286, 

McKean.   James 254, 273, 

McLane.  D 

McLanu;hlin, William ^ 25."), 273, 

McLean.  A 265. 269. 

McLean.  D 255, 274. 

McManus.  R.  H _ 

Madden.  Thomas 255, 

Maitland.  Edw. _ 255. 

Malowansky,  J 221.232.241.249.259. 

Maloy,  J 274, 

Mandregin,  N 

Maronev.  Pat 255. 259. 266. 


I'litfC. 

269 
272. 29.'5 
279 
212,295 
295 
273 
29.'i 
29.'i 
286 
295 
295 
295 
287 
295 
295 
296 
290 
296 
'2S7 
2.S7 
287 
280 
279 
287 
231 
298 
237 
231 
276 
296 
296 
257 
263 
184 
246 
287 
241 
296 
249 
276 
287 
177 
29(> 
296 
296 
296 
296 
265 
296 
296 
297 
177 
297 
346 
297 
288 
214 
297 
274 
297 
213 
297 
288 
28g 
297 
233 
297 


265. 


w 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


Iii(l(>\  of  uaiiics  (if  iHTsons.  (?tc. — Continued.  I':i;,<--- 

.ALiUtiii.  Chiivles _ -J.V), '^SO.  vM»T 

Martin.  W.E 1S2 

:\Iason.  Fn«(l .' 'JC.il.  'JSS 

Mason.  H  . .  _ •-'.">.-).  'jss.  ',>(»? 

Matliason.  T -JSS.  'JitT 

Mclovcdotr.-  A _ .   1 7 7.  -J-J'.'.  ',':!■,'.  ',>;!:!.  '.':iM.  -j  I'J.  'J-iT 

Mclovidnv.  S '-':i:!.  '^'IJS.  'jso 

Mill.  Amos -r^r,.  -^m 


Mincr.E , 

Miner.  (J.  E  ..    2' 

Morcan.  Frank 2").-.. -JfU, •,>(«>, 274. 'Jh 


.Morgan.  T.  F ir)3, 288, 2;W.  242, 24(;.  247 

Morris,  .lohn.    .    .    

Morris.  M . . 

Morton.  J.  M 

^[oS(!S        ..  .  .  ...  

Moss.  M 

:SIonlton.  J.  H 

Mowatt.  Tlionms 

Mnrrav.  .losepii . K" 

Nashtaii  24!».  2^1 

Natch.  S _ 


v;.).) 
288 
2i)7 

2.-.(!.2i»8 
280. 2N8 

OOi) 


2.")(i,2(i(i.  2S1.2it8 

-..  l21l.2.'t().  2(51 

.     22.).  242 

210 

222. 284 
•jSH.  2it8 
2."")ti,281 


Nathlan.  Dan .   2r)t».  2S1 .  28S.  21)8 

Necliantako 281 

Noeshkaith.  J 2S1.288.2!»8 

Nelson.  N.    . 2r)0,2()(i.2(>!».2T4.2SS,2!)8 

Nt'ttlclon.  S.  R 284. 242 

Newman,  A     . 222 

Niebanm.  (i. 228. 225. 28X.  242 

Noves.  L..  A 181.  228.  284.  201 

Nikla-ah 281 

OBrieji.  .John... 2.*)0.21)8 

(  Uiv(>r.  X.  T 25(1. 2M.  2SS.  2!t8 

Olsen.  John 25(),2(i(!.2()i) 

( )Isen.  Peter 281 

Oslv 25().2(tl.288 

( )tis.  H.  (I. 242 

Parker.  William 250, 2<5(t,  27(5. 2«.t8 

Peters. .n.  Charles 212.  2Wi.  270, 280. 298 

Plielan.  .lohn  J 245 

Poland.  H -       188 

Porter.  E.  P 212. 2(l'i.  274. 208 

P(n-ter.  W.... ...     .       2119 

Rav.  William  P 173 

Redpath,  J.  C 18(5, 215. 228. 284, 242, 200,  '27ii 

Rice,  (Tcorfj^e 183 

Rol>.>rts.  W 247. 250. 20(i.  289 

Rondtns ...         299 

Rvaii.A 250,281.289,299 

Ryan.  T.  F 248. 207 

Savers.  A. . .  201 ,  274 

Scriliner.  li.  F . 225.  2 '8 

Shepard.  h.  (i 218, 240. 250. 289 

Sh(  irt .  William . 250. 299 

Hhnck V.  Jack 250. 28 1 ,  289 

Shnltka.  C 282,289.299 

Whyha.  A 281 

Siiiies.  Peter 250.299 

Simson.  A ...    299 

Sinf,my.  M . .  257.  2n1 

Sitka.  Jack. 257. 28! .  289.  299 

Skowl,  Thomas 257. 281 .  289. 299 

Sloan.  James 207.274,299 

Sloss,  Leon 228, 285. 239, 299 

Smith,  Fred 2(57, 28t».  299 

Smith,  J.  W 201 .  289 

Smith.  William  H 257 


•},  280. 2\)~ 

isr> 

•.'(>'.».  '.'SS 

."), 'jss.v'itr 

s.  'J  f.>.  ','4: 

:',  •,>:is. -.'SO 

'.'.-).->.  -JiiS 

•J.V) 

2"  I  2HS 

4.'>   .'2'.)7 

i7.2:v    ^;4 

1 1, •.>.■")(•. 261 
22.).  242 
210 
;5.222.2!{4 
S1,2S,S.2!»S 
2.-)ti,2.si 
>!).2,ss.2i)8 
281 
SI   288.2J>8 
74.  2SS,  2!)8 
2:M.242 
222 
2.").2:{><.242 
2:i.  2:54. 2(51 
...       281 
2.")('..  208 
:4.2S8.2it8 
■)(»,  2l>().  2()i) 
281 
")().  2(11. 288 
242 
(It;,  27(1.  2»8 
7(>,2SH.298 
24.^) 

.-      18;5 


i<;. 


274.2!)8 
2i»» 


12, 2(1(1,  27« 

18H 

.Id.  2(1(1.  289 

299 

389, 299 

24;$.  2(17 

2(11.274 

22.-).2':{ 

|il,2.')(i.2S9 

2.")(1.  299 

r)(1.2S  1.289 

2,2S!».299 

281 

2.')U.299 

299 

.  2.-.7.2H1 

1.2S9.299 

1.280.299 

17.274.299 

{.-).  239, 299 

, 289. 299 

2(11 .  289 

. .       2.-)  7 


CONTENTS. 


vri 


Iiuli'x  i)t'  linings  of  pei'souis.  etr. — Continued.  I'il,'.-. 

Soroii.  E.  W ---    ..   2s;i.2!i0 

SoowoDsch       .    270 

Wtauip.  W.  (.'.   B _ ..  is:i 

Stiinlrv -Brown.  J l.">7. 219. 224. 22(1.  2:!(1, 2:iO 

Stt'iilM'ns.  Cvriis _ 2.");.  2?  I. '.MIO 

St.'vntVls.  K.  11_ .       177 

Slirkland.  .1 .  .<lnia 2."»7. 2(17.  2M».  :i00 

Snndvall,  (I 275 

Swai  1 1 .  ,1 .  A ■:r,o.  ;;()0 

Hwaii.  .laiai's  (t 155 

'i'anin'r.  ( 'aptain ~ 217 

Tanner.  Z.L.. 2:1:1.247 

Tavlor.  \V.  B 22::.  2 18 

Tmclnnann.  E. .-.     is  I.  2 18 

Templed.  H 2:i9 

•      Tli.'nias.W.    - 2:.:.2r:>.289 

Tlioini)son.  A.  W - -  2:.0 

Tldkahda vnald<ee.  M    248. 282.  2n!»,  :;(I(» 

Tlaksatan .  C -  2oO.  2^2.  2'^li.  :III0 

T..lniaii.  J.  C - 22:5.257.  2:0. 2S9 

Tieadwell.  (I.  H   178 

Trearslieit .   P. 290 

Tu1tl('.  IV 2:5:), 270 

Twi  .n.u;k\v;dv 282 

Tvsiiui.  .lolin     -  - 2.~)7, 2.")lt.  2(17.  2.'<2 

minian.  S  178 

Unalai ini.  J . .  _ 248. 257.  2S2. 29o.  :!(Ml 

Usher,  (leorge 2.");.  2!M).:i(li) 

Verbeke,  F.'. _ 2S2 

Wai^ner,  C.  T J 1 7S,  22tl 

Walton .  U 218. 257.  2r5.  2!Ht.  :!Olt 

Wank,  ( 'harles 2  ts.  2S2.  200 

Wasldiurn.  M.  L . .  221.  2."iO,;500 

Wassernian.  E .  2.")7 

Watkiiis  2N2.:i(li> 

Webster.  Daniel 147,  221.  2:5."..  2  |:{.  2*!;.  2;o 

Wecken.ineseh 2S2 

Weittenhiller.  P.  S 2  IS.  2.1s.  ■,>;.-..  .Mm 

White.  ( 'iiarlov 2.59. 2(11 .  2S2. 200.  ::(M) 

White,  M  ■ _ _  214.  2.18.  270.  275.  2:7.  200.  :!(»(> 

Wieiiuvt,  William  . .  ITS 

Williains.  Billv 25s.  -jS-.'.  :i() | 

Williams.  ( '.  A .     1 70. 2 J4 

Williams. .los.D 170.  iso 

Williams.  T.  T 180, 248. 2.18. 2.10, 2(11.  2(12.  2(l:i.  2(.7 

Williams.  W.  H 174 .  22 1 . 2:i<l.  2il7 

Wilson.  Kred 2.1s.  2S2.  200. :!()! 

Windmiller  M 170.  Iso 

Wisp(  10 .       _ 2.10. 2S2,  :)(i1 

WoodiMiir.  J 2(1?.  200 

Wooskort ,  M      '.    2S2,  200 

Yahka  k  . 2s:i 

Yelka t eh  V.  B 2.1s.  'JOO.  :inl 

Yethnow'.  H '.» 2s:i.20O,  :!()l 

Yohansen.  A . .       2-ls.  200 

Yonns,'.  P  228,  2.s:5. 20(».  :{0I 

YtnniK,  \y 2.18. 2s:5, 200 

Ynlla.  H 28:5.  :5(»1 

Zamniett.ti 20(t 

Zolnaks.  Thomas 2.58. 2.19, 28:5.  ;!01 

.ibsKPH    MURRAY'S    REl'ORT.    IHIC,. 

Annual  rejiort  I'or  1895  ot  Joseph  Murray,  aKei»t  for  the  protection  of  the  ' 

salmon  lisliei'ies  of  Alaskii JMO 

Litpioi'  and  snninf;l'i"i--    - Ills 

Destrnction  of  },Mme-fowl  ef{>?s 360 


VIII  CONTENTS. 

Report  for  1895,  on  salmon  fisheries,  by  Joseph  Murray— Continued.  I'afff • 

Destruction  of  deer -^gl 

Foxes .."['""i\" ][[["]:::"""  ka 

Sea  otter j-jg.^ 

Fur  seals [...[..[[[[[  863 

Salmon 365 

Recommendations ... .  372 

Exhibit  A.  Number  seals  on  seal  islands,  1895 ....[][][.[ .[  372 

B.  Liquors  cleared  from  Puget  Sound  for  Alaska.  January  1. 

1894,  to  March  10, 1895 ;...  a73 

C.  Statistics  of  salmon  pack,  1895.. ^75 

D.  Salmon-packing  stations  in  Alaska ' "  377 

E.  Sailing  distances  to  the  different  Alaska  canneries 377 

F.  Summary  of  salmon  pack,  1895 378 

G.  Alaska  and  Pacific  Coast  salmon  pack  from  1866  to  1895,  both 

inclusive 37j< 

H.  Proposed  bill  for  protection  salmon  industry 379 


I 


mi 
m2 
m2 

363 
865 

372 

373 
375 
377 
377 
378 

378 
379 


CONDITION  OF  SEAL  LIFE  ON  THE  ROOKERIES  OF  THE 
PRIBILOF  ISLANDS,  1893-1895. 


The  Vice-President  preseiitetl  the  foHowing- 

LETTER  PROM  THE  ACTING  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY 
TRANSMITTING,  IN  RESPONSE  TO  A  RESOLUTION  OP  THE  SEN^ 
ATE  OP  FEBRUARY  17,  1896,  THE  REPORTS  MADE  BY  THE 
AGENTS,  OFFICERS,  OR  PERSONS  ACTING  UNDER  THE  AUTHOR. 
ITY  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY  IN  THE  YEARS 
1894  AND  1895,  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  CONDITION  OP  THE  PUR 
SEALS  ON  THE  PRIBILOF  ISLANDS,  OR  TO  THE  HUNTING  OP 
SUCH  ANIMALS  IN  BERING  SEA  OR  IN  THE  NORTH  PACIFIC 
OCEAN,  AND  THE  EFFECT  OP  SUCH  HUNTING  UPON  THE  FUR 
SEALS  THAT  RESORT  TO  THE  BERING  SEA. 


Febuiauv  ■>-,  189«.-Rclened  to  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations  an.l  ordered 

to  be  printed. 


Treasury  Department, 

Office  of  the  Secretary, 
^y^iihingtou,  I).  C,  Febrnanj  ,W,  JS'W. 
thT'iLilT.ul^^A  ir^'i'^Jf  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  a  resohition  of 
rnn.f«  ?  t;  *  *^  V^^  ^^^]'  \"'*^"*'  '''^^••«"'  ^  a»'  'lirected  to  furnish 
copies  of  the  reports  made  by  the  agents,  offlcers,  or  persons  actin" 
under  he  ..nthonty  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasm'y  in^l.e  veL^  18  )4 
aiid  1890,  ,n  rehition  to  the  condition  of  the  fur  seals  on  tlfe  PribU^" 
IslaiKls  or  to  the  hunting  of  such  animals  in  Bering  Sea  or  in  the  North 

reS%o'peH'n?l'i''  '^'r'  "^  ''f'  '^""""^  "P'"  tl'«  ^"r  «eals  tl'at 
resoit  to  J.e  lug  Sea,  and,  in  reply,  to  state  that  the  i)reparation  of 
the  copies  ot  such  papers  will  involve  great  labor,  and  rLuii"  con! 
mderab le  time,  owing  to  the  voluminous  character  of  the  doci  me^S 
I  therefore  tra..snut  the  originals,  with  the  request  that  tlie'v  be  re 

Zufil  *i"  ^'n  ^^T  ^V^'^  Department  without  mutilatiou  in  ca"e  the 
Sennte  should  order  them  printed. 

Respectfully,  yours,  g^  ^j^j., 

Actimi  Secretary. 
The  President  of  the  Senate. 


IT 


CONDITKIN  OF  THE  FUli  SEALS  OF  THE  PRIIilLOF  ISLANDS. 


TuEASrUY   DEI'ARTMKNT, 

Office  of  the  Se(;rbtai{Y, 

Washinjttou,  IK  ".,  March  i,  tsf/r,. 

Silt:  Afrrecably  to  your  directions  eoutained  in  Department  letter, 
June  1>,  1894,  liereto  annexed,  1  left  Victoria,  British  Columbia,  July  2.'? 
last  on  the  United  States  revenue  steamer  Rush  for  the  I'ribilof  Islands 
in  lierlng  Sea  and  other  points  in  the  Territory  of  Alaska.  1  was 
aeconjiianied  by  Mr.  Joseph  Murray,  inspect(U' of  salmon  fisheries,  and 
Mr.  John  \V.  McUrath,  secretary  and  stenographer. 

1  now  have  the  honor  to  transmit  a  rejtort,  together  with  reports  of 
Mr.  Murray  and  otlier  official  documents,  bearing  ui)on  the  sulijeot. 

Our  itinerary  was  as  follows: 

July  2.">,  sailed  from  Victoria,  British  Columbia;  July  31,  arrived  at 
Uualaska;  August  1,  at  Unalaska;  August  3  to  S,  St.  Paul  Lsland 
(I'ribilof);  August  8,  St.  (ieorge  Island;  August  0,  IJnalaska;  August 
ll,Akutau;  August  12,  IJelkofski;  August  13,  Sand  Point;  August  14, 
Unga;  August  1«»,  17.  Karluk  (Kadiak  Island);  August  18,  St.  Paul 
Islaiul;  August  21,  Vakutat  Bay:  August  25,  Sitka;  August  20,27, 
Juneau;  Aug'ist  28,  Wrangell;  August  29,  Kasau,  Loring,  and  Metlak- 
hatla;  August  3(i,  Fort  Simpson;  September  3,  Nanaimo  and  Vancouver. 

The  area  of  Alaska  Territory  has  been  estinuited  at  531,000  square 
miles — almost  one  sixth  of  the  total  area  of  the  United  States.  Tlie 
population,  according  to  the  IiJleventh  Census,  is  32,052;  of  which  total 
4,298  are  whites,  2,288  Mongolians,  23,531  Indians,  and  1,823  mixed. 

The  length  of  the  coast  line  of  Alaska,  including  the  mainland  and 
isiatuls,  is  2(),3(>4  miles,  as  compared  with  3,090  for  the  Pacific  ('oast, 
2,043  miles  for  the  Atlantic  Coast,  and  1,810  miles  for  the  Gulf  Coast, 
including  all  islands. 

Some  conception  of  the  distances  between  the  various  points  iu  the 
Territory  may  be  obtained  from  the  following  table: 

statute 
miles. 
From  I'nitcd  States  homidaiy  on  rortlantl  Canal,  Alaska,  west  to  the  island 

ol"  Attn,  ap])roxiniatelv j 2,  3,  • 

From  Sitka,  Alaska,  to  the  Pribiloi'  Islands  (ho.'iI  islands)  as  a  veasfl  sails l,,5(j.') 

From  Fort  Townsend,  Wash.,  to  Unalaska 1,  919 

From  Port  Ti>\vn8end,  Wash.,  to  th»i  Pribilof  Islands 2, 189 

From  .'<au  I'rancisoo  to  Fnalaaka 2, 374 

From  San  Francisco  to  I'ribilof  Islands 2,611 

From  San  Francisco  to  island  of  Attn 3, 282 

From  San  Francisco  duo  west  to  meridian  «)f  Attn 3, 513 

From  Sau  Francisco  due  east  to  Washinj^ton 2, 456 

Between  the  I'ribilof  Islands  and  the  city  of  Washington  there  is  a 
difference  of  time  of  six  and  one  fourth  hours;  between  the  I'ribilof 
Islantls  and  Sau  I-'rancisco,  three  hours. 
4 


1870  . . . 

1871  ... 

1872  . . . 

1873  . . . 

1874  . . . 
1875... 
1878  . . . 
1877  . . . 
1878... 


SLANDS. 


(lit  letter, 
a,  July  L'.'i 
[)f  Islands 
A.  1  was 
eiies,  and 

reports  of 
ibjeet. 

irrived  at 
111  Island 
I,;  August 
Uigust  14, 
St.  I'aul 
ist  2(),  27, 
d  iMetlak- 
ancouver. 
lOO  square 
ites.  The 
liieh  total 
mixed, 
iiland  and 
ific  ('oast, 
ulf  Coast, 

ints  in  the 


Stiitiito 
utiles. 

....  2,3,. 

Is 1,56:) 

1,  9t!> 

2,189 

2,374 

2,611 

3,282 

3,513 

2,156 

there  is  a 
le  Pribilof 


SKAL    MFK    ON    THK    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


5 


The  report  of  Inspector  Murray,  hereto  annexed,  and  the  other  docu- 
ments made  a  pait  of  this  report  so  completely  set  forth  the  present 
condition  and  needs  of  tlie  Territory  of  Alaska,  as  well  as  its  past  his- 
tory, that  little  more  is  left  to  me  than  generalization. 

Tlic  subject  matter  naturally  divides  itself  into  several  broad  groups, 
viz:  (I)  The  fur  seal,  (li)  the  salmon  fisheries,  ('.*)  other  fur  bearing  ani- 
nmls,  (4)  the  land  <iuestion,  ('>)  the  liiiuor  question,  (<»)  the  Indians. 

I  sliiijl  briefly  consider  these  (juestions  in  order.  It  will  be  iii)i)arent 
that  many  details  do  not  fall  within  the  Jurisdiction  of  the  Treasury 
Department;  nevertheless  I  deem  it  expedient  to  state  what  i  saw  and 
certain  jicneral  conclusions  thereon. 

1.  TIIK  FUK  .SK.\1-  (.)!'  .\L.\SK.\. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell,  except  very  brieHy,  upon  the  history  of 
the  Pribilof  Islands,  one  of  the  breeding  places  of  the  northern  fur 
seal.  Discovered  ab(mt  17<S7  by  Kussians,  they  renmined  in  the  pos- 
session of  Hussia  until  c«'ded  to  the  United  States  in  1S07.  From 
1787  to  18(t.")  there  were  a  number  of  Kussian  companies  on  the  islands, 
and  the  seals  were  ruthlessly  slaughtered  without  regard  to  age  or  sex. 
In  1^0(!  and  1807  killing  was  susi)ended  and  most  of  the  Indians 
engaged  in  the  killing  weie  sent  back  to  Inalaska,  whence  they  were 
originally  piocured.  From  18(KS  to  18lJ4  killing  was  resumed  with  lit- 
tle care  ibr  the  preservation  of  the  herd.  By  18154  the  herd  was  threat- 
ened with  extermination,  and  killing,  except  a  limited  number  for  food, 
was  j>r()hibited  until  1841.  In  18.)0  the  i)iinciple  of  killing  only  nnde 
seals  was  adojjted,  and  fnmi  that  time  on  the  lierd  was  watched  so 
carefully  that  in  1807,  at  the  cession  of  Alaska,  about  r(,O()0,(l()()  seals 
were  on  the  islands,  as  Tuanv,  as  far  as  all  evidence  goes,  as  were  there 
in  1787. 

From  the  cession  until  1871  the  seal  islands  were  free  to  all.  and  as  a 
result  over  i.'r>0,(U)0  seals  were  taken  in  «)ne  season.  After  1870,  how- 
ever, the  catch  was  strictly  regulated  and  the  monopoly  of  killing  seals 
was  leased  to  tlie  Alaska  Commercial  Comi)any  for  twenty  years.  At 
the  expiration  of  this  lease  a  new  lease  was  made  to  the  Xorth  American 
Commercial  Comi)any,  which  has  not  yet  expired. 

From  1870  to  188<»  about  lOO.OUO  male  seals  .cere  taken  on  the  islands 
annually,  without  in  .any  ai)preciable  degree  affecting  the  size  of  the 
herd.  From  1880  on,  however,  causes  were  at  work  which  soon  became 
manifest  in  a  rapid  falling  olf  of  the  seal  hei«l.  until  in  181)0  oidy  about 
2.5,000  could  be  taken  on  the  islands  as  against  over  100,00()  in  1880. 

The  folh  wing  table  shows  the  total  number  of  seals  killeil  on  the 
Pribilof  Islands  from  187(»  to  1804,  inclusive: 

Grand  total  of  "'■ah  killed  for  all  pHrjioscn  on  the  I'lihUof  Inlaudx  from  ISUi  to  1S94, 

inclitnire. 


Vciir. 


Niniiliur. 


Veur. 


Xmiilipr. 


VeHf. 


Niiniber. 


1870 2;j,77;t 

1871 10a,98O 

1872 108, 810 

1873 109,177 

1874 110.585 

1875 lOtI,  4«0 

1870 94,057 

1877 84,;no 

1878 100.  .Tja 


1870 110.  .'ill 

1880 HKI,  718 

1881 105.  06:t 

1882 »»,812 

188;t 7!t,.')0e 

1884 105,  4;i4 

1885 105,0'.'4 

1886 104,521 

1887 105.  760 


1888 lO:),  304 

1880 102,017 

181»0 25,701 

1891 14,406 

1802 7,609 

1893 7,890 

IgiM '  15,033 

Total 2.047,374 

I 


it 


6  SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 

The  cause  of  the  decrease  in  .umber  found  on  the  islands  is  now 
universally  admitted  to  be  the  killing  of  female  seals.  As  no  female 
seals  have  been  killed  on  the  islands  since  1834,  it  follows  that  the  fall- 
ing off  is  caused  by  pelagic  sealing.  From  1875  to  1880  vessels  occa- 
sionally took  seals  at  sesi,  but  the  number  caught  was  insignitlcan^.  By 
1880  the  vessels  engaged  amounted  to  10 ;  in  1880,  the  fleet  had  incr  ^ased 
to  34,  and  for  tlie  tirst  time  entered  Bering  Sea  and  commenced  tuking 
seals.  The  subsequent  history  is  well  known;  the  seizures  and  pro- 
tests finally  <ulminated  in  the  treaty  with  Great  Britain,  the  Paris 
Tribunal,  and  the  award  providing  regulations  under  which  pelagic 
sealing  is  now  carried  on. 

The  following  table  gives  the  number  of  seals  killed  at  sea  from  1868 
to  1894,  inclusive,  dividing  the  catch  into  localities,  as  far  as  possible; 
also  giving  the  number  of  vessels  emjjloyed. 

The  figures  prior  to  1891  contain  some  seals  killed  on  the  Asiatic 
coast.  It  is  not  possible  to  distinguish  such  seals,  however,  from  those 
killed  on  the  eastern  side  of  Bering  Sea  and  the  North  Pacific  Ocean, 
forming  part  of  the  Alaskan  or  Aniericiin  herd. 

This  table  was  compiled  from  the  figures  in  the  British  and  American 
cases  before  the  Paris  Tribunal  and  subsequent  corrections  taken  from 
official  reports  and  the  official  returns  of  tlie  London  trade  sales: 

Totah  III/  lovtiUtien. 


Noi'lliwi  St 
(loii.sl . 

4.  :107 

It.Till- 

Scii. 

i 

i 

I'liiliMir- 
mined. 

1 

T()t;il. 

4,  :)07 
4,4:10 
8. 080 

10,911 

5,  -m 

5,  229 
5, 87:1 

5.  o:!:i 

5,  515 

5,210 

5,  .544 

8.  807 

8.910 

10,  :)82 

15,  ,551 

10.5x5 

17.  18;i 

24.  900 

:)8.  994 

40, 028 

20.915 

4:1,  158 

51.814 

09. 788 

7:),  :)94 

109.000 

:  42.  000 

1 
Vciir. 

1 

1808 
1809 
1870 
1871 
1872 
187:! 
1874 
1875 
1870 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
188:) 
1884 
1885 
1880 
1887 
1888 
1889 
I.X90 
1801 
1892 
18!i:) 
1894 

Ves.selH. 

n|>|iciiilix 

I'liittd 

States 

case, 

vol.  1. 

I'niie. 
,"i91 

4.  4;io 

8.  080 

10,911 

5,  ;t30 

1 

5.  229 

5,  H7:i 
5,  (i:i:t 

I 

5,515     

1 

1 

5,210 

5,  5*4 

1 

1 

8,  .557 

;iio 

1, 192 

0 

8,718 

10 

10,  :i82 



12 

15.  551 

15 

14.057 
10.971 

2.  5011 

2S 

212 

1 ,  020 

11.000 

10, 1100 

720 

1:1.  :ioo 

11,0011 
18,000 

11 

21.840 

i:i,:i9H 

9,  :)24 

1,200 
14.  .5115 
2I.;)04 
17,475 
1.5.407 
18.970 
2:1.  041 

15 
:!4 
47 

8,714 
14,:i01 

:i9 

08 

21,8;i8 
22, 900 
40.042 

"',5,' 847 
20, 752 
72.  045 
70,  478 

01 
115 
122 

28.01:) 
24, 10! 

;)i,,5s5 

8.  :)42 

0,  8»<i 

84 
95 

Fron)  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that  the  i)elagic  catch  of  the  past  sea- 
son of  1894,  the  first  year  in  which  the  regulations  of  the  Paris  award 
were  applicable,  was  the  most  destructive  in  the  history  of  pelagic;  seal- 
ing, the  total  killed  reaching  5o,<)8(»,  and,  including  undetermined  skins, 
62,r)2li,  as  against  only  jr),()33  killed  on  the  islands. 

From  1880  to  1894  the  pelagic  catch  increased  from  8,910  to  .■)o,68(>,  or 
624  per  cent,  while  the  I'ribilof  Island  catch  decreased  from  105,718  to 
15,033,  or  i>iii  per  cent. 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Paris 


When  it  is  remembered  that  the  evidence  sliows  that  about  three- 
quarters  of  the  seals  killed  at  sea  are  females,  it  is  easy  to  understand 
the  inevitable  falling  oft'  in  the  herd. 

Ou :  agents  report  a  decrease  in  the  seal  herd  of  at  least  one-half  since 
1890.  and  it  is  appaient  that  commercial  extermination  is  near  at  hand 
unless  changes  in  the  regulations  of  the  Paris  award  are  speedily 
agreed  to. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  from  June,  1.S91,  to  and  through  the  season 
of  1893,  under  the  modus  vivendi  aj^recd  upon  by  the  United  Stales 
anddrcat  Britain,  all  sealing  in  Hering  Sea  was  prohibited  pending 
the  Paris  award. 

Undoubtedly  this  gave  the  seal  herd  great  relief  in  securing  for  it 
immunity  while  on  its  breeding  grounds  and  in  the  sea  procuring  food 
for  the  young  pui)s.  The  subsequent  regulations  established  by  the 
Paris  award  also  helped  the  herd  by  closing  the  Norfeh  Pacific  Ocean 
and  Bering  Sea  during  May,  June,  and  July.  This  is  seen  at  once  iiH 
the  North  Pacific  <;atch,  exclusive  of  Bering  Sea,  whi<'h  fell  oft'  from 
46,«)42  in  1892,  to  24,101  in  1S94  (the  falling  oft"  in  189;J  to  28,013  is 
attributed  to  tlie  fact  tliat  the  vessels  largely  went  over  to  the  Asiatic 
shores).  This  good  eftect  in  tlie  North  Pacific  is  corroborated  by  the 
report  of  Mr.  (J.  H.  Townsend,  of  the  United  States  Fish  Commission, 
now  OP  the  Treasury  files. 

The  regulations  of  tlie  award,  however,  failed  signally  when  a|>plied 
to  Bering  Sea.  Altliough  the  herd  was  protected  in  the  Noitli  Pactiflc 
in  May  and  June  (while  on  the  way  to  its  breeding  grounds),  and  in 
Bering  Sea  in  July,  yet  it  is  safe  to  say  the  gr«  ater  part  of  the  ad- 
vantages derived  from  the  regulations  was  lost  by  permitting  tlie  sealers 
to  kill  outside  of  the  00 mile  zone  in  August  in  Bering  Sea.  The  old 
modus  vivendi  setting  apart  tiering  Sea  as  a  breeding  ground  was 
thereby  done  away  with  and  the  sea  was  oi)ened  to  pelagic  slaughter. 

The  fatal  results  were  quickly  to  be  seen.  In  the  past  season  only  37 
of  the  9")  vessels  employed  in  sealing  entered  Bering  Sea,  yet  in  five 
weeks  they  killed  31,58;>  seals,  7,0(K>  mcne  than  were  killed  by  9.")  ves- 
sels in  four  months  on  the  American  side  of  the  North  Pacific  Ocean, 
exclusive  of  Beting  Sea. 

As  a  result  of  this  slaughter,  largely  consisting  of  females,  in  Bering 
Sea,  our  agents  this  last  fall  counted  12,00(Nlead  pups  on  the  accessible 
portions  of  the  rookeries.  A  careful  estimate  based  on  this  count  reaches 
20,000  as  a  total  of  pups  dying  of  starvation  on  the  islands,  their 
mothers  being  killed  at  sea. 

Such  slaughter  can  only  result  in  the  ra|>id  extermination  of  the  fur 
seal.  Every  effort  should  be  made  to  secure  modifications  of  the  Paris 
award  regulations.  If  such  modifications  be  not  agreed  to,  the  fur  seal 
within  one  or  two  seasons  will  be  conunercially  exterminated. 

It  will  be  realized  h(»w  valuable  a  source  of  revenue  the  Alaskan  seal 
herd  has  been  to  the  United  States  when  the  following  table  is  con- 
sidered, from  which  it  apjtears  that  the  total  receii)t8  from  the  Territory, 
of  which  all  but  an  infinitesimal  portion  were  derived  from  our  sealing 
interests  on  the  Pribilof  Islands,  since  1870,  amounted  to  .^0,373,463.08, 
while  the  total  expenditures  of  the  whole  Territory  of  Alaska  for  the 
same  period  amounted  to  only  $1,120,024.50. 

To  ])revent  speedy  extermination,  a  new  modus  vivendi  should  be 
agreed  upon  pending  a  careful  study  of  *he  habits,  feeding  grounds, 
and  present  condition  of  the  fur-seal  herd  by  a  commission  of  scientists, 
who  should  recommend  such  suitable  regidations  for  pelagic  sealing  as 
will  ward  oflt"  the  otherwise  inevitable  extermination,    'nasmucli  as  there 


Si 


i 


! 


» 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'KIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


are  other  Goveiiiineiits  also  vitally  interested  in  this  question,  notably 
Japan  and  Russia,  we  should  invite  their  cooperation.  I  would  8ugj;est 
a  commission  of  three  members  from  each  country  to  examine  and  report 
upon  the  questions  involved,  and  that  pending  their  examination  and 
reports  the  respective  Governments  agree  to  i>rohibit  all  killing  of  seals 
on  land  or  sea  (save  a  limited  amtmut  on  land  for  food  for  the  Indians), 
or,  failing  in  this,  that  the  existing  regulations  establislied  by  the  Paris 
award  be  extended  to  embracte  the  wiiole  Nortli  Pacific  Ocean,  from 
shore  to  shore,  with  the  additional  provision  that  liering  Sea  be  abso- 
lutely closed  to  i)elagic  sesding. 

In  the  invesiigation  m.ade  by  said  commission,  the  methods  of  land 
killing,  as  well  as  pelagic  sealing,  should  be  studied.  It  may  be  remem- 
bered that  Mr.  Henry  W.  Elliott,  formerly  I'nited  States  special  agent, 
in  his  report  of  1890,  claimed  that  tlie  methods  of  driving  the  sctals  on 
land  were  injuiious  to  the  herd.  In  this  conclusion  he  is  corroborated 
by  Mr.  Townsend,  of  the  Fish  Commission,  whose  report  is  also  annexed. 
While  both  tliese  gentlemen  are  agreed  as  to  tiie  dire  results  in  the 
past  and  present  of  pelagic  sealing,  yet  the  fact  that  any  (piestion  is 
raised  by  them  as  to  tlie  ]»ropriety  of  existing  methods  of  land  killing 
should  be  sullicieiit  to  relegate  the  (luestion  to  said  commission  for 
careful  investigation. 

The  United  States  should  court  the  most  rigid  investigation  of  exist- 
ing methods  of  slaughter,  both  on  land  and  at  sea.  Out  of  such  investi- 
gation there  can  not  fail  to  come  results  beneiicial  to  tiie  seal  herd  and 
the  valuable  ]>roperty  interests  of  the  United  States  therein. 

SALMON    FISIIKKIIOS. 

Upon  careful  inspection  of  the  sahnon-Hsliing  industry  at  Karluk,ou 
the  island  of  Kadiak,  the  i>riiicipal  site  of  the  canning  industries  of 
Alaska,  and  of  many  otiier  canneries  scattered  over  the  Territory,  lam 
satisfied  that  the  salmon  are  rapidly  decreasing  because  of  the  inces- 
sant and  indiscriminate  fishing  and  the  illegal  use  of  weiis,  nets,  etc., 
thus  obstructing  the  streams,  liy  means  of  these  obstrucdons  and  by 
continuous  fishing  in  the  streams  the  supply  of  salmon  is  gradually 
being  exhausted.  The  result  will  be  that  the  Indians  will  be  reduced 
to  starvation,  as  they  are  dei)endent  ui)on  the  river  catch  for  food. 

I  was  also  in  receipt  of  many  complaints  from  Indians  to  the  ettect 
that  the  canners  refused  to  employ  them  in  the  canneries.  My  person.al 
observation  was  that  the  greater  part  of  the  employees  engaged  in  the 
business,  at  least  as  regards  the  fishermen,  were  aliens — Italians  and 
others — and  that  of  the  workmen  engaged  in  preparing  and  canning  the 
salmon  a  large  proportion  were  Chinese.  This  matter,  however,  has 
been  carefully  gone  over  by  Inspector  Murray  in  his  report,  to  which  I 
invite  careful  attention. 

The  present  laws  relating  to  salmon  fishing  in  Alaska  are  inadequate 
and  should  be  at  once  made  more  stringent.  A  rigid  closed  season 
should  be  provided  and  additional  inspectors  appointed  to  enforce  the 
law.  Annexed  to  Mr.  Murray's  report  there  will  be  found  a  draft  of  a 
bill  containing  such  changes  as  seem  expedient. 

The  canning  of  salmon  is  a  very  important  industry  in  Alaska;  it 
contributes  nothing,  however,  to  the  wealth  of  the  Territory,  and  I 
recommend  that  a  small  tax  be  imposed  upon  each  case  of  salmon 
canned  in  the  Territory  as  a  rental  for  the  privilege  given  to  the  canners 
to  take  salmon;  thus  some  part  of  the  exi)en8e  of  maintaining  the  Ter- 
torial  Government  will  be  borne  by  those  who  take  from  it  annually  a 
rich  harvest  and  contribute  nothing  in  return. 


SEAL    LIFK    «>N    THK    I'KIBILOK    ISLANDS. 


0 


LIQUOIf. 

In  sjiitf  of  the  eaiiiest  ettorts  of  tlie  custoins  ollicers  the  sinuffgiiiijj: 
«»f  li(|iior  into  Alaska  ami  its  illegal  sale  to  whites  and  Indians  contin- 
ues Hasmntly  ami  deliantly,  <.Nnisiderin«-  the  vast  area  of  the  Terri- 
tory, and  its  thousands  of  miles  of  coast  line,  it  is  [jerhaps  not  surpris- 
ing that  such  illegal  practices  have  not  been  (rompletely  broken  up. 

Complaint  is  also  made  that  it  is  impossible  to  secure  conviction  of 
offenders  against  the  liquor  laws  by  Jury  trial  because  of  sympathy 
with  tlic  accused.  This  renders  it  all  the  harder  to  enforce  the  law. 
This  Hagrant  tleflance  of  United  States  law  is  pnxbuitive  of  evil  results 
when  tlie  sale  of  liquor  is  to  whites,  but  when  extended  to  Indians  its 
evil  etVects  are  almost  im[)Ossible  to  describe. 

I'nder  the  Russian  rule  the  sale  of  li(iu<)r  to  natives  was  strictly  pro- 
hibited e.\cei)t  at  high  church  festivals,  but  after  the  cession  to  tlie 
United  States  nniny  vessels  sailed  to  Alaska  and  gave  the  natives  liq- 
uors in  exchange  for  furs.  The  natives  arc  passionately  fond  of  li<pu)r, 
and  will  do  almost  anything  to  secure  it.  Many  murders  by  the  huliaiis 
are  directly  tracealtle  to  li(iuor  obtained  in  this  way;  these  cases  are 
rarely  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  authorities.  Slin-h  cruelty,  such 
as  wife  beating  and  otlier  crimes,  is  also  causerl  by  the  use  of  li(pn)r. 
I  am  of  tlie  opinion  that  some  restricrimi  should  be  pliu;cd  u|)on  the 
impcutation  of  aiticlcs  which  can  l)e  used  by  the  Indians  Ibr  making 
li<[Uor,  for  example,  tiavoring  extracts,  bitters,  Flori«la  water,  bay  rum, 
eaii  de  cologne,  etc.,  wliich,  although  ostensibly  imported  as  medicintis, 
are  obtained  really  for  the  alcohol  contained  thei-ein. 

If  the  Ignited  States  (lovernmcnt  can  enforce  the  li(pu)r  laws,  murder, 
infanticide,  wife  beating,  and  other  crimes  now  common  among  the 
Indians  would  soon  be  unknown. 

It  may  well  be  (|nestioned  whether  the  existing  system  of  trial  by 
jury  is  not  a  failure  as  regards  the  enforcem«^:  t  of  the  li(iuor  laws.  If, 
lu)wevei'.  it  is  deemed  advisable  to  retain  the  provision  for  trial  by  Jury, 
I  believe  that  both  the  grand  and  trial  .juries  for  the  Territory  should 
be  selected  by  the  judge  of  the  United  States  distri<'t  court.  A  similar 
l>ractice  now  j'xists  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  and  has  been  held  con- 
stitutional, it  might  be  well  also  to  give  to  the  Uiuted  States  <ronuins- 
sioners  the  jtower  to  enforce,  without  a  jury,  section  iUo't  of  the  Revised 
Statutes  and  section  14  of  the  act  of  >iay  17,  1884,  as  far  as  relates  to 
the  sale,  manufacture,  or  importation  of  intoxicants. 

Having  carefully  considered  the  question,  it  is  my  Hrm  belief  that 
the  li(pior  question  in  Alaska  can  only  properly  be  solved  by  having  a 
system  of  high  license  and  total  prohibition  of  sales  to  Indians.  In 
this  way  only  will  ir  be  possible  to  regulate  the  traffic  effectively. 

While  in  Sitka  I  learned  that  niany  people  were  confined  in  jail 
because  of  offenses  under  the  liquor  law.  I  found  also,  to  my  great  sur- 
prise, that  some  of  them  had  been  imprisoned  since  June,  ISD.'i,  await- 
ing trial  for  offenses  for  which,  on  conviction,  not  over  six  months 
imprisonment  could  be  imposed,  there  having  been  no  term  of  court 
since  the  first-named  date.  These  facts  have  been  called  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Attorney-Cieneral. 

FUR-BEARlNfl  ANIMALS. 


THK  SKA   OTTEU. 


The  value  of  sea  otter  skins,  just  out  of  the  water,  to-day  is  about 
$200,  whereas  fifteen  years  ago  the  price  would  not  average  much  over 


10 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOl'    ISLANDS. 


$25.  Tliey  are  becominf;  very  scarce  because  of  iiMliscriiniiiate  slauffh- 
ter  in  the  past.  When  under  Russian  dominion  the  sea-otter  grounds 
were  divided  into  tliree  districts,  one  third  being  open  to  hunting  each 
year.  Firearnis  were  proliibited  and  only  bows  and  spears  were  per- 
mitted to  be  used,  and  wliites  were  never  eniployed  as  hunters.  After 
the  cession  to  the  United  States  many  whites  engaged  in  hunting,  and 
vessels  were  titted  out  from  I'acitlc  ports  with  otter  boats  ]>ropelled  by 
steam.    Tlie  result  luis  been  almost  extermination. 

The  sea  otter,  contrary  to  what  is  generally  supposed,  has  no  regular 
breeding  time;  it  brings  forth  its  young  iluring  every  month  in  the 
year.  To  i)revent  its  extermination  hunting  should  be  prohibited 
between  May  and  October,  and  tiien  should  be  allowed  only  by  natives 
and  whites  married  to  natives. 

While  at  Kodiak  (St.  Paul)  a  delegation  of  whites  waited  upon  me 
and  stated  that  they  were  deprived  of  the  right  to  hunt  sea  otter  in 
Alaska.  This  right  had  previously  been  limited  by  Treasury  regulation 
to  natives  and  to  whites  married  to  natives;  that  relying  on  the  regula- 
tions then  in  force,  they  had  married  native  women  and  had  invested 
all  their  i»roperty  in  schooners,  tackle,  etc.,  and  that  on  March  2,  18!)3, 
the  regulation  previously  in  force,  i)ermittiug  whites  married  to  natives 
to  hunt,  was  rescinded  by  President  Harrison;  that  this  took  away  all 
their  means  ol  support.  They  therefore  asked  that  the  old  ruling  as 
to  whites  man  led  to  natives  be  restored,  and  that  the  ruling  of  March 
2,  1893,  be  rescinded. 

I  am  of  the  opinion,  after  carelully  examining  the  (piestion,  that  siu;h 
of  these  whites  as  married  natives,  relying  ou  the  existing  law  as  laid 
down  in  theTrcasury  regulations  of  April  2 1, 1871),  were  wrouglydeprived 
of  the  privilege  of  luinting  otter  by  circulars  of  January  19,  1893,  and 
March  2,  1893,  and  1  believe  that  said  circulars  should  be  changed  so 
as  to  permit  such  whites  to  engage  in  sea  otter  hunting. 

I  further  recommend  that  the  regulations  prohibiting  the  sale  of 
breech-loading  tirearnis  be  changed.  In  the  gold  region  about  the 
Yukon  River  there  are  many  traders  who  have  much  gold.  They  are 
surrounded  by  newcomers  who  have  ritles,  and  they  should  also  be 
pernutted  to  have  them.  The  natives  now  almost  universally  have 
Winchester  ritles,  but  they  buy  them  at  enormous  prices  and  have 
inferior  weapons.  I'irearms  are  a  necessity  to  Indians  to-day,  for  with- 
out them  they  can  not  kill  deer  or  bear  upon  which  they  depend  for 
their  support. 

I  am  further  of  the  o|)ini<)n  that  the  present  prohibition  against  whites 
hunting  land  fur-bearing  animals  in  Alaska  should  be  discontinued. 
It  was  originally  passed  to  protect  the  seals,  but  their  killing  is  i-egu- 
lated  uow  by  other  statutes,  and  this  prohibition  should  be  removed. 

LAND    I'CKS. 


There  should  also  be  a  closed  season  from  April  to  October  for  each 
year  for  land  fur-bearing  animals.  During  this  period  furs  are  useless, 
but  the  natives  can  not  resist  the  temptation  of  killing.  For  many 
years  i)arts  of  the  Territory  have  suffered  from  ftiilure  of  reindeer 
because  of  indiscriminate  slaughter  in  the  i)ast,  simply  for  the  tongue, 
eyes,  and  tallow,  rejecting  the  meat.  Said  proposed  closed  season 
should  also  embrace  deer  and  mountain  sheep.  There  should  further 
be  a  prohibition  of  the  exportation  of  deer  skins  from  the  Territory, 
because  of  the  indiscriminate  slaughter  carried  on  by  the  natives 
simply  to  procure  the  skins  for  export.  ' 


8KAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PRIIJII.OF    ISLANDS. 


11 


I  am  tiirtlier  in  receipt  of  information  that  <^ertain  wliitos  use  poison 
to  kill  foxes.    Tliis  sliould  be  proliibited  under  strinjient  penaltios. 

LAND  LAWS. 

Tli»>  },n()\vtli  of  the  popuhition  in  Alaska  and  the  aiuonnt  of  money 
Invt'sttMl  ill  the  Territory  ia  iuiireasing-  yearly.  It  is  believed  that  a 
large  imiiiigratlon  will  set  in  as  soon  as  Congress  shall  extend  through- 
out tlie  Territory  the  general  land  laws  or  some  other  system  enabling 
the  settler  to  a<!quire  private  ownership  in  land,  a  privilege  now 
accorded  only  to  the  occupiers  of  town  sites,  to  the  owners  of  mines 
and  canneries,  and  persons  engaged  in  trade  and  manufacture. 

Many  other  suggestions  will  be  found  in  the  appended  report  of 
Inspector  Murray.  I  merely  call  attention  in  this  brief  report  to  cer- 
tain broad  and  general  facts  and  conclusions  noted  by  me  iliiring  the 
course  of  my  investigation. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

CiiAiiLKS  S.  Hamlin, 

.  1  ssisfaii f  Scvretitry. 

The  Seorktarv  ok  the  Treasiijv. 


Treastuv  Dki'autment, 

OFFICK   or    THE    SlU'RETARV, 

\V((Nhiiigton,  IK  €.,  June  !>,  is'Ji. 

SiH:  III  view  of  the  representations  made  affecting  tiie  customs 
administration  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  I  desire  you  to  visit  San  Francisco, 
Portland,  Oreg.,  Port  Townsend,  and  such  other  places  as  may  be  nec- 
essary, for  the  ])urpose  of  making  a  personal  inspection  of  said  ports  in 
order  to  ascertain  the  t'xact  condition  of  atfairs  and  the  remedies 
required  to  secure  the  proper  conduct  of  the  customs  business.  1  also 
desire  you  to  make  such  inquiries  as  nuiy  be  ]>r!»cti(!able  with  reference 
to  tiie  salmon  fisheries  of  Alaska,  and  the  taking  (»f  seals  on  the  Pribi- 
lof  Islands.  Should  it  be  necessary,  in  your  judgment,  to  visit  Alaska, 
you  sliould  not  hesitate  to  proceed  there  to  »)i)tain  the  desired  infor- 
mation. 

I  inclose  copies  of  bills  which  have  been  introduced  in  the  House  of 
Kepreseiitatives  affecting  the  salmon,  trout,  and  other  lisheries  in  the 
streams  of  Alaska.  J  also  inclose  a  statement  showing  the  number  of 
seals  taken  for  all  pur[>oses  from  l!^7b  to  1<S1>."»,  l)oth  inclusive,  which 
may  be  of  service  to  you  in  the  course  of  your  inqi     .es. 

Instructions  will  be  sent  to  the  connnanding  officers  of  the  revenue 
steamer  HuHh  to  the  effect  that  said  vessel  will  he  at  your  disposal  dur- 
ing such  time  as  you  may  be  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

It  is  suggested  upmi  your  return  that  you  give  attention  to  the  con- 
sular sealing  system,  under  which  merchamlise  is  permitted  to  i>ass  the 
frontier  of  the  United  States  without  critical  inspe<!tion.  The  trans- 
portation of  freight  between  American  ports  via  Canada  should  Jilso 
receive  your  attention. 

You  will  please  make  your  arrangements  to  enter  upon  these  duties 
with  as  little  delay  as  practicable,  as  the  season  is  near  at  hand  when 
your  inquiries  may  be  prosecuted  with  the  greatest  advantage. 
Respectfully,  yours, 

A.  U.  Carlisle,  Secrrtarif, 

Hon.  C.  S.  Hamlin, 

Assistant  Secretary  of  the  TreuHun/. 


t    • 


KKIMIHTOK  .KISKI'H  K  CUOWLKV,  SPKCIAL  TKKASlin  AiiKNT, 

KOII  THK  VKAK  iSill. 


r 


Office  of  tiik  Special  Acjent, 

ThKASIKV    DEI'AK'TMKNT. 

Washhufton,  J>.  ('.,  Jfniiiarif  /,  />.'/.*. 

SiE:  I  lierewith  traTisinit  my  aimiuil  rcjxnt  lor  1S!>4,  witli  oxliibits 
attaclied,  inakiu^  a  ])art  of  said  report. 
Ivi'spectfully,  yours. 

.FOS.    H.    CUOWLKY, 

Special  Tnamirif  Ayeut. 
The  Skcrktahv  of  thk  Thkasiky. 


Office  of  ihe  Special  Agent, 

Treasirv  Department, 
Washiiifiton,  J).  V.,  Nonmber  :>0,  J89J. 

Sir:  1'ur.suaiit  to  Department  itistructioiis  dated  May  4, 18!)4,  I  pro- 
ceeded to  the  seal  ishmds  of  Ahiska,  sailiii};  from  San  Francisco  May 
19  on  board  the  North  American  (!ommercial  Contpany's  steamer 
Lal'me,  Captain  Bonnitiehl  commanding. 

I  was  accompanied  by  Special  Ayents  .lacob  K.  Ziebach  and  James 
Judge,  and  we  arrived  at  St.  Oeor}»e  Island  on  Jnne  4,  when,  pursuant 
to  Department  instructions,  1  immediately  relieved  Special  Agent  Hall 
and  i>laced  Agent  Ziebach  in  charge  of  the  island. 

On  June  (» we  reached  St.  Paul  1  slan<l  Pud  found  Special  Agent  Thomas 
E.  Adams  in  charge  where  he  was  permitted  to  remain  until  July  I, 
when  he  was  temporarily  relieved,  and  Special  Agent  Judge  placed  in 
charge,  his  appointment  as  special  agent  taking  i>lace  on  that  date. 

Agent  Adams  rcnuiined  on  St.  Paul  Island,  rendering  such  service  as 
was  required,  until  the  return  of  the  steamer  in  September,  when  he 
accompanied  me  as  far  as  San  P^rancisco  on  his  way  home. 

IMPROVEMENTS. 

One  of  the  most  agreeable  changes  to  be  noticed  on  the  islands  since 
I  iirst  saw  them  is  the  improvement  in  the  physical  condition  of  the 
native  inhabitants  since  sutticient  "  food,  fuel,  and  clothing"  have  been 
furnished  them.  On  my  arrival  at  the  islands  in  181)3,  every  family  was 
visited  and  every  dwelling  insi)e(!ted,  and  where  we  found  a  lack  of  beds, 
bedding,  stt>ve8,  cooking  utensils,  wearing  api)arel,  or  other  necessaries, 
they  were  immediately  supplied,  and  the  good  resulting  from  this  act 
of  simple  justice  is  quite  apparent  on  all  sides,  and  is  very  satisfactory. 

Department  order  for  the  erection  of  a  number  of  suitable  water- 
closets  is  being  complied  with  as  rapidly  as  ])ossible;  the  change  is 
fully  appreciated  by  the  natives,  and  already  the  sanitary  condition  of 
the  islands  shows  marked  improvement. 

12 


SEAr,    LIKE    ON    THK    I'RIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


13 


Tliiit  the  moriilifyof  the  people  tluMus<'lves  lias  purtiikeii  of  t]\v  t;:eii- 
villi  impioveiiieiit  is  evident  to  all  who  <>hserv«'  tlieir  eoii<iuet  elosely; 
tiicre  are  most  certainly  fewer  earonsals  and  niinli  less  drunken luvss, 
and  there  isevery  evideiu'eof  iv  marked  personal  pride  in  the  home  and 
fiiiiiily  relations. 
rff  it  is  the  census  returns,  however,  that  show  most  ideally  the  {food 

results  of  the  improvement  in  the  treatment  of  the  natives,  for  ever 
since  the  change  was  made  there  has  hcen  less  sickness  and  fewer 
deaths  in  proportion  to  births  than  ever  i)efore.    (See  lOxhibits  A  and  IJ.) 

SCHOOLS. 


4.- 


Tlie  attention  of  the  Department  has  been  calh-d  to  the  scIkjoI  syst«un 
in  voji'ue  on  the  islands  by  many  of  my  |»redecess(»rs  in  their  aninuil 
reports,  but  nothing  has  been  «lonc  thus  far  t(.  remedy  its  many  radical 
defects. 

The  fault  is  hardly  that  of  the  lessees  or  of  the  teacher,  for  they  cer- 
tainly supply  a  school  building  and  school  books,  and  the  teacher  is 
competent,  (capable,  and  attentive  to  his  duties,  endeavoring  at  all 
tiices  to  perform  his  ])art  well  and  faithfully. 

The  trouble  is  one  that  lies  deepei-  than  the  personality  of  the  teacher 
oi'  the  necHissary  school  su|)plies,  and  until  the  chief  I'ause  is  removed 
there  will  be  but  little  hope  of  success  in  the  attempt  to  impart  a 
knowledge  of  the  English  language  to  the  mitives  of  the  Pribilof 
Islands. 

The  remedy  lies  in  an  "industrial  school"  where  the  pupils  might  be 
kept  secluded  from  the  older  natives  until  the  lOnglish  tongue  became 
theirs. 

The  annual  report  of  the  school  teacher .  1  8t.  Paul  Island  is  attached^ 
and  marked  Exhibit  C. 


Fl'KL. 


Pursuant  to  instructions  I  contracted  for  'JW  tons  of  coal  to  supply 
the  (lovernment  houses  ami  the  native  inhabitants  on  l>oth  of  the  islands. 
This  aun)unt,  added  to  the  80  tons  deliver«'d  by  the  lessees  under  their 
lease,  making  a  total  of  o70  tons,  was  delivcsred  by  the  North  American 
Commercial  Company  and  was  distributed  as  follows: 

St.  Paul  Isliuid:  rrms. 

Govemraciit  house 10 

L'hc  of  natives 210 

St.  George  Ishmtl : 

(iovernnieiit  house 10 

Use  of  natives 100 

Total 360 

Owing  to  an  error  in  weighing  there  is  still  due  the  natives  of  St.  Paul 
10  tons,  which  will  be  given  them  next  season. 

In  n>y  report  for  ISO.'i  I  asked  that  storehouses  be  erected  on  both  of 
the  islands  in  which  to  stove  the  sui>ply  of  natives'  coal,  and  I  again 
respectfully  call  attention  to  the  necessity  of  having  them  built  as  soon 
as  possible,  for  it  is  very  unprofitable  to  leave  the  coal  out  of  doors  in 
the  winds,  rains,  and  snows  of  Alaska. 

The  houses  need  not  be  expensive  affairs,  and  given  the  necessary 
material,  the  natives  can  build  them  immediately  and  thus  save  the  cost 
in  two  years  by  pre*  "anting  the  present  waste  in  slackage. 


14 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'BIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


FOXES. 

In  December,  ISO.'i,  there  were  trapped  and  killed  by  tlie  natives  of  the 
islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  (Jeorge  Sll  foxes,  of  wliich  770  were  blue  and 
41  were  white,  divided  as  follows: 

St.  I'mil : 

Blue 213 

White 27 

St.  Georgf : 

Blue 1)57 

White 14 

Total 811 

The  skins  were  sold  to  the  lessees  and  were  classed  as  follows:  First 
grade,  blue;  second  grade,  blue;  third  grade,  white. 

The  amount  realized  on  the  skins  and  credited  to  the  natives  was  as 
follows : 

St.  Paul : 

First  cliiHS,  14G,  at  $5 $730 

Second  (lass,  07,  at  fl 268 

Third  tlass,  27,  at$l 27 

St.  George: 

First  class,  143,  at  $5 2, 215 

Second  class,  114.  at  $4 456 

Third  <;laB8.  14,  at  f  1 14 

Total 3,710 

The  money  received  for  fox  skins  is  not  a  community  fund,  but  is 
divided  among  the  men  wlio  catch  the  foxes,  each  man  getting  credit  for 
the  full  value  of  the  skins  he  brings  in. 

The  money  is  credited  on  his  pass  book  and  drawn  against  for  food 
and  necessaries  until  it  becomes  exhausted  before  he  again  becomes  a 
charge  on  the  Government. 

This,  too,  is  the  system  followed  in  the  spending  of  the  fund  derived 
from  the  talving  of  seal  skins;  so  long  as  the  man  has  money  to  his 
credit,  from  daily  earnings,  he  is  self-supporting. 

I  respectfully  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  on  St.  George  Island  this 
year  the  natives  received  for  fox  skins  $2,()85,  while  the  earnings  for 
taking  seals  were  only  $1,-531,  leaving  a  balance  of  $1,154  in  favor  of 
the  foxes. 

This,  I  think,  is  a  lesson  that  should  not  be  forgotten  in  future,  espe- 
cially as  the  indications  are  that  uidess  a  change  takes  place  very  soon 
by  which  the  fur  seal  may  be  properly  protected  there  will  not  be  many 
left  to  take  for  any  purpose,  and  the  natives  will  have  nothing  to  depend 
on  but  tiie  blue  fox. 

Firmly  believing  in  the  necessity  of  fostering  and  preserving  the  foxes, 
I  have  ordered  that  none  shall  be  trapped  on  the  islands  of  St.  Paul  and 
St.  George  during  the  trapping  season  of  1804-9"),  but  I  gave  permission 
to  trap  foxes  on  Otter  Island,  where  none  have  been  taken  in  many 
years. 

SEALS. 

1  learned  on  liiy  arrival  at  the  islands  that  owing  to  the  extremely  long 
and  cold  winter  and  the  amount  of  ice  remaining  around  tie  beach  late 
into  May,  the  seals  had  nt)t  hauled  out  so  freely  as  usual,  and  the  assist- 
ant agents  informed  me  that  as  late  as  May  14  passages  had  to  be  cut 
through  the  ice  to  allow  the  bull  seals  to  reach  the  breeding  grounds^ 


ai| 
re 

m 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PrtlHILOF    ISLANDS. 


15 


213 

27 

r.57 

u 


$730 

268 

27 


and  after  coming  ashore  tliey  lay  in  the  snow  and  ice  tliat  covered  the 
rookeries. 

About  June  10-12  the  young  kilhible  males  bey;an  haulinp:  out  iu 
goodly  numbers,  but  at  no  time  during  the  whole  season  of  1S*M  were 
there  as  many  seals  on  the  islands  as  hauled  out  in  189.'>. 

The  iudicafions  of  decrease  are  to  be  seen  on  all  sides  in  all  classes  of 
seals,  but  more  particularly  iu  the  cows  on  the  breeding  grountls. 

Jieginning  October  23  and  ending  Noven)ber  M).  1.S5K5,  there  were 
killed  ou  St.  Paul  Island,  for  natives'  food,  774  kilhible  seals,  whose 
skins  were  merchantable  and  have  since  been  accepted  by  the  lessees. 

Heginning  October  20  and  ending  November  17,  18!KJ,  there  were 
killed  «)n  St.  (ieorge  Island,  for  natives'  iood,  24")  seals,  whose  skins  have 
since  been  acce[)ted,  thus  making  the  total  of  1,019  skins  on  Inind  at 
the  beginning  of  the  season  of  1804. 

Beginning  the  season  of  1894  May  9  and  ending  August  4, 12,19(»  seal 
skins  were  taken  on  St.  Paul  Island;  and  from  May  2.'{  to  iVugiist  9, 
2,817  seals  were  killed  ou  St.  (Ieorge  Island.  The  date  of  the  drive, 
the  rookery  driven  from,  and  the  number  taken  at  each  killing  during 
the  season  are  attached  and  marked  I'iXhibits  I)  and  E. 

I  have  also  attached  copy  of  shipping  receipts  for  the  total  luimber 
of  skins  taken  by  lessees  during  the  tall  of  189;>  and  killing  season  of 
1894,  marked  Exhibit  F. 

Also  report  of  distribution  of  the  "Community  fund  "  as  Exhibits  G 
Jind  H. 

The  total  number  of  skins  shipped  by  the  lessees  iu  1894  vvas  H),0.'»2, 
including  the  1,019  food  skins  taken  in  the  fall  of  1893. 

For  taking,  salting,  and  lading  these  skins  the  natives  were  paid  oO 
cents  per  skin,  or  $8,01(). 

The  amount  actually  distributed  was  only  $7,94(!,  leaving  $70  of  a 
balance  to  be  distributed  next  season. 

The  distribution  of  the  $7,946  had  really  been  made  before  the  accept- 
ance of  140  skins  which  were  not  considered  Hrst  class,  but  which  were 
afterwards  accepted  by  the  lessees'  agent,  and  the  natives  will  be  i)aid 
next  year. 

DlllVING. 


I 
I 


cf  189 


Only  two  <lrives  from  each  rookery  were  permitted  during  the  season 
All  long  drives  were  avoided,  and  yet,  in  my  opinion,  there 
were  as  many  skins  taken  as  could  have  been  obtained  by  the  lessees 
had  tiiey  been  allowed  to  drive  oftener. 

I  was  anxious  to  have  the  driving  done  so  carefully  that  there  should 
notbeanypossil)ility  of  disturbance  on  the  rookeries,  and  I  feel  satistied. 
that  the  plan  adopted  was  a  good  one. 

Had  there  been  the  number  of  young  killables  on  the  rookeries  that 
Mr.  Henry  W.  Elliott  tells  about  in  his  work  on  Alaska,  1872-1880,  there 
would  liave  been  no  trouble  in  securing  100,000  skins,  but  the  "amphibi- 
ous millions"  which  Mr.  Elliott  saw  in  1870  have  passed  away  and  where 
they  swarmed  by  the  million  then  is  now  a  grass  i)lat  upon  which  a  seal 
is  never  seen. 

That  the  seal  herd  has  been  steadily  decreasing  during  the  past  ten 
years  is  so  self-evident  now  that  no  one  denies  it.  Had  the  decrease 
been  due  to  bad  management  on  the  islands  it  would  most  certainly 
have  been  proven  during  the  years  of  the  "modus  vivendi,"  when  not 
to  exceed  7,500  seals  were  taken  annually;  but,  in  spite  of  a  long  rest 
of  nearly  five  years,  we  could  not  get  20,000  killuble  seals  on  the  islands 
in  1894,  which  shows  beyond  contradiction,  I  think,  that  the  cause  of  the 


16 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PUIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


steady  annual  decrease  is  to  be  found  outside  the  islands,  and  as  there 
is  only  one  known  cause  to  whicii  the  decrease  can  be  attributtvl,  the 
almost  unanimous  verdict  of  civilization  is  that  the  indiscriminate 
slaughter  of  st  als  by  the  pelagic  sealer  is  the  principal  <!au8e  of  the 
decrease  in  the  herds. 

From  my  own  knowledge  of  the  situation,  gained  by  an  experience 
of  two  seasons  on  tlie  islands,  I  liave  no  doubt  whatever  as  to  the  cause 
of  the  dc(  lease,  for  one  has  only  to  look  at  the  official  returns  of  the 
pelagic  catch  for  1801  to  see  at  a  glance  that  however  numercMis  the 
seals  may  have  been  in  1881  they  couhl  not  stand  the  drain  made  upon 
them  for  the  i>ast  ten  years  without  showing  it. 

From  the  best  information  obtainable  it  appears  that  the  pelagic 
sealers  secured  112,000  seal  skins  in  1891.  The  official  tigures  from 
the  American  and  British  customs  show  that  122,000  skins  were  landed 
on  the  Pacific;  Slojte,  and  there  is  good  ground  for  the  belief  that  the 
remainder  were  landed  in  Japan  or  Russian  ports  and  shipped  to 
London  via  the  Suez  Canal. 

It  is  admitted  on  all  sides  that  70  per  cent  of  the  catch  were  females, 
mostly  mother  seals  in  young  or  in  milk,  whose  death  in  either  case 
meant  the  death  of  two  seals,  for  it  is  well  known  that  when  a  mother 
in  milk  is  killed  at  sea  her  pup  dies  on  the  rookery  for  want  of  sus- 
tenance. 

1  do  not  make  tlic  statement  oi"  the  death  of  the  pups  from  starvation 
recklessly;  thei"'  is  positive  proof  of  it. 

In  the  lattc.  part  of  August,  18!>1,  when  tlie  iirst  dead  pups  of  the 
season  appeared  on  the  breeding  grounds,  1  made  daily  visits  to  the 
rookeries  and  found  hundreds  of  dead  pui)s  that  had  died  of  starvation. 

llundreds  yet  alive  were  so  wasted,  weak,  and  feeble  they  ccmld  with 
difficulty  drag  themselves  over  the  rocks,  ami  would  not  attempt  to  get 
out  of  the  way  when  approached. 

Between  September  16  and  20  the  Treasury  agent  on  St.  George 
counted  the  dead  pu])s  on  all  the  accessible  ])ortions  of  the  rookeries 
upon  which  he  could  climb  without  disturbing  the  seals,  and,  estimat- 
ing the  nund)er  not  seen  to  be  in  proportion  tf»  those  found,  tliere  were 
1,110  dead  pui)s  on  St.  (ieorge  Island. 

The  same  method  was  followed  on  St.  Faul,  and  the  rookeries  visited 
and  dead  pups  a<',tually  counted  on  them  are  shown  in  the  following 
table : 


Diitp. 


ItookpiN . 


Oct.  ;t Uit'f 

Oct.  6 Liikiiimiiii 

Oct.   « Ketiivir 

Oct.  11 Hnlfwii.v  Point  .. 

Oct.  li Noithtiiiwt  Point  . 

Oct.  2a South  went  liny.. 


Dpiid  pnim. 


1,001 

847 

377 

784 

2,840 

2,  U'i 


Date. 


Konkcrv. 


Oct.  2;i L'lwer  Znimdnic. 

Oct.  2;i Lntfoon 

Oct. 23 :  Zofiol 

Oct.-?:! Giirbotcli 


Tot.il. 


Dead  pn|m. 


60M 
215 
324 
267 


10,307 


Tolstoi  was  not  visited,  and,  as  only  the  accessible  i)ortions  of  the 
rookeries  could  be  reachetl,  1  consitlei  L  am  below  rather  than  above 
the  mark  when  1  put  the  number  of  dead  ^)ups  on  both  the  islands,  in 
1891,  at  20,000. 

One  sight  of  the  rookeries  when  the  pups  are  dying  by  the  hundred 
is  enough  to  convince  anyone  of  the  truth  of  the  claim  made  by  the 
Treasury  agents,  that  it  is  because  of  starvation,  owing  to  the  death  of 
their  mothers  at  sea,  that  so  many  pups  die  in  August  and  September. 
There  is  no  difficulty  whatever  in  telling  the  difference  between  starv- 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOP    ISLANDS. 


n 


iiig  motherless  animals  witli  their  flattened  sides,  feeble  movements, 
and  languid  cries,  and  the  well  fed,  rounded,  rompinj;  ones  that  are  to 
be  seen  in  pods  along  the  beach  playing  in  the  shallows, 

I  fear  that  this  question  of  dead  pups  is  not  fully  understood,  nor 
are  its  lessons  appreciated  by  the  nations  most  deeply  interested  in 
the  preservation  of  the  seals,  otherwise  some  steps  would  be  taken 
immediately  to  put  an  end  to  the  present  mode  of  sealing  at  sea. 

From  the  most  reliable  data  at  hand  1  And  that  during  the  nine  years 
beginning  with  1.S80  and  ending  with  1894  the  following  numbers  of 
seals  were  taken  by  pelagic  sealers: 


Vear. 


Number. ! 


18HU  , 
18H7  . 
18SS  . 
1889  , 


Year. 


I  Number. 


Tear. 


29,0U0    '1890 00,  (l(M)  '  WM 

4.5.(100    I  18H1 ■  78,000  ' 

01,00(1      18"JJ «.'),0(]0  ,              Total. 

."i7,  000    i  18!t;i    109.000 


N  limber. 


1.12,  000 
062, 000 


I  venture  the  assertion  that  the  killinj,of  that  number  entailed  a  loss 
of  not  less  titan  1,50(M»00  .seals  on  the  herds  on  both  shores  of  Bering, 
Sea. 

So  constant  and  so  rapid  has  been  the  decrease  of  the  seals  on  th: 
Pribilof  Islands,  that  in  1894  the  only  sign  of  increase  to  le  observed 
over  last  year  was  among  the  large  young  bulls  who  werfj  unable  to 
find  cows  with  waich  to  form  harems  of  tlieir  own.  There  were  more 
idle  bulls  of  breeding  age  on  the  rookeries  than  there  were  bulls  with 
harems  on  the  breeding  grounds. 

That  the  seals  are  steadily  decreasing  to  an  alarming  extent,  and 
that  the  principal  cause  of  s»ich  decrease  is  pelagic  sealing,  can  not 
longer  be  denied. 

Tiiat  the  regulations  adopted  at  Paris  do  not  ]>rote(t  the  female  seals 
in  Bering  Sea  has  been  proved  the  past  season  beyond  the  possibility 
of  doubt,  for  never  before  in  the  history  of  the  business  did  the  pelagic 
se;jlers  take  so  nmny  seals  as  in  18t>4. 

I  tlierefore  respectfully  recommend  that  immediate  steps  be  taken  to 
amend  the  regulations,  and  that  an  international  agreement  be  made, 
if  possible,  by  which  there  shall  be  no  sealing  in  Bering  Sea  for  three 
years  or  until  the  rookeries  have  had  time  to  recuperate  from  their 
present  depleted  condition,  and  other  arrangements  be  made  for  the 
adequate  protecticm  of  the  females  in  the  future. 

If  such  an  arrangement  can  not  be  arrived  at,  then  I  should  advise 
the  immediate  killing  of  every  seal  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  rather  than 
allow  the  islands  to  be  used  as  a  nursery  for  the  proi)agation  of  an 
animal  that  is  to  be  destroyed  befcne  our  eyes  by  the  subjects  of  another 
nation. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Pursuant  to  instructions  dated  May  5,  1894,  Prof.  Charles  II.  Town- 
send,  of  the  ITuited  States  steamer  Alhaiross,  was  ]iermitted  to  take  a 
suitable  specimen  bachelor  seal  for  the  use  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion. 

(tUARDINd  ROOKERIES. 

On  September  1  a  lieutenant  and  a  boafs  crew  of  armed  marine  guards 
were  lauded  on  each  of  the  two  islands,  where  they  renniined  until 
November  1,  when  they  were  taken  oif  by  the  revenue  cutter  Bear. 
S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 2 


18 


SKAI.    LIFE    ON    THE    IMtlBILOF    ISLANDS. 


During  their  two  months'  stay  on  shore  tluue  was  no  call  for  their 
services,  nor  will  thei-e  ever  be  so  long  as  the  Treasury  ageist  does  his 
duty  and  the  natives  are  jnoperly  armed  ami  treated  like  men. 

It  is  due  to  the  several  naval  oflicers  commanding  ships  iu  iiering 
Sea  that  1  say  I  found  thein  all  very  willing  to  do  anything  they  could 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Government  interest  on  the  seal  islands,  and  as 
early  as  June  offers  of  assistance  y/ere  made  to  me  by  the  commanders 
of  the  Petrel,  Ranffer,  and  Alert. 

The  several  vessels  composing  the  fleet  in  Bering  Sea  were  always  at 
my  service,  in  turn,  whenever  I  wanted  to  go  from  island  to  island,  and 
by  this  means  I  was  enabled  to  attend  to  uniiiy  matters  of  interest  to  the 
Department  which,  under  other  conditions,  might  Lave  been  neglected. 

Except  the  depleted  condition  of  the  rookeries  and  the  decrease  of 
the  seals,  everythiiiji'  on  the  seal  islands  is  very  satisfactory. 

Since  the  native  people  are  better  treated  than  in  former  years — hav- 
ing plenty  of  ^^ood  food,  fuel  and  clothing,  and  houses  free  from  rent — 
there  is  evidence  of  good  health,  contentment,  and  hap|)ine8s  on  every 
countenantre. 

The  widows,  or[)ha''.s,  aged,  and  indigent  persons  who  have  no  other 
means  of  support,  are  well  provided  for  by  tiie  lessees. 

The  conditions  of  tlie  lease  have  been  complied  witli  in  letter  and  in 
8i)irit  by  the  less(>es,  and  the  most  cordial  relations  exist  between  the 
Government  and  ciunpany  agents,  both  in  a  social  and  business  way. 

Very  respectfully  submitted. 

Joseph  K.  Crowley, 
Special  Treasury  Af/cnt,  Seal  rslandfi. 

Hon.  John  G.  Carlisle. 

Secret  art/  of  the  Treasury. 


Exniiin  A. — ('eifiis  of  tiutive  ivhalntnnfs  of  St.  Punt  Inland,  June  30,  1S94, 


Naiiii'  iiiid  r('Iiiti(inshi|). 


Age. 


Naiiu-  and  roliitionsliip. 


Age. 


Family  1—4  iiiilividiial!): 

Artomaiioll'.  Ktirrick,  liu.tliand 

Artomaiiotl',  Alexandra,  wile 

I'ri)kaiiit>(l'.  Auxfiiia,  daugliter 

I'raiiaff,  Kidnkea, orpliaii 

Family  2—4  iiidividualu: 

ArkaslioH',  Arsciiy.  husband 

Aikasliotl',  Marina,  will' ' 

t  jalaxti'onil)'.  C\\\  iidia,  orplian 

Stcpf'tin.Jdlin.  sti'pson . 

Family  3  -H  IndividiialR ; 

rKi^odannir.  Nicoli.  liuHband 

lSo<;iidaiii>tt',  Mary,  sistor | 

Family  4— 4  individiialii: 

Ititurdukotl'Hky,  Apidim,  husband 

l{(mrdiiknlt'«ky,  ( 'hiciiia.  wife 

lloiirdukollHky.  IVtcr,  son 

HonrdiikollMUy.  Ulcta,  daughter 

Family  5—4  individuals: 

Kiiterin,  Karp.  husband 

Hutorin.  I*araHCiova,wifu 

Scdick,  CouMt amine,  sun 

.Scdic'k,  Zohor.  orphan 

Family  6—5  Individuals: 

Kmaniitl',  ( ienrKe.  liuslmnd 

Emanutt',  Catherine,  wife 

Kmanotl',  Mary,  daughter 

EuumotT,  Johii,  son 

Koznit/.oll",  .Ifihn,  orpluiu 

Family  T— 5  individuals: 

Fratis,  John,  husband     

Fratis,  Aukolenn,  wife 


67 
41 
26 
20 

27 
34 
12 

1« 


27 

in 

40 

33 

14 

9 

40 
58 

6 

8 

26 

20 

2 

ali 

17 

48 
20 


Family  7—5  individuals— Continued. 

I         Fratis,  Agrittna,  daughter 

!  Frati.-i,  ,l(diii.  son .' 

Fratis.  Siuu)en,  son 

l''auiily  8—3  individuals: 

(rlotot)',  John,  husband 

OUitolt'.  Avdotia,  wife 

GlototI',  Mary,  mother 

Family  9 — 3  individuals: 
I         (ii'omiitl',  Nicoli,  Inisbaud 

OromoH'.  Ouleua,  wile 

Sediek.  El i /.a bet li,  orphan 

!  Family  10—2  iudividiuils: 

Galaxtiouetl',  Alex.  hu.iband 

(ralaxtionelt',  .Marthii,  wife 

Family  11— 1  individual; 

I  HaiiBon.  Alex,  baehelor 

I  Family  12—2  individuals: 

Koehootnn,  John,  husband 

Koehooten,  Tiania,  wife 

!  Family  13— 7  imlividuals: 

KiH'hooten,,Iake.  husband 

Kochooten.  Ferronia,  wife 

Koe.hooten,  Uleta.  daughter 

Kochooten,  Ellen,  daughter 

Kochooten,  Theodore,  son 

Kochooten,  Farian,  son 

Lodoshinkotf,  Natalia,  stepdaughter . 
FamMy  14—3  individuals: 

Kdocliooten,  Eupheme,  husband 

Kooehooten,  I'elogia,  wife 

Koochooten,  Trepan,  orphan 


2 

7 

.144 

26 
10 


26 

24 

5 

22 
22 

36 

23 
19 

42 

39 

18 

9 

5 

1 

14 

50 

43 

7 


a  Months. 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIIULOF    ISLANDS.  19 

ExiiiiMT  .\.—C'e)i>iiis  of  native  inliabitanta  of  St.  Paul  Inland,  June  .W,  1S94 — Continued. 


Niiine  auil  reIatioii.Hhi|). 


Age. 


Niiiiu'  iiuti  ri'liitiuoBbip. 


2 

7 

.14) 

26 
19 

m 

1!6 

24 

5 

22 

22 

30 

23 
19 

42 
39 
18 

9 

5 

1 
14 

50 

43 

7 


Fattiily  IS—*"'  imlividimlH: 

Kozeiotf.  Sti'paii,  hiiMbiind 

KoztToir,  AiiiisliisiH,  wife 

Kozcroll',  Yvanflly.  sou 

Kiizcrofl',  Siitiidiili.  ilaii^htcr 

KozcnilV.  Alcxiiinlni,  daiijfliter.  - 

Xozikoll'.  Siiiiomi,  stepson 

Fnniily  Hi— '-'  individuals ; 

Haleroli;  I'aiil.  liusband 

HaiiTotf.  A  iiritina,  wife 

Faniilv  17—4  individuals: 

KfukiitV.  Nicoli,  Inisband 

Krnkott',  Catlitirinf ,  wife 

Krukotf,  Mctropau,  son 

Knikuff,  Oustt'nia,  daiigliter 

Faniilv  18— 4  individuals: 

Kfiikofl',  Maximo,  ]iugl)aud 

Krukolf.  Kfotesta.  wife 

Knikoll'.  John,  son 

Krukoil',  Condrat,  son 

Family  lit— 5  individuals: 

Kiisliin.  A);<;ie,  liuslmnd 

KuRliin,  Mary,  wife 

KuMJiln.  liUktM'ia.  ilaugliter 

Kiisliir,  Mifliael,  son 

Kiisliiu.  Nestor,  jri'iindsnn 

Family  20—5  individuals: 

MiindrpjLtan,  Xcon,  liuslmnd 

Mandre;;an.  Mary,  «  ife 

Mandrejfan,  Mary,  daucliter 

Mandreian.  Zoya.  daughter   

Mandre<;au,  Leitkenty,  son 

Family  21—3  individuals: 

Mcroulitl',  Alex,  husband 

Merculirt",  Agritira,  wife 

Menulitf,  rani,  brother 

Family  22—5  imlividunls: 

Melividiiv.  .\nton-,  widower 

Melividov,  .Mevaiidra,  daughter 

Meli vidov,  ( Hga,  dan j{htiT 

Melividov.  .Maicia,  dauj;liter 

Melividov,  Alexandra,  mother  . . 
Family  23—3  individuals: 

iMiliviilov,  Alex,  husband 

Melividov, Salome,  wife  ..., 

Melividov.  .Vnton,  son 

Family  21 — 3  imlividuals: 

Melividov,  Simoen,  husband 

Melividov,  Alexandra,  wife 

Melividov.  Marjiaret.  daujj;liter  . , 
Family  25—4  individuals: 

Xederazolf.  Stepan,  h  iisband 

Nederazotl'.  Alexandra,  wife 

Nederazcili',  Mary,  nieee 

Stopolf,  Weketn,  orphan 

Family  2li— 4  individuals: 

Nedenizoli;  Martin,  husband 

Nederazotl'.  Catherine,  wife 

Shane,  Maty,  ste|)ilMii<;hter 

Shane.  I'araseovia.  orphan 

Family  27—5  individuals: 

Oasteijott',  I'eter.  husband 

()iisti;jrotl'.  raniscovla.  wife 

Oiisteacili',  Neil,  son 

OusteKoB',  Stepamia.  mother 

Sliaisnikatl'.  ( ieorge,  orphan 

Family  2S— 4  indi\  iduals: 

I'ankatV,  I'artiii,  husbanil 

I'aiikalV,  ( H«:a.  wife , 

I'ankatI'.  Vhisia,  son 

I'aiikatf,  Vorara.  ilauKhtor 

Family  211—2  iiidividiiaU : 

i'araurliin,  Daniel,  husband 

raraiii'hlii.  Klexandria,  wife 

Family  ,i()-2  individuals; 

Shnisnikotf,  Paul,  bachelor 

Shaisnikotf.  Valerian,  nephew  .., 
Family  31—4  Individuals: 

Sliaholin,  Xeeon,  husband 

Sliaholin.  Teela,  wife , 

Shaholin,  .\Kriflna.  dauuhter 

Shaholiii,  .A.pollanarhi,  uaughter 


I 


41 

42 

4 

3 
1 

17 

42 
52 

43 

33 

0 


37 

28 

12 

3 

48 

38 

17 

9 

1 

36 
31 

it 
7 
3 

18 

17 

1 

38 

12 

8 

6 

.58 

19 
19 
ad 


27 
2 

30 

il 

11 

3 

30 

.11) 

14 

7 

30 
20 
3 
59 
11 

31 

31 

5 


35 
32 

58 
14 

27 

24 

5 

a.5.J 


Family  32— it  individuals: 

Sediek.  Theodore,  husband .. 

Sediek,  Matha,  wife 

Sediek.  Anastania,  daughter. 

Sediek,  Mary,  daiiijliter 

Sediek.  Yiistenia.daujibter  , 


I  Age. 


40 

39 

18 


5 
1 
3 

a  34 
13 


Sediek,  Matruna,  daughter 
Sediek.  Iiiokeiitk.  son. . 
Sediek.  Anna,  daughter 
Sediek,  Philip,  nephew . 

Family  33-5  individuals:  | 

Se'duli.  V'assily.  liiishand 1  51 

.Sediili.  Klizabetb.  wife 55 

.Seduli.  Vera,  daughter 13 

Mazekan,  Mary,  or|ilian •  21 

Mazekan,  Ivan,  son I  3 

Family  34—3  individuals:  | 

Sti'iietiii.  Dorofay.  husband {  23 

Stepetin,  Vassa,  wife 20 

Stepetin,  Vassily,  son 1 

Family  35—4  individuals: 

Stepetin,  Klary,  husband 30 

Stepetin,  Anna,  wife 23 

Steiietin,<)ulena.  daughter 4 

Stejietin,  I'arla.  dau-jhter 2 

Family  30— (I  individuals: 

Terrakanoll',  Kerriek,  husband 40 

Terrakanolf.  A niia.  wife 34 

Shane.  Klary.  or]ilian 4 

N'ederazoif,  Agritina 25 

Nederazotl'.  Alexia 4 

Nederazcdf,  .Mary 1 

Family  37—3  individuals: 

I          Tetotf,  I'eter  husband 29 

i          TetoH,  Mary,  wife 33 

Tetoll,  Alexandra,  sisttT 15 

Family  38-4  individuals: 

'I'etoH.  Neon,  husband 24 

Teloir.  Agritina.  wife 19 

Tetotf,  Ziiher,  brot  her 14 

Tetotf,  Sinioen,  son 1 

Family  39—7  individuals : 

Volkolf.  Markel.  husband 49 

Volkotf,  Alexandra,  wife 40 

Volkolf,  Teron,Hoii 2 

Volkotf.  Arefa,  son o8 

Volkolf.  Klli'ii  sister 40 

Kiisliin.  Moiivra,  orphan 13 

Mereiilitf,  ,I(din.urpliau  . .    j 9 

Family  40—5  individuals: 

Ueself,  Nieoli,  husband 64 

Itesetf.  Marina,  wife 57 

Keseir,  ( »1 -«,  daughter 21 

Ignatieff,  .c^iina,  orphan  15 

(JItetf,  Mary,  orphan 14 

Family  41  —  1  individual: 

liellaglozalV.  KUen.  widow 58 

Family  42—3  individuals: 

Kosliemikolf.  Ardita,  widow 33 

IvoHhernikoti',  Paul,  son 10 

Mereiilitt,  Martin,  orphaji  11 

Family  43— 1  individual: 

Krukolf,  Anna,  widow 28 

Family  44—2  individuals: 

Krukolf.  Natalie,  widow 41 

Krukolf.  .Iidin.  son 13 

Family  45-3  individuals: 

Balakshin,  Matroiia,  widow 41 

Slioposhnikolt'.  Paraseoriu,  oi-phan 27 

Kookorishntkoli'.  Stepan,  orphan 12 

Family  40—4  individnals: 

Kozlalf.  I'araseoria,  widow 35 

Kozlalf.  Mielinel.  son '  7 

Kozlatf,  Nieoli,  son j  S 

Kozlalf.  Anton,  son '  a  8 

Family  47—2  Individuals: 

Serebrinkolf,  f  )lga,  widow j  29 

Sorebrinkolf,  Kepsemer,  son a  15 

Family  48—3  individnals :  i 

Popott,  Ardotia,  widow 34 

Pojiotf,  Krasnnia,  daughter '  4 

lialiaksliii.  Anna,  daughter 9 


a  Months. 


20    ■  ,   SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 

Exhibit  A. — Cenaun  of  native  inhabitantH  of  St.  I'aiil  Island,  June  30, 1804 — Contiuued. 

Kiinie  ami  relntioiiHlit]).  lAge. 


Xaine  and  relationship. 


Family  49— t  individiiitl: 

l'iHlinil<ott',  Vasgclimi,  widow 

Family  5U— 2  iudiridiuilH: 

I*o|M>H'.  A  I'nnHMiii,  widow 

Shiittvagin,  Daria,  orpliau 

Family  51— ;i  individiialH: 

KokorlHliuikoir.  Aiiiiiiiia,  widow 

KokoriithuikotI',  Anna.  dau^lidT 

Kokorishnikut)',  raraNCoria,  daughter . 
Family  52—1  individual : 

Kezanzofl',  Auua.  widow 


Aae. ; 


48 

i;i 

'J8 

u 

4 

60 


Family  .'>3— :i  iiMlividuAU: 

Scilick.  Daria.  widow 50 

Koochoolt^n.  lOllen,  daii^Utcr 20 

Kooi'hooU'n.  Xeiioria,  daiicliter 23 

Family  54 — 1  individiialH: 

I'ftotr,  Fcclimia,  widow ilG 

I'etolt',  (iiene,  daiichter I  8 

I'l'tott;  Sotia,  daiiKJitur i  6 

Ki'clitrjjrin,  <  irorjic  son |  16 

Family  55—:;  individuals: 

'I'arrentora,  Anna,  widow 74 

Tarreiitora,  Anna,  daughter i  41 


KECAl'ITULATION. 


Families 

Native  inhabitants 

Female  inhabitant!* 

Male  inhabitants 

Females  in  e.xct'ss  of  males 
Male  adults 


S5 
196 

no 

mi 


42 


Males  between  5  and  17  years i  23 

Males  under  5  years. . . .' I  21 

Female  adults  " !  70 

Kenialos  bet  ween  5  and  17  years j  25 

Females  under  5  years ". .    1  15 

Marriages .' !  4 

Bin  hs 1  9 

Deaths I  7 

i 


Orphan  children  at  ('nalaxka  school. 

Age. 

Sedh'k,  Arotiu ■ 13 

Krukaff,  Lukaria 17 

Koz.uitzoH'.  Auatia 18 

Merculiir.  Lubotl' 18 

Granatl',  Anastasia 16 

Zacharotr,  Feodosia 15 

Zatzmanail',  Auxenin 13 

Fratis.Johii 12 

Kesident  native  population 196 

Number  of  native  children  absent  at  school 8 

Total  population 204 


'     % 


Exhibit  B. — Census  of  St.  George  Island,  June  30,  1894. 


Name  and  relationship. 


I  Age. 


Name  and  relationship. 


Age. 


Galanin,()calona,  widow ;      .SI  j   Malavausky,  Stepineda,  daughter  of  Rep- 


(jalanin,  Kvan,  son. 


12 

( ialauin,  Parferi,  l <isband j  21 

Galanin,  Fcvronia.  wife I  17 

Uorokot)'.  Cornell,  husband |  37 

Gorokoir,  Katrlna,  wife 39 

Galanin.  Alexander,  adopted  son '  8 

Kulikiiloft',  Kvan,  husband \  48 

Kulikiilotf,  Barbara,  wife !  49 

/a<!liaroll'.  Kmanucl !  14 

Lekauod.  Stepan,  husband '  25 


Lekanott',  I'elegia  wife. 

Lekanort',  Anatole,  son 

LekauotV,  Sergius.  son 

Lekanott',  Sarah,  daughter 

Lestenkotf,  Demetri,  widower. 
Lestenkotl',  Anna,  daughter. . . 
MerculotV.  Mark 


25 
4 
2 
alU 
31 
7 
9 

LestenkotV.  Rev.  Inuokenty,  priest !      04 

-      00 

25 
22 
18 


Lesteukot)'.  Klizabeth,  wife 

Lestenkot!',  Mary,  daughter 

LestenkoH',  M  ichael,  sou 

Lestenhott'.  Sarah,  daughter 

Malavansky,  Nicoli,  bachelor,  but  head  of 

family  . . '. 

Malavansky,  Kepsemia,  sister 

Malavansky,  Wana,  sister 


29 
34 
19 


Maliivansky,  I'efer,  son  of  Ropseuiia 

MenaloU'.  Joseph,  son  of  Fevronia,  but  head 

of  faiiiily 

MenalotI',  Kevronia.  wiihiw 

Menalolf,  (ieiirge,  .sun  of  Fevronia 

MenalotI'.  Ueleiii*,  daiijjliter  of  Fevronia 

MeniilolV.  John,  son  111  Fevronia 

Meiialutr,  Alartha,  daughter  of  Fevronia  .... 
Nederazotf,  Nicoli,  .sou  of  Eojsenia,  head  of 

family 

Nederazoft".  Eogenia,  wi(hiw 

Nedera/.otI',  ^Maliiiia,  daughter 

Nederazotf,  Isador,  son 

Oustegotf,  Alxia,  husband 

Oustegotf,  Martha,  wife 

Oustegolf,  Al.iandra,  daughter 

Oiislegoff,  .Simon,  husband 

Oiistegott',  Mary,  wife 

Philimonotf,  Adrian,  husband 

Pbilimonott',  Parascovia,  wife 

Philiinonolf,  Pelegia,  daughter 

Pbilim.mofl',  Audronie,  husband 

Philimonoff.  Zenovia,  wife 

Philimonotf,  Marina,  ihuighter 

Philimonoff,  Mary,  daughter 


15 
6 

22 

40 

20 

9 

4 

1 

16 
40 
20 

3 
44 
24 

1 
30 
18 
27 
30 

6 
27 
28 

4 

2 


a  Alontbs. 


30 
8 
6 

16 

74 
41 


23 
21 
70 
25 
16 
4 

g 

7 


Age. 

..  13 

..  17 

..  16 

..  18 

..  16 

..  15 

..  13 

..  12 

..lie 

8 
..  204 


Age. 


SEAL    MFK    ON    THE    I'RIBILOF    ISLANDtS. 
KxiiiitiT  B. — Cemua  oj  St.  Heorije  [aland,  June  30,  1S!)4 — Contiuiied. 


Xaine  and  rvlationshlp. 


Philiiiionolf,  Leonta,  tlauglitur , 

PhiliiiKiiiut)'.  Eoff.  huRbaiiil 

Philiiiionort,  Oleta,  wife 

PbiliiiiDiioti'.  ( ircgory,  son 

Philiinotiotf.  Ko";eniii,  (laiiglit<>r 

Philiiiioiiotl',  Ubinotri,  win 

Oiistegntl',  K[iroxiii,  NtepdmighhT 

Ougteciitt'.  .Micliael,  8tupH<in 

UiisteKotr,  Siisauna,  8te|i(lniigliter 

ProkoiieotV.  Peter,  liiiHbiintl 

ProitojicoH'  Stepineiia,  wife 

Priikopcoir.  Aufiina.siu,  hnitlier  of  Peter 

Itc/.iiiizDtt,  Kediinia,  widow 

i{e/,anzcirt',  Innokoiity,  son  of  Kvdoaia 

I!t'/.iiii/.(iir,  StTotina,  jfrandda lighter  of  ¥t'- 

diisia 

Ku/.aiizul)',  Peter,  liiiHband 

Kezitiizoir.  MatroiiH.  wife 

Rt'XMnzoif,  Taliaiia,  daiigliter 

Shane,  KaicHa,  widow 

Sliane,  Oletii.  daiijjhtcr 


Age. 


Name  and  relatiuuMhip. 


21 


Age. 


r,2 

H2 

21 

20 

8 

14 

<) 

7 

29 

17 

1« 

5() 

1« 

7 
4H 

.">:; 

10 
42 
25 


Shane,  Micliael,  son 

Menalotl',  Sfeiian 

Menaloti',  Neiliida,  at  l'n;ilaaka  huIiooI 

Swetzotf,  Eimt icf,  liimband 

Swet/.otf,  <!hri.stiaiia,  wife 

Swetzort',  (iregorv,  hoh 

Swel/.ort',  Poll X ilia 

Swetiotr,  Paul,  son 

Meiialotr,  Kvaii,  e  mi  of  WaHStalesa,  head  of 

family 

Meiialott',  Wassaleaa,  widow 

Meiialiitf,  .VlexHiidra,  daughter  

Menaloti',  N icnll,  son 

Menaiot)',  Kiidokia,  daughter 

Meuahitf,  Helen,  daughter 

PliilinioiioH',  Niaeen,TiUHband 

Ku/.aii/,oti.  F.iidokia.  wife 

Kilzan/.otf.  Innokeiity.  mm 

Ku/.anzotf.  FedoHJa,  daughter 

Kuzaiizolf,  Zoia,  daughter 


I 


Male-i.  VI:  females.  48— total,  90. 


Date. 


Name. 


a  Months. 
Birth  record. 

!  Sex. 


Julv     8,189;i  I  Martha F. 

Alii;.  ;iii,  isnn  !  Sarah K  . 

Feb.     4. 1804  I  .loseph M. 

May     «,  l«94  Leiuita F  . 


Xaiiie  of  parents. 


Fevronla  MerciilotV.  mot  her. 
Stepan  and  Pelegia  liekaiiotl'. 
Simeon  and  Eoilokia  PliilimoiioH'. 
Andronic  and  Zeiiovia  Philimonot)'. 


Date. 


Name. 


Dee.    14, 1894     Simeon  Philiiiionolf 
Jan.    18,1894!  Arkentv  Nedera/.otf.. . 
May   14,1894  ;  Helena '{.estenkolf 


MortalUii  record. 
Age.    Sex.  Caiistv 


2 
42 

29 


M. 
M. 
F  . 


Date 


Consumption  . 

Marriage  record. 
Contrarting  parties. 


Name  of  parents. 

Son  of  Andrian  and  ParascoTUk 
Uanghter  of  Hev.  Innokenty. 


Keniarks. 


!  , 


IS 
6 


40 

20 

9 

4 

1 

le 

40 

20 

8 

il 

24 
1 

80 

18 

27 

SO 

6 

27 

28 

4 

2 


Sept.  8, 189:i 
Nov.  19,189:! 
Nov.  22,189;l 


Simeon  Oii.stegotI'  and  Mary  'I'eraeaiiolf At  St.  Paul. 

Peter  Prokopeotl'  and  Stepineda  Merculotf 

Parferi  Galanin  anil  Fevrnnia  Swetzuti' 


.1.  E.  ZiKiiAt'ii.  .48ni8taiit  Treasury  Agent. 


KxHiHiT  C. — Report  of  St.  Paul  Island  school. 

St.  Paul  Island  Sciidoi,,  August  l'>,  1894. 
IlKAU  SiK:  I  herewith  Hiibmit  to  you  the  following  statement  of  time  of  tuition 
and  study  throughout  the  eight  school  months: 

Nine  o'clock  a.  m. — Calling  the  roll.  5  minutes;  time  for  study,  25  minutes  (slate 
work);  arithmetic,  30  minutes;  alphabet,  20  minutes;  spelling,  20  minutes;  recess, 
20  minutes;  Fourth  Reader,  25  minutes;  Third  Reader  (class  1),  20  minutes;  primer, 
15  minutes. 

One  o'clock  p.  m. — Third  Reader  (class  2),  20  minutes;  Second  Reader,  20  miniiteH; 
First  Reader,  20  minutes;  alphabet,  15  minutes. 

Monday  and  Wednesdivy,  geography ;  Tuesday  and  Thursday,  penmanship;  Friday, 
United  States  History.  The  foregoing  subjects  are  taught  thirty-five  minutes  each 
day,  respectively. 

Yours,  respectfully,  S.  Melovidov. 

Mr.  J.  B.  CuowLEY, 

Special  United  States  Treaaufy  Agent, 


22 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


Report  of  St.  I'aul  Inland  school  for  the  first  ttrm,  ISO,",. 

St.  1'aul  L<i,ani),  Alaska,  December  3 1 ,  iS'.i.i. 
Dkak  Sir:  The  following  is  a  report  of  St.  i  ual  iHland  hcLooI  fur  the  lirst  term, 
coDinienoiiig  Septtuiiher  4,  18!)3,  and  ending;  December  22,  1808. 

if      llrunchcH  ol'study  piirftued. 


Xaiiit'. 


Hoyn. 


u 


■c  a 
s 


n 


\y. 


u 

=  =  s    u 
2  it's.  = 

i  I 

(  I 


as 


§    e 

~       o 
-1      O 


14 


:< 

4 

5 

« 

7 

8 

9 

11) 

11 

12 

1» 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 


Peter  lioimliikiilskv 

.loliii  KratiH    

Trefon  KolcliiMiten 

I'aiil  Koslieoiiikiil' . 

M iuhael  Kozlof 

Michuel  KuHliin 

Metrofan  Kriikot' 

Jiiliii  Kiukuf  (1) 

Jolin  Krukcif  (2) 

•Tolin  Mcrriilief 

Martin  Merciiliuf 

Stupan  Koukuviahiiikol' 

Innokt'iity  Scdick 

/achar  Swlick 

(yunataiitlDc  Sedirk 

Valerian  Sliai.sliiiiki.f 

(ieiii-Ke  ShaiHiiuikot' 11 

Zacliar  Tc'tof 14 


72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
71 
72 
64 
72 
72 
72 


0 

U 

U 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0  I 

11   : 

0  : 

0  I 
1 

0  ; 

K  { 

•»  I 
0 
0  ' 


'J 

2 

1 

1 

•) 

1 

1 

1 

•» 

o 

•1 

2 

•1 

2 

'» 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 
o 

Total 181       2«7 

Gills. 


2  :  16  I  16     18 


19 

20 

21 

22 

2S  i 

24 

25 

20 

27 

28 

29 

30 

:ti 

!»2 

:<u 

34 
35 
36 
37 
38 


Auiia  liiila kahili 

Oiileta  Itiiiiriliikot'Hky. 
Clavilia  (lalaktiimof. . 

Ellen  Kotcliooten 

Mavra  KiiHliin 

Natalia  LiidoHlinikot'. . 

Marv  Mandrepiu 

/ue  Mandrejian    

Alexandra  Meluvidot' . 

Olga  Mrlovidof 

Mary  Mclovidol' 

Mary  Xcdarf/.i-f 

Anna  KnokoviHiinikof. 

Vera  Sednli'e 

Klizabetli  Seditk 

Mary  Sodiek 

Marv  Shane 

Daria  Sliut.vasan 

IrenaTetor 

Soidiia  Tetot' 


it 

6i) 

9 

72 

14  i 

72 

it  . 

72 

13 

72 

14 

70 

it 

72 

7 

50 

12 

72 

8  . 

72 

0 

72 

11 

72 

9 

72 

13 

07 

6 : 

72 

6  1 

72 

14 

70 

13 

72 

8 

72 

6 

72 

;i 
0 

(I 

0 

0 
•> 

0 
13 
0 
0 
() 
0 
0 
5 
() 
0 
•> 

0 
0 
0 


2 

2 

'» 

2 

2 

2 

') 

9 

2 

2 

>> 

2 

Total . 


IflO   1,415 


Orand  total ;    377   J.  702 


34 


10 
T9~ 


«    ;    14 

Tl  30 


16 


14     20 


1  .... 
1  .... 
1         1 


14 


30  I    12 


(JKNEUAI.  .sr.MMAKY. 

Number  of  pupils  enrolled  (males,  18 ;  females,  20) 38 

Average  daily  attendance 37f  J 

Average  daily  absence  ... 47 

Average  per  cent  of  atteu  lance 99 

Number  of  cases  of  tardiness 19 

Average  age  of  pnpils 9W 

Number  weeks  of  school 14 j 

Number  days  of  Hchool 72 

Names  of  text-ltooks  used:  McGuffey's  Primer;  MoGuffey's  First  Reader;  McGnf- 
fey's  Second  Reader ;  Mcjuffey's  Third  Reader;  McGuflfey's  Fourth  Reader;  Robin- 
son's Arithmetic;  Cornell's  Geography ;  Scribner's  Copy-book. 

Simeon  A.  Melovidov,  Teacher. 
Mr.  T.  E.  Adams, 

United  States  'lyeasttry  Agent, 


i 


H. 


SEAL    LIFE   ON   THE    PHIBILOK    ISLANDS. 


•J3 


lieport  of  Si.  I'aiil  Inlunil  Hvhiml  for  Ihr  Hrcond  term,  li^94. 

St.  r.\ui.  Isi,,\Ni).  Alaska.  April  ■!(>,  !S9t. 
Mr.  T.  K.  Adams.  I'niled  Slattn  Treimurii  .tjiriit: 

Tlu;  iollowin;;  i-s  a  report  ut°  St.  I'aiil  Itilniitl  sclioul  tor  the  second  Irriii.  coiiiiiiciiciiig 
Jiinuary  1'),  18'J4.  ami  ending  April  30.  \i*[)\ : 


r 


linilli'lii'H  cil'  Ntiiily 
Jiursiii'il. 


.  S  .a 

S  p, 

I  ^ 

Xi  e 

h  » 

i  -<1  C5 


2 
2 
2 

16 


2 

1  ... 

2  ... 


2  2 
1         1 

i'  '.'.'.'. 
I  .... 
1        1 

2;""2 

1  i 

1  I 


u 

30 


7 

la 


38 

37^1 
.47 
.99 

19 
9H 

m 

72 


icAer. 


i 


4 

,■) 

6 
7 
8 
'.\ 

10 
11 
12 
1» 
U 
1.5 
IB 
17 
18 
10 
20 
21 
22 


2:i 

24 

25 
21! 
27 
28 
20 
'M 
31 
32 
33 
34 
3,5 
30 
37 
38 
30 
4U 
41 
42 


Naiiii' 


Kuim. 


-  .-      ^  /. 


i', 


/■, 


=     5     r     r      u  1;= 

•■i     -T    ■f     <     -z   •-> 


I'vliT  lliiurdiikol'sky  ...  . 

.rnliii  Kialis 

Gi'orK>'  KotL'hcrKim 

Trcloii  Ki>lclio(it«^n 

I'liul  KfiHlieouikot' 

Mirliael  Kozliit' 

.Miclmcl  KuNliiii 

Mctrofan  Kriikof 

.(..hn  Knikol'(M) 

.loliii  Knikof(N) .. 

John  MtTciilifl" 

Martin  .Merciiliet' 

Simeon  No/ikof 

Siepan  KooknviHliinikof. . 

.lolin  Stei)etin 

IMiillp  .Sodick 

Innokenti  Sedick 

Zacliar  Setlick 

CoiiHtantiii  .Seiliik 

Valerian  Sliaisliiiikof 

(ieotge  Shainhinkof 

Zadiar  Tutol' 


15 

8 

Iti 

8 

II 

8 

lU 

10 

U 

13 

10 

r.' 

18 

111 

lU 

17 

!) 

!) 

I 

1.5 
12 
15 


7n 
70 
08 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
•!8 
70 
70 
70 


•  -       tt      ii      u 

=      a      = 


0    I 

0  ' 
0 

1 

4 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


(I 

0 

II 
1 

0 

1  I 
1  . 

0  , 

1 

(I 


T 

2 

>> 

1 
1 



•  » 

I 

•» 

•  • 

I 

•> 

1 

1 

1 
1 
•1 

1 
1 

1 

1 

Total 206  |1,63C 


11     22     22     22 


(iirl*. 

Anna  Ualaksliiii 

Oiiletar  Konriliikor.sky . . 

Clavilia  tialaktionut' 

Kllou  Kotrhooten 

Mavra  KiiHhin 

Natalia  LottuHbiukot' 

.Mary  Mandi (•;;an 

Zne  Mandrcuaii 

Alexandra  Melovidol' . . . 

Olaa  Melovidof 

Mary  Melovidof 

.Mary  Xedare/.of 

Anna  I'ookoviriliinkot'. .. 

Vera  Sedulee 

Elizalietli  Sedick 

Mary  Sedick 

M.iry  Sliane 

I>aria  Shut vajfan 

Irena  Tetoi'.. 

Sophia  'I'etof 


10 
10 
15 
10 
14 
13 
10 
8 

i:i 
9 
7 

12 
1(1 
14 


15 
14 
9 


07 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
06 
"0 

70 
69 
70 
70 
70 
07 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 


0  I      4 

2  ;      I 


1       1 


1  1  I 

2  2 
•J  T 
2  2 
1  1 


Total 216    1.389 


11 


5  20  20  20  20 


(iraud  total 482  2, 92.'> 


GENKKAI.  SU.M.MAKY. 


15 


16     43     42     42     42 


7 
1? 


4 
~8 


Number  of  ittipils  enrolled  (males,  22 ;  females,  20; 42 

Average  daily  attendance H^J 

Average  daily  absences 21 

Average  per  cent  of  attendance 99 

Number  of  cases  of  tardiness 16 

Average  age  of  pupils 11^ 

Number  weeks  of  school 14 

Number  days  of  school 70 

Names  of  text-books  used :  McGnftey's  Fourth  Reader,  McGuffey's  Third  Header, 
McGuifey's  Second  Reader,  McGutfey's  First  Reader,  McGutfe.y's  Primer,  McGuffey's 
Spellers,  Robinson's  Arithmetics,  Cornell's  Geography,  United  States  History, 
Payson,  Dantou  and  Scribner's  copy  books. 

Simeon  A.  Melovidov,  Teacher. 


'm 


24 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


ExiiiiiiT  L). — Annual  statement  of  fur  seah  killed  on  St.  Paul  Inland,  Alnthi,  duvintj  the 

year  ended  Juj/ust  7,  1S94. 


Dutti. 


Kookury. 


Niuiiliori))' seals  : 
killittl  for  nil-  I 
tivt'H'  food. 


W      -9      \  -a 


1894. 
Hay    9 
23 
U 

I 
31  I 

10 
13  I 

I 
14' 

in  I 

19  , 

20  I 

25  I 
27  I 

July    2  1 

2  ! 

5 

U  i 

7  1 

13  I 

14  I 
1 

17  , 

21  ; 
23  i 

23  ! 

24  I 

25  ( 

30  I 
Aug.    1  1 
4 
4  I 


J 


87 
104 

4 

141 


3i- 

•Ji 


.is 
•A 


«7  I. 
104  I. 

4  i. 
140 


1 


Sea  Lion  I'ork 

I'ol  Hto  i  iiikI  J  ieof 

W  a  1 1'  li  III  e  II ,  Xorthi^UHt 

I'oiiit  

Oiirbotcli  

\V  a  t  (■  li  III «'  n  .  Northeast 

I'oiut 

Watrliiiicii.  Soiitliwest  IJny 
Waldiinen,  Northoast 

Point 

Keef 

WutoliniiMi.  Southwest  IJay 
TolKtoiand  Middle  Hill... 

/a|mdni<s 

W  n  t  e  li  m  e  ii ,  Nortlieoiit 

Point,  

Liikaniioii 

WatcMinuin,  Northeast 

Point 

/oltoi 

Wnleliineu,  Southwest  Iliiy 
Northeast  Point  (south 

side) 

Northeast   Point  (north 

side) 

Half  Way  Point 

Watehnii'ii,  Southwest  May 

Liikuniion 

Watchmen,  Northeast 

Point 

/apadnie 

Keef 

Watchmen,  South  west  Kav 
Northeast   Point  (sand 

heaeh) 

Northeast  Point  (north 

and  east  sides) 

Northeast  Point  (south 

side) 

Middle  Hill 

Half  Way  Point i  287  i  284 

Keef I  272  :  26i» 

Watchmen,  Southwest  Hay       4        4 

Total '  910  1  903 


•I- 


Niinilxtr  of  seals  killed  by 
lessees  for  skins. 


T      \  Rejected. 


P. 


A  Kt(  rebate. 


■r. 


I 


1,211  I        4 

2  i 

■.;i!t        2 

84B  3 


1,21.5  1,211 

2  2 

,i41  ,"i3» 

I  I       830  84U 


2 
.•..-i3 


.')  I. 


1   . 

852 

91)5 
.->16  I 
o 

246 


8 
17 


12    . 

6  I. 


5    

933  I       11 
1,  171  « 


907 
1 

811!) 

917 

."i22 

2 

251 


944 
1,177 


.iSIl 


!l,i9 
I 


9(1.' 
510 

24»i 


T 


362 

1,016 

901 
150 


8  1. 
0  |. 

9  |. 
4    ■ 


370 
1,025  '  1,010 


910 
154 


!IOl 
150 


I 


7      U,  176  !     109 


4      1,215 

2 

2         541 

4         850 


9;i:i 

1,171 

•» 

11 

362 

8 

558 

2 

907 

I 

869 

917 

522 

»> 

251 

5 

944 

1,177 

2 

370 

9     1,025 


910 
151 


1    11,286    11,176  I     110   11,288 


^ 


I  hereby  certify  that  all  skins  herein  Indicated  as  having  liceii  rejected  were  after- 
wards accepted  by  the  lessees  as  prime  skins. 
October  8,  1894. 

Jos.  H.  Ckowi.ky, 

Special  Treasury  Agent. 


SEAL    LIKE    OX    THE    FRIBILOF    LSLANDS. 


25 


, ; 

e 

57 

■71 

li 

g  X 

T. 

"  li 

^ 

0  " 

T. 

H 

"i 

'i,'2i5 

! 

2 

*t 

541 

4 

850 

3 

71 

558 

... 

2 

H 

907 

... 

1 

17 

869 

12 

917 

0 

523 

251 


370 


1,025 

910 
154 


'         ^ 


Jtniunl  »lHlrment  0/  fur  nealH  killed  on  St.  Paul  hiand,  AlMka,  from  October  '.t  to 

December  :10,  tS'.U, 


iNumber of  hcuIm  killed  IViniativeB'ftHMl. 


I'ati'-  Koiik«ry. 


1893. 

Oct.    23  1  Itv  wiitcliiiioii  til  ilati' 

Nov.    2  Zoltiii '.'.'.'.'.'...'. 

6  ;  Hv  >vat(^limen  for  fiioil 

7  i  .Nfi.l(il<"  Hill .■.■.■.'■ 

14  :  Hy  watchiiK-li  for  t<MMl  

14  R«et .'.'.'.'.." 

20  I  \\\  watc'liiiuMi  fur  fiiotl 

22 :  Rei'f ;.;■; 

27  j  By  wat^;liiiieii  for  food 

27 !  Tout.ii ■;;; 

3(1     Hiilfwny  I'ointand  /apa<liiif  wiitVhimiimM. 


Totiil 


I-arire      ^^'"'' . 
yoiiuit   "««•■''""• 

8e8lB.      ,     ''.V 

1(<NH(II'8. 

1 

n             0 

09                 69 

7                   7 

82                 79 

«                   8 

•Skiiig  rejec 

•■•••••1 ^' 

ted. 
Cut. 



173              170 

3 

4                  4 

208              207 

1 

J 

3                  3 

188  •            175 

13 
3 

ari           22 

774              751 

19 

8 

1 

I  hereby  ccrtily  that  all  the  seal  skins  al.ove  in.licnved  as  havinjr  been  reiectid 
were  afterwi.rds  accepted  by  the  lessees  as  prime  skins  ^  rejectia 

<  >etober  «,  I8t>4. 

.losKPii  U.  (!rowlky, 

Special  Treamny  Ageiil. 

^/pl'In'ilVf  f'!i^  that  the  above  is  a  true  and  correct  statement  of  fnr  seals  killed  on 
!>t  Fanl  Island  dnring  the  period  named,  and  that  the  skins  of  the  same  have  been 
suited  in  the  Nortli  American  Commercial  Company's  sait  house. 

T110MA8  E.  Adam.s, 
JesistaHt  *>;cio/  Treamrji  .igenl. 


r  I 


■  H 


26 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Exiliiiri'  K,— Annual  ilalemeiit  of  fur  iiealt  killed  on  iSt.  (iennje  hiand,  Alanka,  duriuij 

the  year  ended  Ainjusl  S,  tS94. 


UnW. 


I  NiiiiiImt  of  i  Xiiiiibcr  of ' 
nt'als  kill«<(l    Hfliila  killeil ' 

for  imtlvcH'  I   liy  IcsHecH 
r<HMl.        '    torHkiim. 


Auun-RHte. 


Kuokery. 


1H»3.      I 
Off.    20  I  North.... 
'SA     /iipadiiio 


u 

B 
E 

e  i 


5  S 


Acci'ptcd.       •; 


a  i 
04 


2ft 

27 

Nov.     1 

« 

7 

8 

U 

17 


18<.)4. 

May  2:1 

Jane    H 

Jnne  16 

22 

26 

July    2 

;> 

u 

16 

21 

24 

26 

Aug.    6 

7 

9 


ao 

77 

/iipadDle  (bv  ){iiarilN  for  food) 1       4 

Kast  and  Noit li ^      47 

Zapiidiiit*  (l>.v  watchmen) {        4 

Nortli  and  Starry  Arteel 38 


Kant . 

/ajindnir  (liy  watchmen) 

do '. 

North  and  Stiirry  Arteel. 


Totiil 


North 

do 

/iipadnie  (l)y  watchmen) 

(ireat  KiiMt 

Zapadnir  (l>y  watchmen) 

Starry  Artnel 

Zupaauic  (by  watchmen) 

/apadnio 

Great  Kawt 

Starry  Artcel 

North 

/apadnie  (by  watchmen) 

Zapatlnic 

Little  East  and  North  . . . 
/apadnie  (by  watchmen) 
do 


lotal 


(irani'i  total. 


1) 

4 

1 

31 


19 


30 

77 
4 

47 
4 

3M 
9 
4 
1 

31 


24S       245 


3  1  3 
'31  "3 
"i     '"'^ 


40 
126 


826 
468 


303 
275 
181 
249 


178 
152 


19 


I 


245 


40 
126 


826 
468 


303 
275 
181 
249 


178 
152 


19 


3,062 


I       1^ 


a  = 

■3-3 

H 


24» 


40 
126 


826 


468 


308 
276 
181 
249 


178 
15ii 


10 


8,068 


.J* 


J.  E.  ZiKBACH,  Tretmury  Agent. 


SKAF.    MKK    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


27 


a,  duritiff 


{n-gute. 


5  ' 


24l> 


40 
120 


820 


468 


308 
275 
181 
249 


i' 

178 
153 

T 

19 
8,068 

Igent. 


KXIIIKIT   F. 

Island  oi'  St.  (iKoutiK, 
lUrinij  Sea,  .llnska,  AiujitHt  ^'.1,  Ism. 
ThiH  in  to  certify  that  S,(Xi2  fur-seal  Hkinn  liiivo  thin  day  been  Blii|)|)e(l  on  board  the 
North  American  Cuimiiereiiil  Coiiipatiy's  Hteainer  Lakme,  .S.  Itonitield,  niUHttT,  (!oii- 
iii)(ned  to  the  North  Aiuericaii  I'umiiiercial  Couipauy,  Kan  I'ranciHeo,  Cal. 

.lAl'Olt    K.    /IKUACII, 

jBihtant  Trtanunj  Atjent. 


Ihlanii  oi'  8t.  1'ai:i,, 
Ikring  Sea,  Alanka,  AiujiihI  i'f),  1S!)4, 

This  i6  to  certify  that  12,96«  fur-seal  skins  have  this  day  been  sliipped  on  board 
the  Nortli  American  Commercial  Company's  steamer  I.akme,  S.  Monitield,  numter,  con- 
signed to  the  North  American  Commercial  Company,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

.IaMKH  .ll'ltOK, 

Aniiigtant  TreaHiirii  Aumi. 


KxiiiniT  O. — Division  moneij.  St.  (ieonje  Inland,  1,S!>4. 

St.  Georgk  Isi.ank,  August  :>,  lSt)4, 
Division  No.  .'>:  KarninffS  of  natives  for  fnr-»ieal  skins  taken  Hiiice  October 
20,  1S93,  to  Anju;n8t  7,  1X94,  both  inclusive.  :{,062  skins,  at  .•)()  cents  each . .   *1,  ."jSI.  00 

First  class: 

LestenkotV,  Denietri  (chief) 125, 44 

Lestenkotf,  Kev.  Innokenty 73. 44 

Swetzoff.  Justice  (second  chief)" 100. 44 

rhilimot)  .>rf',  Koft" 7.").  44 

Philimonoff,  Simeon 75. 44 

Fhiiinionotl',  Andrean  75.44 

Oiistegoff,  Alexia 7.'>.  44 

GrokoH",  Cornell 75. 44 

Merculott",  .loseph 75. 44 

Second  class: 

Malavansk v,  Nicoli (>0. 1^5 

Kezanzott",  Peter 60. 35 

Philimonoff,  Andronic HO.  35 

Lekanoff,  Stepan HO.  35 

GusteRoff,  nimeon W).  35 

Galanin,  Parferi tM).  35 

Lestenkoff,  Michael HO.  35 

Prokopeoff,  Peter (iO.  35 

Third  class : 

Philimonoff.  (iregory 45. 27 

Merculoff,  George 45. 27 

Kuliknloff,  Evan 15.27 

Rezan/.off,  Innokenty 45. 27 

Nederazoff,  Nicoli 45. 27 

Fourth  class : 

Prokopeoff,  Aufanasia 22.63 

Merculoff,  Evan 22.63 

Philimonoff",  Innokenty 22. 63 

St.  Gkokge  l8LANi>,  August  9,  1894. 
We  hereby  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  copy  of  the  distribution  of  the  seal- 
ing fund  on  the  above-named  island,  and  that  the  respective  amounts  set  opposite 
the  names  herein  have  been  credited  to  such  natives  on  the  pass  books  of  the  North 
American  Commercial  Company. 

Jos.  B.  Crowlkv, 

Special  Treasury  Agent. 
Dan'l  Wkhstkr, 
Agent  North  American  Commercial  Company. 
D.  Lestenkoff, 

Xative  Chief. 


28 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE   PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Exhibit  H.— Division  money,  St.  Paul  Island,  1894. 

Division  No.  5:  Distribution  of  comuiunity  fand  derived  from  the  taking 
of  fur-seal  skins  from  October  16,  189.S,  to  August  4,  1894,  12,830  seal 
skins,  at  50  cents $6, 415. 00 

First  class : 

Bourdovokort'sky,  ApoUon $164. 57 

Huterin,  Karp 164.57 

Gromotf,  Nicoli 164.  .57 

Kochoott'U,  .Jacob 164. .57 

Kozeroft",  Stopan 164.  .57 

Krukoff,  Nicoli 164.57 

Knshin,  Aggie 164. 57 

Mandregin,  Neon 164. 57 

Melevedov,  Anton 164. 57 

Nedarazoft",  Martin 164. 57 

Nedarazoif,  Stepan 161. 57 

Oustegott',  I  'eter 164. 57 

Paukotr,  Parfiri 164  .57 

Paranchin,  Daniel 164.. 57 

Kezott,  Nicoli 164.57 

Sedick,  Theodore 164. 57 

Stepetin,  Klary 164.57 

Terviikaiiort',  Kerrick 161. 57 

Tetort'.  Peter 164. 57 

Volkort',  Markel , 164.57 

H,  291. 40 

Second  class : 

Artonianoft',  Kerrick 131.65 

Arkashoff,  A  rseny 131. 65 

Bogodauort,  Nicoli 131.65 

Enianod',  George 131.65 

Fratis,  Joliu 131. 65 

(ilotort',.Johu 131.65 

Haberotr,  Paul 131.65 

Kochooten,  .lobn 131.65 

Kochooten,  Kupheiiie 131.65 

Galaktioneff,  Ales 131. 65 

Melevedov,  Simeon 131 .  65 

Melevedov,  Alex 131.  (>5 

Seiluli,  Vassily 131. 65 

Shaboliu,  Necon 131.65 

Stepetin,  Dorofay 131.65 

Shaisuakott",  Pan! 131. 65 

Tetort",  N»on 131.65 

2, 238. 05 

Third  class : 

Hansen,  A lexander 105. 32 

Koznitzort',  John 105. 32 

Merculiff,  Alex 105.  .32 

Nozekott",  Simeon 105. 32 

Stepetin,  .John 105. 32 

526  60 

oarth  (lass : 

Kochergin,  fJeorge 30.00 

Krukoff,  John  M 30.00 

Krukoff.  John  N 30. 00 

Krukott",  Maxime 30. 00 

Sedick,  Philip .30.00 

Shaisnakott",  Valerian 30. 00 

TetofF,  Zachar 30.00 

210  00 

Special  class : 

Krukoft",  Nicoli  (first  chief) oO.OO 

Gromoft",  Nicoli  (seconri  chief) 50. 00 

100.00 

Due  John  Stepetin  from  division  No.  4 48.95 


--I 


•^ 


6,415.00 


5,415.00 


:^,  291. 40 


SEAL    IJFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS.  29 

Dr. 
Prime  skins  accepted,  12,830,  at  50  cents ,;  ^jg  r^ 

Ck. 

Twenty  first-class  men,  at  Jf'164.57 ••  ooi    ia 

Seventeen  second-class  men,  at  $131.65       ',','  T,.,l'  i- 

Five  third-class  men,  at  !}!105.32 ''-o«c^ 

Seven  fonrth-class  men,  at  $30 ;!;„•  ^ 

Two  special  class  (chiefs),  at  $50 ....'.'. Tnn'nn 

One  amount  due  division  4,  $48.95 ,  • "" 

—  ■  48.  95 

t),  415.00 

„.    I.      1  ^■.-    .r     r.  ^'^'  ^^^'''  JsiAND,  Alaska,  August  14,  1894. 

\Ve  hereby  certity  the  foregoing-  to  be  a  true  copy  of  the  division  of  the  fund 
A?fZ?/'iS./^''''?^*/T!r'  "'^'^^  "°  St.  Paul  Island  from  October  16  1893  to 
August  4  1894  and  that  the  several  amounte  opposite  the  respective  names  hav« 

Companf  *"""^  ""'"''  ""  ^^^'''P^^^  b.>oks7y  the  N..'thl?nS"an  LW.eS 

.lOSKPH  B.  Crowlky, 

Special  Treasury  Agent. 
e  -J       „     ,         '•  Stanley  Urown, 

i»iper%ntendent  North  American  Commercial  Compawf. 

NiCOLI  Krikoff, 

Native  Chief. 


!,  238. 05 


526  60 


210  00 


100.00 
48.95 


■<  m 


415.00 


RKPOKT  (iKr.lOSKI'H  H.  CROWLEY,  SPECIAL  TREASUKV  ACENT, 

FOR  THE  YEAR  mn. 


Office  of  the  Special  Agent, 

Treasury  Depautment, 
Washington^  I).  C,  December  7,  18H5. 

Sir:  I  liave  the  honor  of  submitting  my  annual  report  on  the  seal 
fisheries  of  Alaslia. 

Following  jour  instructions  of  May  1),  I  proceeded  to  San  Francisco, 
Cal.,  arriving  there  on  the  17th,  and  on  the  20th  embarked  on  the  North 
American  Commercial  Compatjy's  steaner  Lalcme,  en  route  for  the  seal 
islands,  iiccoini)anied  by  Assistant  Special  Agent  Thomas  E.  Adams. 

We  r<'ached  St.  (leorge  Island  June  9,  wliere  Mr.  Adams  was  placed 
in  charge  temporarily,  relieving  Assistant  Special  Agent  Jacob  E.  Zie- 
bach during  tlie  summer.  On  the  10th  of  June  I  proceeded  to  '  .  V  .  \ 
Island,  Oil  board  the  United  States  revenue  cutter  Perry^  ,'«1;!.^ 
Assistant  Special  Agent  James  Judge  in  charge.  He  was  permitted  to 
so  remain  until  Sejjtember  13,  when  he  was  relieved  b^  Special  Agent 
Adams  after  the  return  of  Special  Agent  Ziebach  to  St.  George.  I 
found  on  my  arrival  at  the  seal  islands  the  business  aH'airs  of  the  Oov- 
ernment  intact. 

natives. 

The  native  inhabitants  had  been  properly  cared  for  during  the  winter. 
Their  health  was  gcod.  The  mortality  light,  as  is  evidenced  by  the 
census  reports  and  the  reports  of  tiie  resident  physicians  on  the  islands 
of  St.  Paul  and  St.  George,  marked  Exhibit  A. 

The  order  of  the  Department,  that  the  lessees  should  erect  suitable 
water  closets  at  the  dwelling  of  each  native  family  on  the  islands,  has 
been  complied  with.  T"  3  vill.ages  undergo  a  thorough  cleaning  both 
8i)ring  and  fall,  and  the  sanitary  condition  is  good. 

The  lessees  liave  complied  with  the  terras  of  their  contract  toward 
their  subjects  for  support;  namely,  widows  and  orphans,  and  the  aged 
and  intirm  who  are  unable  to  provide  for  theniselves. 

School  was  maintained  on  each  of  the  islands  eight  nu)nths  dui-ing 
the  prst  year,  as  required  by  the  terms  of  the  lease. 

EXPENDITURES. 

The  sum  expended  out  of  the  ap])ropriation,  $19,r)00,  for  tiie  fiscal 
year  ending  -lune  30,  1896,  for  the  support  of  the  natives  on  the  seal 
islands  was  as  follows : 

On  St.  Pnul $10, 930. 95 

On  St.  ( Jeorge \\  728.  .55 

Amount  paid  to  the  bisLop  of  the  Greek  Church  of  Alaska H,  325. 00 

Total . .     17,  !W4. 50 

30 


-; 


4 


V 

8 


SKAl.    LIFK    ON    THK    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


31 


leal 


In  addition  to  this  sutu  there  was  expended  in  support  of  these  natives 
derived  from  their  own  earnings,  as  foUows: 

On  St.  Taul : 

Division  of  sciilers'  counnunity  fund ^6,  537. 50 

Derived  from  blue  foxes 1,  025. 00 

On  St.  (i('orjj;e: 

Division  of  sealers'  community  fund 1.  lOS.  50 

Derived  from  blue  foxes 2,  085,  00 

Cash  jtaid  natives  bv  North  Anu'riejin  Commercial  Conii)auv  for  inis- 
cellaneons  labor ." 2.  000. 00 

lotal 13,  (150. 00 

COAL. 

There  was  landed  at  tlie  islands  370  tons  of  coal,  290  tons  being 
delivered  ui'dor  special  contract,  and  80  tons  under  the  terms  of  the 
lease.  The  coal  is  of  fair  quality,  and  sutticient  quantity  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  nativt'S  and  (lovernnicnt  agents  in  charge  of  the  islands. 
Tiie  same  was  distributed  as  follows: 

St.  Paul  Lsland:  'I'ons. 

(iovernnient  lionse 10 

Use  of  natives 250 

St.  George  Island : 

(iovernnient  hou.se 10 

I'soof  natives 100 

Total 370 

A  iiouse  was  built  on  each  of  the  islands  in  which  to  store  the  coal 
for  native  use,  the  one  on  St.  Paul  Island  having  a  capacity  of  300 
tons;  the  one  on  St.  George,  I'lO  tons.  The  North  American  Conuner- 
cial  Company  furnished  under  contract  all  materials,  including  lumber, 
hardware,  and  paint,  and  superintended  the  construction  of  the  two 
buildings,  for  $790.  The  natives  on  the  respective  islaiuls  performed  the 
labor  of  erecting  the  same  without  charge  tr  the  Government.  The 
coal  is  stored  in  these  buildings  and  it  is  believed  that  they  will  prove 
a  great  saving  in  the  future. 

FURNITURE  FOR  GOVERNMENT  HOUSES. 

The  following  articles  for  the  furnishing  of  the  Government  houses 
were  received: 

8t.  Paullsiaud: 

Oni'  hundred  and  forty-five  yards  of  carpet -flSO.  10 

Six  ruffs,  to  match,  at  .f2.75 Ui.  50 

One  water  piteher,  cni>,  and  tray 5, 50 

One  Franklin  stove    10. 00 

Felt  for  otliee  desk 1.  50 

St.  George  Island : 

One  Franklin  stove IG.  00 

Tiiree  runs,  at  $2.75 H.  25 

One  dust  tray,  one-half  do/.ei.  brooms 1.85 

Fight  window  shades 7.  (X) 

One  toilet  set 4.00 

One  water  ]ii  tcher,  cup,  and  tray 5. 50 

lotal 238. 20 


I 


iiii 


,95 

,.55 

(.00 

.50 


ULUE   FOXES. 


The  past  winter  was  an  exceptionally  long  and  severe  one  at  the  seal 
islands.    There  wii^  more  stmw  fall  than  usual  and  the  ice  remained 


32 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


attached  to  tltv  shores  much  Jater  than  common.  The  result  was  that 
food  lor  blue  ioxes  became  very  scarce  and  mauy  of  them  starved  to 
death.  Special  Agent  Ziebach  on  St.  George  Island  bought  food  in 
such  quantities  as  he  could  procure  and  fed  to  the  foxes  that  came  to 
the  village  in  search  of  food,  and  in  this  manner  averted  the  death  of 
many  that  would  have  otherwise  perished.  No  (bxes  were  trapped  on 
the  islands  during  the  past  winter.  Orders  were  given  to  trap  foxes  on 
both  islands  the  coming  winter,  with  the  further  order  to  kill  all  white 
foxes  found.  This  was  done  to  prevent  the  intermixture  of  the  two 
foxes,  tlie  pure  blue  being  much  more  valuable. 

Ten  pairs  of  young  blue  foxes  were  captured  on  St.  George  Island  and 
delivered  to  liudolj)h  T^enmanu  of  Unalaska,  in  compliance  with  the 
permission  granted  by  the  Department  to  Messrs.  Neumann  and  Apple- 
gate.  Mr.  Applegate  having  failed  to  call  for  or  arrange  for  the  pay- 
mcTit  of  his  portion  ()f  the  foxes,  the  entire  number  was  delivered  to 
Mr.  Neumann,  who  paid  for  each  fox  the  sum  of  $5.50,  the  50  cents 
being  given  to  the  natives  for  caring  for  the  foxes  from  the  date  of 
their  captur«'  to  the  date  of  delivery.  The  $110  received  from  Mr. 
Neumann  for  the  20  foxes  secured  by  him  were  placed  to  the  credit  of 
the  several  natives  on  their  pass  books,  in  amounts  corresponding  to 
the  numl'ftr  of  ioxes  taken  by  each. 

MARINE   GUARDS. 

An  armed  boat's  crew  in  charge  of  a  lieutenant  was  landed  on  both 
the  islands  about  September  1,  as  an  additional  guard  to  prevent  raids 
on  the  rookeries.  They  were  given  quarters  in  the  villages  in  accord- 
ance with  ]>epartment  instructions. 

The  service  rendered  by  the  American  tieet  in  the  patrol  of  Bering 
Sea,  under  the  connnand  of  Cai)t.  C.  L.  Hooper,  was  most  efficient.  I 
most  heartily  commend  the  Kevenue  Cutter  Service  as  being  capable 
of  performing  this  work,  and  recommend  that  they  be  given  charge 
of  this  work  in  the  future.  Every  courtesy  was  extended  to  me  so 
that  I  ^t'a8  enabled  to  make  frequent  trips  between  the  islands  in  the 
supervision  of  the  business  thereon. 


/  ^    H! 


smCCIMKN  SEALS. 


In  compliance  with  your  letter  of  Ma>  KJ,  Mr.  Treclerick  W.  True, 
curator  of  mammals  for  the  United  States  J^ational  Museum,  was  per- 
mitted to  visit  the  seal  islands  and  remain  tu°ire  throughout  the  sum- 
mer, accompanied  by  an  assistant.  Every  facility  was  given  Mr.  True 
to  eiiablc  him  to  investigate  the  fur  seal,  and  to  stu'ly  seal  life  on  and 
about  the  islands.  He  was  permitted  to  take  tifteen  Si»ecimen  seals  for 
oflicial  (iovernment  purposes. 

Dr.  Sharp,  of  Philadelphia,  was  permitted  to  take  two  specimen  seals 
for  a  like  jturpose. 

Hon.  .lames  Sheakley,  governor  of  Alaska,  on  his  tour  of  western 
Alaska,  visited  the  seal  islands  in  July,  in  order  to  personally  acquaint 
himself  with  the  true  condition  of  the  seal  herd. 

C.  H.  Townsend,  of  the  United  States  Fish  Commission,  visited  the 
islands  during  the  summer  for  the  purpose  of  observing,  photographing, 
and  making  charts  of  the  rookeries. 

Capt.  F.  J.  Drake,  of  the  United  States  Fish  Commission  steamer 
Albatross,  spent  two  weeks  on  the  islands  taking  observations  and 
making  a  plane  table  survey  of  the  rookeries. 


s 
P 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    THE    I'KIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


SEALS. 


■^  True, 
cas  per- 
le  suni- 
r.  True 
on  and 
eals  for 

Ml  seals 

Ivestern 
iquaint 

teil  the 
hphing, 

tteamer 
18  and 


The  sealing  season  began  on  the  13th  of  June,  after  my  arrival  at  the 
islands.  Very  few  bachelor  seals  hauled  out  until  about  the  L'Oth  of 
June,  The  breeding  bulls  arrived  early  in  May.  The  remainder  of  the 
herd  was  full  three  weeks  later  in  ariiving  than  in  former  years.  This 
is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the  Hoe  ice  remained  about  the  islands, 
extending  for  miles  out  at  sea,  until  after  the  middle  of  June.  Soon 
after  its  disappearance  the  bachelor  seals  hauled  out  in  goodly  numbers. 
The  cow  herd  came  huer  and  apparently  all  at  once.  The  harems  were 
rapidly  formed  and  the  pups  were  born  very  soon  after  the  arrival  of 
the  cows. 

From  August  10,  1894,  to  June  8,  1895,  in(;ln8ive,  1,209  seals  were 
taken  on  St.  I'aul  Island  for  native  food,  and  from  October  20,  1894,  to 
June  3, 1895,  inclusive,  190  seals  were  taken  on  St.  George  Island  for 
a  like  purpose.  During  the  past  season,  closing  August  1, 11,231  seals 
were  taken  on  St.  Paul  by  the  lessees  and  2,315  on  St.  George,  making 
a  total  of  15,011  fur-seal  skins  in  the  salt  houses. 

The  skins  taken  from  seals  killed  for  native  food  in  the  fall  were  taken 
under  the  quota  allotted  for  1894,  and  remained  in  the  salt  houses 
throughout  the  winter.  Blue  foxes  broke  into  the  salt  house  at  St. 
George  in  search  of  food,  and  damaged  11  of  these  skins,  rendering 
them  untit  for  market.  These  damaged  skins  were  shipped  to  the  col- 
lector of  customs  at  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  as  per  instructions. 

Statements  showing  the  number  of  seals  taken,  date  of  killing,  and 
rookery  from  which  the  same  were  taken,  are  marked  Fxhibit  l». 

Siimmafji  of  iikins  taken. 

On  St.  ruul  Islaml : 

For  native  food 1, 2(i9 

Ky  lessees 11,  231 

On  St.  (ieorjje  Island : 

For  native  food 196 

li y  lessees 2,  315 

I'otal 15,  Oil 

Daniajj;ed  by  blue  foxes 11 

Skins  accepted  by  les.secs 15, 000 

The  15,000  fur-seal  skins  were  shipped  from  the  islands  on  the 
steiinier  licrtlm,  consigned  to  the  North  American  Commercial  Com- 
pany, at  San  Francisco.     Receipts  for  the  same  are  marked  Exhibit  C. 

DiHirihutioH  of  aimmunitii  fund, 

St.  Panl  Island : 

To  12,000  seal  skins,  at  50  cents .$6, 250. 00 

To  UO  seal  skins,  rojeeted  in  1894,  8ub.sequently  acoei)ted,  but  not  in- 
cluded in  Division  No.  5 70. 00 

6, 320. 00 

Hy  22  lirst-class  men,  at  $104.38 3, 016. 36 

Hy  15  second-class  men,  at  $131.52 1, 972. 80 

Hy  4  third-class  men,  at  $105.21 420. 84 

Hy  7  fourth-class  men,  at  $30 210. 00 

Hy  first  chief,  $50 ;  and  second  chief,  $50 100. 00 


S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 3 


6,  320. 00 


34 


SEAL    LIFE   ON    THE    I'RIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


St.  Geurge  Isliiiul : 

To  2..500  Heal  sk ins.  at  ')()  i-eiits tl,  250. 00 

liv  7  lirst-ci.if*  i^eii,  at  ttn.itl 475. 37 

By  8  secoiul-class  iium,  at  !i'">l.:^-' 434.. 56 

By  6  tliinl-class  men,  at  +40.75 244. 50 

By  1  fourth-fluss  man,  at  $20.75 20.75 

By  salaries  to  lirst  antl  serond  chioC 75. 00 

1.2.50.00 

For  detailed  .statciiieiit  of  distributioa  of  tlie  community  fund,  with 
certificate  attached,  see  Exliibit  1). 

QUOTA  NOT   DIFKIOULT   TO   OBTAIN. 

It  was  not  found  8|)ec.i:illy  ditlicult  to  obtain  the  niiixinium  quota, 
15,000  seals,  at  tlie  islands  this  season.  It  need  not  be  taken  for  {^ranted, 
however,  that  a  like  number  can  be  as  easily  taken  the  coming  year  or 
at  any  time  in  tlie  future  under  the  present  regulations  governing 
pelagic  sealing.  It  will  be  remembered  that  i)ending  the  modus  vivendi 
no  seals  were  taken  in  Bering  Soa,  and  only  7,o00male  seals  were  killed 
on  the  islands.  A  cow  could  then  go  to  sea  for  food  in  safety,  and 
return  to  the  rookery  to  .suckle  her  young.  Thus  the  pui)S  Ixuii  in  18!)1, 
1892,  and  1893  were  properly  nurtured  during  their  infancy,  and  did  not 
die  of  starvation  on  account  of  their  mothers  having  been  killed  at  !-"3a. 
The  male  portion  of  them  came  of  killable  ag*'  last  year  and  this.  Fully 
50  per  cent  of  the  seals  driven  to  the  killing  grounds  this  season  were 
of  killable  si/e.  Tiii.s  exceptionally  huge  percentage  is  accounted  for  in 
no  other  way  except  in  that  just  given. 

NEW    KILLING   UUOl'NDS. 

A  new  killing  ground  was  established  for  Halfway  Point,  at  the  first 
lake,  one-half  mile  south  of  the  rookery.  The  killing  ground  estab- 
lished for  Kngli.sh  Bay,  Tolstoi,  and  Middle  Mill  is  at  a  sinall  lake  near 
Telegiaph  Hill,  not  to  exceed  a  mile  from  either  rookei'y.  >Since  the 
establisliment  of  the.se  killing  grounds  there  is  n(»t  a  drive  on  St.  Paul 
Island  to  exceed  a  mile  in  length. 

OVERDKIVINCJ. 

The  natives  are  accompanied  on  almost  every  drive  by  one  of  the 
assistant  agents  in  charge  of  the  islands  or  myself,  and  absolute  cau- 
tion is  taken  in  every  instance  to  avoid  overdriving.  If  seals  be  given 
their  time,  they  can  be  driven  a  mile,  or  even  two,  in  the  cool  hours  of 
nighttime  with  but  slight  fatigue.  It  has  been  contended  that  many 
seals  die  by  rca.son  of  being  turned  back  into  the  .'••  .  from  the  killing 
ground  immediately  after  the  drive,  while  in  a  heated  condition.  This 
is  an  erroneous  idea.  Evidence  to  the  contrary  api)ears  at  every  drive 
made. 

Two  drives  were  nnule  from  Middle  Hill  and  Tolstoi,  and  as  many  as 
1,000  to  l,r)00  seals  were  turned  back  from  each  of  these  killings  and 
driven  directly  into  the  lagoon.  A  very  large  proportion  of  them 
remained  in  this  water  as  long  as  ten  days  before  returning  to  the  rook- 
eries. They  were  watched  constantly,  and  not  a  single  seal  was  found 
dead  in  these  waters  or  along  its  shores  as  a  result.  At  nearly  every 
killing  of  seals  from  the  K'eef,  Zapadnie,  Halfway,  and  Northeast 
Point  rookeries,  a  large  proportion  of  the  seals  turned  back  went 
directly  from  the  killing  ground  to  the  rookery  from  which  they  were 
driven,  without  going  into  the  water,  and  took  up  their  places  there  as 
though  they  had  never  been  disturbed. 


'   H- 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'KIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


35 


j>iveu 
)ur8  of 

many 

killing 

This 

(hive 

lany  as 
Is  and 

tbem 
1  rook- 
found 
every 
l-theast 
went 
were 
kere  as 


PELAGK;   SEALlNd. 

The  result  of  pelagic  sealing  in  Bering  Sea  the  past  two  years  already 
shows  a  marked  decrease  in  the  breeding  seals  on  the  rookeries.  There- 
were  fewer  cows  in  the  harems,  and  on  several  of  the  rookeries  there 
were  "breaks"  or  "si)aces"  wholly  uno(5cupied  that  had  never 
appeared  before.  It  is  evi<lent  that  the  cow  henl  can  not  long  witk- 
stand  the  onslaught  of  pelagic  scaling  in  licring  Sea.  It  was  believed, 
when  double  the  number  of  sealing  vessels  came  into  the  sea  August  I 
than  were  there  last  year,  that  double  the  number  ot  seals  would  be 
taken.  But  not  so.  Nor  was  it  the  fault  of  the  sealer,  it  was  the 
scarcity  of  seals.  They  were  not  there  in  sulHcient  numbers  to  be 
taken,  although  the  tragedy  of  last  year  was  reenacted. 

At  the  time  of  my  leaving  the  islands,  dead  and  dying  jmps  were  to 
be  found  on  every  hand.  During  the  month  of  October,  L'L',(>.-»4  dead 
seal  pups  were  counted  on  the  rookcvies  on  tlui  island  of  St.  I'aul  and 
6,012  on  St.  George.  They  were  distribute*!  in  proporti(»n  to  the  num- 
ber of  breeding  seals  on  the  several  rcjkeries,  thus  showing  conclu- 
sively tiiat  their  de.ith  was  |)roduced  by  starvation,  and  not  by  an 
epidemic  on  any  special  rookery. 

The  breeding- seal  herd  lias  been  reduced  to  sucli  pro)»(trtiou  that  they 
can  now  be  counted  witii  (;omi)!irative  accniacy.  1  made  the  (tount  as, 
follows: 

St.  Paul  Island : 

Hieedini;  cows 7H,  »)(((> 

Bulls I,  :i72 

St.  (icoifje.  IsJaiiti : 

Hreediii','  cows 21,210 

Bulls 1, 180 

Capt.  F.  .1.  Diake,  of  the  United  States  l-'isli  Commission  steamer 
Albatross,  also  made  a  count  of  the  breeding  .seals  on  the  islands  ut  the 
tin\e  of  making  his  plane  table  survey  of  the  rookeries,  and  it  is  prob- 
able tliat  by  tlie  aid  of  the  survey  lie  may  be  abh^  to  give  a  more  acini- 
rate  count  of  the  nund)er  than  I  can.  Hut  I  am  certain  that  if  I  err  it 
is  in  overstating  and  not  understating  the  aetual  nund)er. 

EXCESS   OF    MALE    LIFE. 

Theie  is  a  surplus  of  available  bulls  on  the  islands.  As  the  cow  herd 
decreases  the  bulls  in(,'rease.  There  is  now  a  large  i)er  cent  of  male  life 
that  is  a  detriment  rather  than  a  benelit  to  the  breeding  grounds. 
Nearly oO  per  cent  of  the  bulls  of  breedinjj  age  were  nimble  to  i)iocure 
a  single  cow  with  whi(di  to  start  a  harem.  A  larger  number  of  bulls  had 
from  one  to  four  oidy  in  their  iiaienis. 

The  idle  bulls  loiter  about  tlie  boundaries  of  the  breeding  rookeries, 
intercepting  the  cows  as  they  come  and  goto  feed,  keeping  up  a  (constant 
warfare.  The  cows  are  thus  annoyed  ami  harassed  tlirouf^iiout  the 
season,  when  they  slumld  be  ])ermitted  to  rest  and  care  Ibr  their  young. 
Every  cow  that  leaves  the  island  is  ]>ursued  by  one  or  more  of  these 
big,  strong,  young  bulls.  How  Car  this  i)ursuit  is  kept  up  can  not  be 
determined.  It  is  believed  by  sonui  that  this  is  the  cause  of  the  cows 
going  so  far  out  at  sea  before  stopi)ing  to  ])rocuve  food,  and  it  seems 
plausible  eimugh. 

If  regulations  can  not  be  made  at  once  to  prohibit  pelagic  sealing  in 
Bering  Sea,  there  is  but  one  remedy  left,  that  of  taking  such  nund)er 
of  .seals  on  the  islands  as  to  reduce  the  herd  to  such  propcu'tions  as  will 
make  the  business  of  sealing  at  sea  unproHtable. 

The  large  number  of  schooners  now  engaged  in  that  business  will  be 
compelled  to  seek  other  employment.    The  business  once  stoi)ped,  the 


36 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    THK    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


'      il 


taking  of  Heals  on  tlie  islainls  could  bu  abatud  and  tiie  liord  permitted 
to  rest  and  recuperate.  I  most  earnestly  urge  that  tliis  course  be  taken 
without  unnecessary  deUiy. 

Tlie  social  and  business  relations  existiii};'  between  the  ajjents  of  the 
company  and  tlie  (Tovcrninent  at  tiie  islands  the  j>ast  year  have  been 
most  pleasant. 

Respectfully,  yours.  Jos.  I  J.  Crowlky, 

Spn-ial  Treasurif  Affnit  in  C'liarffc  of  the  Fi(r  ISeal  fslttntlx.  Altinka. 

Hon.  John  (1.  Caulisle, 

Secret ai'ii  of  the  Trcamirif,  Wasliinnton,  IK  ('. 


Ol'l'HK   OK    Si'KCrAI,   ACI'.M,    TUKA-SIHY    1  >KI'AKTMEXT. 

Xt.  (leoifie  Inland,  AlaHka,  October  10,  /Sf>3. 

My  iJKAi!  SiK:  Oil  October  li  and  S  I  nindo  n  ciirotul  count  of  tJ'e  (lend  fiir-weal 
pu])8  on  tho  aevoral  rookorics  on  St.  Georgo  Island  and  toiiud  the  lollowing  nnnibor: 

Za])adnie  rookery 2, 083 

North  rookery 1, 559 

Starry  Arteel  rookery 1, 131 

East  rookery 086 

Little  luist  rooktuy 253 

Total 6, 012 

The  count  was  made  systematically  and  its  correctness  can  he  absolutely  depended 
iijion.  The  nninbcr  represents  only  the  actual  dead  bodies  and  indisputable  remains 
of  others  that  foxes  iind  the  elemtmtsliad  more  or  less  destroyed.  All  trace  of  those 
that  <lied  <iiiring  the  fore  part  of  August  had  been  washed  away.  On  all  the  rook- 
eries were  seen  a  ;;reat  many  seal  pups  that  were  very  emaciated,  and  it  was  only  a 
question  of  a  few  days  before  they  too  would  die  of  starv.ition.  Some  were  so  thin 
and  weak  that  they  did  not  have  the  strength  to  move,  while  along  tho  outskirts  of 
the  herd — as  we  drove  the  seals  slowly  to  one  side  of  the  rookeries — were  hundreds 
of  weaklings  that  could  scarcely  keep  up  with  tho  balance  of  the  herd.  A  great 
proportion,  if  not  all  of  them,  will  die.  In  no  case  was  it  necessary  to  drive  the  seals 
over  200  yards  to  enable  a  count  to  be  made.  For  three  weeks  previous  to  making 
the  count  I  madu  fre(]nent  visits  to  and  examinations  of  the  rookeries,  and  ou  all 
could  see  the  carcasses  of  seal  pu))s  on  all  jtarts,  and  numerous  among  the  live  seals 
would  be  seen  the  emaciated  forms  of  others  slowly  dying  from  starvation.  Of 
course  it  was  impossible  to  make  a  count  of  the  weaklings,  but  my  judgment  would 
say  that  on  the  live  rookeries  on  St.  (ieorge  Island  not  less  than  800  will  die  for  want 
of  sustenance  between  the  10th  and  Slst  of  October. 

There  is  but  one  reason  for  this  deplorable  and  even  criminal  destruction  of  young 
seal  lif^,  and  that  is  the  killing  in  Boring  Sea  of  the  females  that  gave  them  birth 
and  on  whom  they  are  de|)endent  for  sustenance  until  they  are  old  enough  to  main- 
tain themselves,  which  is  in  three  or  a  little  over  three  mouths;  and  just  so  long  as 
sealing  in  tiering  Sea  is  permitted  under  the  present  regulations,  just  so  long  will 
this  destructive  waste  of  fur-seal  life  continue.  Sealing  vessels  commence  the  work 
of  exterminating  the  seal  herd  in  Bering  Sea  on  August  1,  and  in  two  weeks  after 
you  can  see  the  rookeries  dotted  all  over  with  dead  pups,  and  the  number  keeps 
increasing  day  by  day  until  a  great  proportion  of  the  number  born  die  from  starva- 
tion, their  mothers  having  been  killed  at  sea,  where  they  had  gone  for  food,  by  the 
sealers.  It  is  an  established  fact  that  the  male  seal,  with  but  few  exceptions,  goes 
but  a  short  distance  for  food  during  tho  season  the  seals  are  on  the  island,  while  the 
female  travels  far  outside  tho  limit  for  food  and  rest,  and  is  then  killed  in  great 
numbers  by  the  sealers.  Something  could  be  gained  by  the  extension  of  the  60-mile 
limit  to  110  or  125  miles,  but  a  more  desirable  and  practical  measure  of  protection  to 
the  young  and  female  seal  life  would  be  the  addition  of  the  months  of  August  and 
September  to  the  closed  season  in  Bering  Sea.  The  last  suggestion  would  prolong 
♦^he  fur-seal  life  a  few  years,  hut  nothing  of  a  temporary  or  restrictive  nature  will  be 
<...  an  established  beuetit  to  the  continuation  and  rehabilitation  of  the  seal  herd  but 
the  absolute  prohibition  of  killing  fur  seal  in  open  water.  The  two  years  of  sealing 
in  Bering  Sea  has  been  terribly  destructive  of  seal  life,  and  if  it  is  continued  two  or 
three  years  longer  the  fur-seal  herd  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  will  be  practically  exter- 
minated. 

Resr^ectfully,  yours,  Jacob  E.  Zieuach, 

Treasury  Agent  in  Cha,  ge  of  St.  George  f aland, 
Hon.  .JosKi'u  B.  Cuowi.KY, 

Special  Treanury  Agent  for  the  Seal  Fisheries  of  Alaska,  Robinson,  III. 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 
Count  of  dead  aeah,  St.  I'luil  IxUmd.  .thiskii. 


31 


Dntr. 


IJoiikcrv. 


I'ujm.     Cows.     Hulls.     'I'litul. 


2,083 

1,559 

1,131 

986 

253 

6,012 


I8!)r.. 

Sept.  2:t      Ivfliivic h,")4 

•Ji      Liikiiiiiiuii I.;il7 

HH  1  liiiuooii UlKl 

(»i'l.      t>     I'oraviiiii 1,1)7(1 

•1     (iarlii)t(li 1,514 

8     /:i|iailiii(> .■|,'j;il 

«      KiiSllsli  Uiiv  IWl 

8  ,  TolMtoi '. 2,  ,^KJ 

H      lint :i.  :i7ti 

•_'  <  Sea  I. ion  Kiick ;((il 

Id      N'orlliniMt  I'oiiit 4.(117 

■fotal 21,  IKiil 


7    hei 

s    I,:t55 

2            I  3o:< 

.'    1,972 

7           'J  i,.'.2a 

ir.           ;i  .-.,249 

1  :i84 

K                 1  2. 591 

2:.               H  3, 4(K» 

361 

25               4  4, 04K 

101             20  22,054 

I 


The  above  tabh;  shows  the;  nniiilier  of  tlead  svn\  pii]m,  i'owh,  and  IxiIIh  IoiiikI  iipoD 
the  rookeries  of  St.  I'aiil  Ishmd.  Ahiska,  and  nctiiallv  eoimted  between  the  dates  of 
Septenibor  2H,  18}»5,  and  October  10,  IWin. 

ill <>.»<.   K.  Ai>.\.M.s, 
Special  Agent,  Trefinurii  Heiiarlmeiit. 


Kxiimn  A. 
CiiHMiia  of  St,  I'niil  Inland,  Alanka,  June  30,  IS9'', 


Name  antl  i'olutluiiHlii|i. 


I'laci'  of  liiilti 


Arc 


lU'iiiarkK. 


vaud. 


r 


Familv  1 — 4  iiidivitldal.s: 

.Vfldiiionotl',  KiTiick,  liiiMbaiid Noitlnnst  Toiiil 08 

Arlomoiioll',  AluNaiulra,  will- St.  Michaels 42 

Ivaiiotr,  Anlokia,  sintcriii-law ilo 21 

l'rokii)(ii'f.  AuM'iiia.daufjhtt'r SI.  I'aiil 27      Wide 

Fainilv  2— ii  iiiilividiials: 

xVrkasliotV.  Aiwii.v,  IniHhaiid do 28 

Arka»li()tl'.  Maiiana,  wilu Atka :iri 

Stt'petin.,Ioliii.  Nti'psou I'nalaska 17 

yainily  3— ;i  indiviiliials: 

B(')godaiii)tl  Niroli,  himliand St.  (ieoigo 2:! 

Ilu<;odaiioir,  Oiilita,  will' do 28 

ISojjodaiiutl',  Mary,  .sistrr do 20 

Family  4—4  iiidividiials: 

Uimrdukotl'sk.\ .  Aiiolloii,  husband I'lialaHka 41 

Hoiirdiikoll'sky,  Cliionia,  wife St.  I'aid :t4 

Houi'dukoll'sky.  I'etrr,  son do 15 

lioui'dukotl'Hky.Oulita.  daiigliti'i' do 10 

faiidly  5—0  individuals: 

Hutcrin,  Karji,  husband St.  I'nnl 41 

Uiiteriii,  I'ara.scovia,  witV' I'lialaska 3!l 

SiMlick.  Constaiiline,  st('i)son St.  I'aul 7 

Scdick,  /ahar.  or])luiii do !t 

>ri'zcokin,  Mary,uii!ce do 

Mcziit'kin,  Vassa do 

Family  0—5  individuals: 

Kmanotl',  (ioor{i<-,  huHband do 

Kmanoll",  Catlurine,  wife    do 

Kmauoff,  Mary,  daughter do 

KnianotT,  John,  son do 

Koznitztitr,  .John,  nephew do 18 

F"ainily  7—5  individuals: 

Fratis,  John,  husband I.adrone  Islands 

Krai  is.  Ankolina.  wife Unalaska 

I''ratis.  J(din,  son St.  Paul 

Kratis,  Simeon,  son do 

Fratis,  Ar^ralina,  daughter do 

Fandly  8—3  individuals :  1 

(ilotoff,  John,  husband St. I'aul 27  I 

iilotott,  Avdotia.  wife do '      20 

Glototf,  Marv,  mother do 67 

Family  9—3  individuals:  I 

Gromofl",  Nicoli,  husband Attn 27  ' 

Oromoff,  Oulrana,  wife St.  I'aul 25 

Sedick,  Kliitabeth do 6 

a  Months. 


a2J    Daughter  of  Mary. 

27 
21  ; 

3 

1 


41) 

21 

8 

1 

2 


Clothes  furnished    by  coni- 
l>any. 


'• 


38  ISEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    E'RIHILOF    ISLANDS. 

(knxuH  of  St.  I'nul  Idand,  Alanka,  -luncSO,  /55J— ContiniH'il. 


NHiiif  aiii\  r)>latiiiiiN)ii|i. 


Plaro  of  liirth. 


A«.'.  I 


Kcinarks. 


Fninily  lu  -  4  iiiiliviiliiiilH:  ' 

(iiiliixtionctV,  Ali'Miiult'r.liiiHlmiKl Atka 

(ttilitxtiiiiu^lV,  Mailliii.  wifr riialaHkii 

Nicoliil',  (;laiulla  lialf  sinti'i' St.  (icoigii 

Virolof,  Ali'XHiiiIra St.  I'liiil. .. 

Family  II— 'J  individuals: 

HaliHoii.  .McMiiidi'i'.  Iiimliaiid Sitkn 

HaiiHoii,  liukiiia,  wilti  St.l'aiil... 

KiihIiIii,  NoHtor.  Mtt'iison <lo 

Fnniilv  I'J— 3  iiidividiiHls:  i 

llalicroir.  I 'a  II  I.  liiiHliaiid {  Kadlak  .  . . 

llaliiToir,  AKiiniiia,  HitV j  Unalaska  . 


St.l'aiil. 


do 

riiuhmka . . 
St.l'aiil.... 


.St.  I'aiil... 
lTiiMla!<ka  . 
St.  I'aiil  .. 


d<i 


Fainilv 


Slialiidiii,  AKi-aliiia.  adiiptul  daiij^litcr. 
JKamilv   I.'l-Ii  individuals; 

KiK'liiioti'ii.  .Iidiii.  liii.sliand 

KiM'liiiutcn,  I'atiana,  wit'c 

Kdiliootin,  Mark,  sun 

.Family  14—7  imlividiials: 

K<M'li<int('n,.lak(^  liiisliand  do 

KochDiitcn,  I''i'iM'iiiiia,  witr   I'nna... 

Kocliiiolcn,  I  'iilila,  daiiiilitrr St.  T'aiil. 

Koiliootcii,  Klleii.  (lanylitiT do  .  - 

Koi'liootcn.  TliiMidorc.  sun do  . . 

Kochooti'ii,  l.ai  i.:M.  sun do  . . 

I.oiloNlinikolV.  M;italia..slri)daiii;litir  .    fn;;a  ... 
Tainily  1")— :i  IndivliliiaU: 

Koi'lioott'ii.  I')ii|diriiir.  JiiiHliaiid  . 

Kocliocili'ii.  I'ldciyia.  wile 

Kiirliouti'ii,  'i'l'elon.  nr)ilir«  . 
rainily  111—4  individuals: 

Korlit'iuin,  ( Ic'orj;''.  '^oii 

Ti'tcilV.  iMclMsla.  wlilowtiil  inotlit'i' KuiIIk  Island.s. 

'relotl,  Iii'iic.  sister .si.I'anl... 

Ti'toH',  Sophia,  sisi  IT do 

Family  17-4  individuals: 

Kozrioll,  Sti'iian.  linsliainl . .    I'lialasKa  . 

Ko/.ciolV.  Anaslaria.  wife ilo 

Ko/.fiolV.  loiially.  son SI.  I'aiil. . . 

Ko/.rnill.  Alexaiidia.  daii^liti'i-    do 

Family  IS— 4  individuals: 

KriikolV,  Niccdi,  liiisliand '  Sitka 

Kriikoir.  (!alln'rim),  hH'c .\tka 

Knikoll.  Motrolan,  son |  St.l'aiil... 

Kriikoll,  (tnstniia,  diiniiliter ilo    . . 

I'.i  -  4  individinils:  i 

KnikolV,  Maxiini'.  liiiHliaiid Sitka 

Krukoll'.  Kfiiiicsia.  wito .St.  I'aiil. . . 

Knikot). .lolin  M..  hoii do 

Kriikol).  Oindnit 

Family  '-'0-4  individuals: 

Maiidiij;aii.  Nion.  lallicr St.  (ieorgr 

Mandriuan.  M.iry,  daughter .St.  I'aiil  .. 

Maiidii'.:aii,  /oe.  daMs;liter do 

Maiidri^an.  Innidvriity.  son do 

Family  21—4  iinlividiials: 

.Mirriilill',  Alexandra.  Iiiisband St.  I'aiil  .. 

MereiililV.  .Sfjatia,  wife ilo 

Meri'iiliir,  I'aiil.  son i do 

Jlereiilitr,  I'aiil,  lirotlii-r do 

Family  22-5  individuals: 

Melividov.  .\iitoii,  father Kodiak 

Melividov.  .Mexandra,  daughter •  .St.  Paul  .. 

Melividov.  (»l^a.  daughter. do 

Melividov,  .Mary,  daughter do 

Slelividov,  .\lexaiidi:i,  mother California. 

Family  21!— ;)  individuals: 

Melividov.  Alexander,  hiisliand St.  Paul  .. 

Melividov,  Salome,  wife ; do 

Melividov,  .Viitoii.8on do 

Family  24— 4  individiiala:  ; 

Melividov.  Simeon,  himliand ^  Sitka 

Melividov,  Alexandra,  wile i  Akootan.. 

Melividov.  Margret.  daughter. St.  Paul... 

Melividov,  ('hiisloiiher,  son j do 

Family  2.')— 5  iiidivldual» :  ! 

Xedera/.otf.  Sti'imn.  hiishand \  St.  Paul... 

Xederanotf,  Alexandra,  wife i  Attn 

Xedera/.otf,  M.iry.  nieee I  St.  Paul.. . 

Ncderazotl'.  Marv ! do 


2;» 
:i4 
15     Clothes  furnished   hy  com- 

panv. 
a  2  ;  Oaughter  of  Claudia. 

:i7  ' 


4:1 

6  : 

I 
I 

24; 

2U  ! 
aH  j 

43  1 
41)  ' 
10  . 

10 

II  ; 

•I  ; 
\l  ; 

31  I 


Hopott',  Nekota. 


..do 

a  Months. 


17 

:i7 

1) 

7 

42 
4:1 


41 

:u 

10 
4 


.■17 
10  ' 

8 

4 

19 
18 

1 

5 

39 

13  i 

0 

■    7 
tit)  , 

20 
20 
'J 

27 
27 

3 

1 

37  ' 

31 

11 

2 


Provisions  fii  rn  i  shed  by 
(i<  vernnieiit.  Clothing 
toi  .vidow  and  daughters 
furnished  liy  eom|iany. 


38  1  Tliis  family  is  supiiortcd  by 
2!)  I  tlie  eomiiaiiy.  John  M. 
13  I  draws  clothing  on  Gov. 
ernnient  orders. 


Clothes   furnished   by  com- 
l>any. 
4  Do. 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'RIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


39 


t'eimun  of  SI.  I'uii!  Iilanil,  Alankn.  Jniie  ■!'),  IS9.5 — L'ontiiiuud. 


Niiiut.'  mill  relatluu.'iliip. 


l'liu'i<  of  birtli. 


Ki'inurkH. 


,     ---t- 


Fnmily'Jtl  -4  iiiiliviihnilH: 

Nrilrni/.ol)',  Mai'tiu,  IiiihIiiiiiiI SI.  I'inil. ... 

NciU<ntZ(ptr,  <'iitlii'riiir,  wife Sitka 

Sliiuit',  Miirv.  Hti'|iihiiii;lili-r Si.  (ii'iirjjf. 

Shall)!,  I'aniMi'iiviii,  Hti'iiiliiiiuliti^r ilo 

Family  27— '.!  iniliviiliials: 

XiiZL'koll',  Siiiiudii,  IiiihIihiiiI I'liiilnHka  . 

X()/.i'k()ll'.  Aiia.sta.siii,  wile SI.  I'aiil   ... 

Fatiiily  'IX ~i  iniliviiliials: 

((imtiKoll,  I'i'tiT,  liiislianil St.  (ii'orfrr 

OuHtii;iitr,  PaniHcoviii,  wifn  i  Sl.l'aiil. 


(>imtij:i>ir,  Nii'l,  Hull ; ilii 

Oii.sliiicitV,  Stcpaiiiilii.  iiiiiMht 


Faiiiilv 


iiilivliliialN: 


St.  (ii'i)i'm' 


raiikiit),  rart'iTii,  liiisliaiiil St.  I'aiil. 


St.  UttiiiKe  . 


raukolt,  OiKa.  wilV 

I'aiikiit)'.  Ilhmu.  .soil SI.  I'uiil. 

I'aiikotI'.  Varvaia,  ilaiijihttT i ilii  . . 

SliaiHiiekiilV,  Ornrj;*' ' iU>  •  • 

'aiiiily  DO — "J  iiiiliviiliialN;  I 

I'ariiiK'hiii,  Daiiii'l,  liiisbaiiil i  SI.  I'aiil. 


Taraiii'li 


.Mexanilni,  wile Iiialaska  . 


Family  M-  ''  iniiiviiliialH: 

Kr.si'ir.  l(<'v.  Niriili.  liiiMliaiiil . 


Sitka    . 
ilo 


Jicsrll'.  .Malrmia,  \\  i.'p 

KcsflV.  t'l;;a,  ilaii^'liliT '  Kndiak 

Ifinatiof.  Anna,  iH'iiliaii :  llarka  . 

liiliiil',  Mary,  orii'.ian Atka  . . 


lilv  IfJ 


iiii|i\  iitiials: 


.Seilii;k.  'I'liroilori'.  liiislianil 


St.  I'aiil 


Srdiik,  Martha.  wilV rualaska. 


.S<'ilirk.  Mary,  ilaiiyhtcr 
.'^oilirk,  ( liistiiiia.  iluiiulil 
SriUck.  Mali'iiiia.  ilaii>>h 
Svdit'k.  Iiiniikciity.  hum 
Scdick.  riiilip,  iii|du'\v 
Faniilv  Ull— 4  iiidlvidiial.s: 


tcr      

Icr   

St.  I'aiil. 
dii 
do 
do  . 
do 


Si'diili.  VaMsili.  hiisliand Kodiak 


Scdiili,  Kli/.ahflh.  wil'n 


I  iialaski 


Scdiili,  Vuia.daiijihtcr I  St.  I'aiil. . .. 

Ml  /<>('kiiii.  Ivan,  adopti'd  hoii do  .'.... 

Family  :i4-:i  individiialH: 

Sllaliolln,  Nccon,  husband St.  I'aiil  . .. 

.Slialiolin,  Foofla.  wifn St.  (irorae  , 

Sliabuliti,  A piilli'iiaria.  daughter '  St,  I'aiil 

Family  :i5— '2  individuals:  ; 

SlmisiHskoir.  I'aiil,  iiiicld St.  I'aiil  — 

Sliaisni'UolV,  Vali'i-iiui,  lu'iihcw ilo 

Family  ii6 — 4  individuals: 

Stepeton,  Klary.  huHband. St.  I'anl 

Stepeton,  Anna,  wile I' iiala.sk a  . . 

Stepftoii.  Oiiliana,  daii;ilit(T St.  I'aiil  — 

Stt'potou,  I'aola.daiightur do 

Family  37—3  individuals : 

St'opeton,  Durat'ay,  liuMbanil St.  I'aiil  — 

Ste|ii'ton,  VasMa,  wile St.  (ieoryi-  . 

Stepeton,  VasHili,  son St.  I'aiil 

Family  38—5  individuals: 

Terra kanotl'.  Kcnirk,  husband  .St.  raiil. . . 

Tcrrakauotl',  Anna,  wilo Sitka 

Nedera/.otl'.  .Vftratina,  nii're   I  St.  I'aul  — 


.do 
.do 


4U 
37 
IS 


18 
18 


00 


3 


12     Clothiiiy;  I'liinishcd  b\   com- 
pany. 


30 
33 

flO 

00 
23 
16      .\doplcd  ilaiiKliti'i'. 


17 


40 


It) 


14 


28 

25 

I 

59 
\h 

:il 
24 


24 

21 

2 

41 
3.") 
2ti 


Nedoni'.olV,  Alrsie 

Shane,  Klefrry 

Family  30—4  individuals : 

Totott".  Neon,  h iigband |  St.  Paul . . . 

Tetott'.  Ajiralina.  wife I'lialiiHka  . 

Tetoir.  Simeon,  son '  St. Paul... 

TetoH',  Zaliar,  brother ! do 

Family  40-3  individiiala:  i 

Tetoti;  Peter,  himband ;  St.  Paul. . . 

Tetott'.  \eaey,  wife •  St.  (ieor;;e 

Tetott',  Ale.vandra,  sister '  St.  Paul  . . 

Family  41     5  iudividiials:  I 

VolkoH'.  Markel,  hiiBliaud Atka 

Volkott'.  Alexandra,  wife \  Uuala.ska  . 

Volkotl,  Teehon,  son i  St.  Paul... 

Volkott'.  Arifa.  son do 

Merenlitt',  .lohn,  son ' do 

Family  42—4  individuals : 

Ualakshin,  Matrona,  widow !  X'nalasica 45 

Shanoshnikott',  Parascovia St.  Paul 28 

Kuokovi.shuikntl',  Anna,  orphan ' do 10 

Rookovishuikott',  Stepan,  orplian ' do 13 


Do. 


(Jlotliiiij;  liiriiished  by  com- 
pany. 
Son  of  A<:ralliia, 


30 
34 
10 

,■)() 
41 

10 


Clothing: 
pany. 


fiiruished  by  com- 


40  SKAL    I.IFE    ON    THE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 

CenHut  of  ^t.  Paul  Inland,  .tliiMka,  June  SO,  18'J'< — Contiuiied, 


Nitiiie  mill  ri-luti(inMlit|>, 


I'liii'c  III'  liirlli. 


Ako. 


Family  4:i— 1  iinllviiliiiil: 

Hi'IIiikIii/.iiIV,  KUen,  widow St.  I'niil 

Fniiiily  44-  :i  IiiiUviiIiiiiIm: 

Kimlioviilkiill',  Avilotlii,  wiiluw St.  Taiil  .. 

KoMhoviiikiill',  I'liiil.Hou ilu 

Merriilitr,  MAitiii,  ni-plii'w do 

Faiiilly  4.'i— 0  iiiiliviiliialN: 

Kii'/.lotI',  I'aniHrovIa,  willow I'lialaHka  . 

Ko/lolt,  Mlcliail,  Mini St.raiil... 

Kii/,loll',  Nli'oli,  Non ...<lo  ..   . 

Kiizloir,  Anton.  Non ilu 

Seri'liiinkolV,  <)l|{ii.  KJHter do 

SfirolinnkiilV,  Uf|iHiiiiiinH do 

Family  4B^2  indlviiliialH:  I 

KrukolV.  Anna,  widow St.  I'liiil  .. 

Ko/,(<rotr,  Siindiilrc.  iiilo|it(Ml  daiiKlitfr do 

Family  47—2  indlviiliiiilM: 

KrnkotI',  >>iataliii,  widow |  St. Paul... 

Knikoir,  John  X.,  hoii do 

Family  48-4  indlviiliialH: 

I'l'ipotV,  Avdoliii,  widow I  Atka 

l'o|H>ll',  Avraxmia,  ilanuhtiT St.raul... 

Ho|Mitt'.  Ali^xnnili'r,  daiitflitcr : do 

lialakHliin,  Anna,  daiiKbtiT do 

Family  4U— 2  indiviiliialH: 

iVipoir,  AvanaHia,  widow St.  I'aiil 49 

Shut/.aKaii,  Hiiriii.  orphan do 14 

Family  5i)-l  iiidi\  iiliial: 

PeeHhnikoll',  \'as.xill«y.  widow do li.'i 

Family  ,51—2  individiinlH : 

liiiokoviahiiekiitl',  .\iu-Mia,  widow rnaliiHka... 

Kookovishui'kiitl',  l'iiraNrovin,daii(!h-     .St.  Taiil 

tur.  I 

Family  52—  1  individual : 

Ke/.an/,oll',  Anna,  widow St.  Miiihai'lH 

Family  WA — ;i  indiviilimlH : 

."ii>dlck,  Daria,  widow i  I'nalaHka . . . 

KoclioiitiMi,  Kllmi,  ilaiijfhti'r '  St.  I'aiil 

Kochootim,  Zmollii.  danfilitiT do 

Family  .'i4— 2  individiialM: 

Ti'rreiitova,  Anna,  widow do 

IVrrentova,  Aniia,daii);htci' do 

Familv  55—2  indlviiliialH: 

Volkoti;  Klli'ii,  aunt St.  I'aiil 

Kuxliln,  Mavra.  nii't'c do 

Family  5(1— 2  individuals: 

Kuflhin,  Marv,  grass  widow .St.  (Iforgo ;19 

Knshin,  Miihail,  non St.  Paul 10 


59  : 

:u| 
II  I 

12 

8 
6  ; 

n 

:io 
2» 

29 
4  ' 

41 
14 

:i5 


10 


29 


61 
51 

:ti 

2(i 

75 
42 

41 
14 


Kcuiurkii. 


DaiifthtiT  of  Ol^a'!*, 


Draws  rliitlicN 
mt'nt  ordefH. 


on   (jovern- 


IIiiHliand  at  I'nalaaka. 


OKPHAX  GIKLS  AT  SCHOOL  IN'  UNALASKA  BKLONGING  TO  ST.  PAUL  ISLAND. 


Sedick,  A vdotia i  St.  Paul . . . 

Kriikotf,  Lukeria ■  Unalaaka  . 

Koznitzotr,  Agatia St,  I'aul. . . 

Merculitl.  Li'lbotr do  ... . 

IvanoH'.  AuastaHia do 

Zakiirot)',  Feodosia > ilo 

/atzmanoir,  Auxeiiia do 

FratiH.  Kllen do 


14 

18 
17 
10 
17 
16 
14 
13 


Daughter  of  John  Fratis. 


II  Mouth.i. 

liKCAPITUI.ATIOX. 
Families 56  I  F'ltiualo  adults. 


Resident  inhabitants 190 

Konresideut  inhabitants 8 

Total  native  population 207 

Female  inhabitants 120 

Male  inhabitants 87 

Females  in  exi'ess  of  males 3D 

Inhabitants  'mm  outside  of  seal  islands 51 

Male  adults 43 

Males  between  5  anil  17  years 26 

Males  under  5  years '. 18 

87 


72 

Females  between  8  and  IV  years 33 

Females  under  5  years 15 

"m 

Marriages 2 

Births 6 

Deaths 2 

Departures  from  Island 1 

Net  increase  in  population  from  June  30, 1894, 

to  J  une  30, 1895 3 


'•       ' 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PRIHU-OF    ISLANDS. 


41 


i'<  iimiH  of  SI.  (leorfff  Inland,  .lluxha,  .luni- .so,  IS',)-' 


N'liiiii-  iiiiil  rclatioiiiiliip. 


Ak«. 


(jovern- 


Hka. 


.AND. 


Kaiiiily  I   -^l  iiiili\  iiliiiilM: 

lli'ilaniii,  raiftrn,  liiiHliaiitl 'i\L 

tiHlaiiiii.  Kii)iliroiiia.  wift! 17 

(lalaiiiii,  Kli'Xia,  Hull. .« a  'I 

Kaiiiily  2~:<  iiiili\  iiliialH: 

(iiirdkiilf,  (!(iTnl('l.  Iiiislianil :)!» 

liorokotl',  Kallicfint',  wilt' 4t) 

I  i.ilaiiin,  AlcxaiiiliT,  ailoptcil  smi m 

Kamily  '1-2  imliviiliialH: 

Kiillkiilotl'.  Kvaii,  widower 4!t 

/acliariill.  Kmaiiui'l.  ailoptcil  hoii II 

Kamily  4-11  iiiiliviiliialM: 

I.i'Htnikiitr,  Di'iiiiti'i.  wiilower :il 

I.i'Mtuikiill'.  Aiiiiii.ilaiiulitor 7 

Meniilill',  Mark.  Hiliipteil  smi H 

Kuiiiilv  5—4  iiiilivliliialH: 

LrHtiilkotl',  Mirliai'l.  Iiachclnv -J'J 

I,i-»tiilkolV,  Klizi'liitli.  iiiiillii'i- till 

Lcstiiikiitl'.  Mai'v.  HiHter i'> 

I.iNliiikolV,  Sarali,  siMlt-r 18 

Family  li— II  iiiiliviiliials: 

l.rkaiiiitt,  Sti-)>iiii.  Iiiisliaiiil ■-'li 

LrkiiiiotV.  I'i'li'Kia.  witV •.'•) 

l.i'kaniitV.  Anatoli'.  Hiin 4 

lA'kamilV.  SiTjiiiis,  .■(Oil ;i 

I.Hkanot)'.  Sarah,  ilimulitir 1 

l.i'kaiiotl.  Mariana,  ilaiiulitrr    a  :i 

Family  7-ll  iiiiliviitiial.'*: 

Mi-iTiiliH'.  Kvan.  Iiarhrlor IH 

MiTi'iililV.  VasaliHa.  iiiotlii'r 4;i 

SIiTi'iilltV.  Aviliitia.Hi»ti'r II 

Mi'iTiilitV.  Kli'xaiiilni.  sislrr Ill 

MiTiMililV.  Niroli,  lirotlii'r i:t 

Mori'iililV.  Hrli'iia.  .sistir rt 

Kamily  8— ll  iiiiliv  iiliials: 

Merriilill.  .losi'pli,  liarliilor 'l'.\ 

.Mi'ifiililV,  Kiipliroiiia,  mollnr 41 

MiTriillir,  (ii'iirKc  liriilliir '11 

MiTi'iililV.  Hi'lriia.Hislir 10 

.McroiilitV.  Kvan,  lirotlior 5 

MeriuililV,  Maria,  sixtrr "J 

Family  U— 5  iiiiliviiliials: 

MiilavatiHky,  Nicoli.  bachelor ;)() 

MalavaMHky.  Kepsimia,  Hinlcr Xi 

Malavansky,  StepiMiiila.  niece Ifi 

Miilavaimky.  I'ctir,  ncplicw 7 

Malavaimky,  Vassa.  sister |  211 

Family  10— 4  iiiiliviiliials:  i 

Ni'ilera/.ott".  Nicoli.  Iiachnlur |  17 

N'eileraziift',  Kvjieniii,  mother i  41 

Neilera/.olV.  Xrclaiiia,  sister I  21 

NediTiizotl',  Isartore.  brother !  4 

Family  11—4  inilividuals:  \ 

Oilstigotl',  Klexia,  husband '  4:' 

OustlKotV,  Marf'a.  wile •_>.■) 

( liistijiott",  Ale.xandra,  daiiubtor 2 

Oiistigoft",  Stepineda.  daii^iter </  II 


Name  iiinl  relatlotiHliip, 


I'aniily  IL'-II  iiidi\  iiliials: 

Uiisliuoll,  >^iiiiiicii.  hiixbiinil 

OiiMlinoi;,  .Mar>,  wile 

lliisliuoM',  Aiilesa.  ilaiiuliter 

Family  i:i    It  imliviiliials: 

riiiloiniiniiir.  Kill).  liMNli;uid 

I'liilomanotI'.  I  lita.  wile 

I'll  ill  >iniuii>ll.  liri'jtoire,  son 

I'hiloiiiaiiotr.  .\t';;aiiia.  ilanulilcr 

riillomanoti'.  Demit  ri.  sun 

•  liiHliiioll.  Susanna,  adopted  daiiuliter 
I'aiiiily  14  -11  indiv  idiials: 

riilloniaiiiill'.  Simiieii,  liiiHliand 

I'hiloiiiaiioir  Avdolia.  wile 

riillomanoir,  Innokenlv.  .hoiiI 

riiilomanoll,  I'i'dosi.i,  ilanutlior 

riiiloniaiioll.  Xoya.  dauulilnr 

riiilnmaiioll.  JiMipli.  son 

Kamily  l'>    2  liiiliviiliials  : 

I'rokapii'il,  I'lhr.  Iiiisliaiid 

I'rokapii  ir.  Slipiiiida.  wH'r 

Family  Hi    .'>  inilividuals: 

riiilomaiiotr  Andronii'.  Iiiisliaiid . . 

I'liilomaiioll.  /enoliia.  wili- 

riiiloiiianoll.  Marian  daiiuliter 

I'liiloniaiiotr.  Mary,  daii'jiiler 

riiiloiiianoH.  I.eonli.  son 

I'';iiiiily  IT— :i  iiidi\  idiials: 

Ki'/.an/.oil,  liiiioki  III  V .  barlielor    

Ue/.an7.oir.  I'edo-iia,  inutlirr 

Ife/aiiZMll.  Seii'pliina  siBlir 

Kaiiiilv   Ir'     :i  indivlilMal.-: 

l!i/.aii/oll',  I'ller  hii.sliaiid 

lic/.aiizuir  Mat rniia,  wile 

Itezan/oll   Ka llama,  daiijiliter 

Knniily  111— .'I  imliviiliials: 

Svwtzort',  Ivislin.  Iiiishaiid 

.1  el /oil'.  Christ  inc.  w  lie 

>uel/.otl',  I  Icor;;!'.  son 

I'liiiiily  211     2  Individuals  : 

I  iaiaiiin.  ( Ikalina.  widow 

lialanin.  Evan,  son 

Kamily  21     :>  iMilividiials: 

I'hilomanotf.  I'araseova.  widow 

IMiilomanutr.  I'eleuia.  danuliter 

I'liilomaiioir.  Keelii,ilaii);liter 

Kamily  °.'-'  -4  indiviiliialH: 

Shane.  Iiiessa,  widow 

Shane,  r  let  a.  daily  liter 

Shane.  Michael,  son 

Merciilitl.  Stepaii,  nephew 

Family  2:i- 2  individuals: 

Swel/.oir  l'ole\ania.  w  iilow    , 

.Swet/.oll'.  I'aal.  son 


Age. 


31 
18 
aW 

.'iO 

23 

21 

H 
8 

4.'> 
22 
■JU 
IK 
:{ 
1 

:u> 

18 
28 

:h> 

5 

'i 
1 

17 
51 

7 

49 
II 

44 

.17 
9 

:i2 
13 

III 

5 

aO 

43 

20 

7 

4 

35 

3 


Fratis. 


u  Months. 


UKCAIMTII.A  IION. 


^> 


Funiilies 2;i 

Individuals 88 

Males 40 

Females  48 

Males  between  0  and  18  years !• 

Males  under  6  years ". 9 

Males  over  Hi  years 22 

40 


Females  hetweeen  li  and  IB  years 9 

Females  under  0  years II 

Kemules  oA'cr  10  years 28 

48 

Sealers  and  t'uniilics,  siippurted  by  the  Goveru- 

iiient 76 

Widows  and  orplians,  supported  by  company    12 

88 


42 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Ileport  of  the  resident  physician. 


il    '■■ 

I  i- 

I  i 
til 


I  i 

I I 


St.  Paul  Island,  Jinit;  1,  1S!>5. 

I>KAi<  >Sik:  Tlie  resident  ))li,v8i(;iiin  respeott'iilly  suhniits  the  following  report  on 
the  public  health  of  St.  I'aul  IhIjukI  <liirin<j  the  year  oudiug  .liiue  1,  1S95: 

Two  epidemics  have  visited  the  iHlaiid.  The  tirst  in  October,  of  inlluen/a;  the 
othf,  varK-ella,  occnm'd  in  March,  18(35.  An  endemic,  gastro-cuteric  in  type,  broke 
out  in  the  latter  ])art  of  February,  immediately  after  the  openiug  of  the  winter  seal- 
meat  eache.  This  meat  bad  been  piled  up  on  the  ground  before  being  thoroughly 
cooled,  and  the  layers  lowest  became  tainted. 

There  were  liO  cases  of  iiitl  ujuza  severe  enough  to  make  note  of,  8  j^ases  of  pneu- 
ino)iia,  5  cases  of  jtleurisy,  and  H  cases  of  phthisis  pulmoualis. 

Acute  bronchitis  has  been  very  common.  Iliemoplithesis  has,  as  in  previous  years, 
been  frequent.  Of  the  eye,  conjunctivitis  and  iritis  have  been  most  common;  of  the 
oar,  otitis  media  of  the  throat,  toiisilitis,  and  pharyngitis.  One  case  of  cellulitis 
re(|uiring  surgical  interference  occurreil  in  Sankc  Melevedov  from  exposure  on  the 
last  killing  lield  last  year.     Five  severe  cases  of  icterus  occurred. 

In  the  surgical  line  there  has  bee:i  done  the  /bllowing:  Operation  on  Axanosia 
Popotf,  forsupjiurative  synovitis  of  the  Itift  knee,  December  21,  189.5;  good  recovery. 

Operation  on  Mrs.  Elocy  Stepetin,  for  osteos'irconia  of  the  antrum,  December  2!t, 
1891.  Incision  luade  over'  the  tumor  and  diseased  l>oue,  and  neoplastic  tissue  removed 
to  the  posterior  vault  of  the  pharynx;  part  oi  the  floor  of  tlie  orbit  removed;  eye- 
ball intact ;  good  recovtiry;  no  return  as  yet. 

Fractureof  t.!ie  radiu'-  '*(rs.  Nik<di  Krukof.  Oircunjcision  for  paraphimosis.  Two 
eases  re(|niriiig  siirgicai  .<  .1.     Dislocation  of  the  lower  jaw. 

A  numlier  of  cases  of  minor  surgery,  scalp  wumls,  etc.,  occurred,  but  none  sever) 
enough  to  require  sjiecial  mention.     .Sixty-seven  teeth  were  extracted. 

Since  November,  lS!(i,  there  have  been  iH)l'.  i)rcs('riptions  given  out.  This  does  ujt 
include  simple  n'^uests  for  salts,  etc.,  l»ut  vepreseiits  closely  the  numlier  of  cases  of 
sickness  rf(|uiriii<.;  examination  and  diagncsis  which  have  occurred  during  ttiat  time. 

Two  deaths  have  occurred.  First.  The  daugliter  of  Theo  Sedie,  aire  11  i.iouths. 
The  child  had  an  attacdv  of  iallii*m/.a  eiuiy  in  Ootol>or,  but  made  w  good  recovery.  I 
was  notified  of  its  last  illness.  It  diivl,,vs  far  as  1  can  learn,  while  undergoing  the 
native  i)rocess  of  manipulation,  by  Ellen  Voekof.  Second.  Mrs.  Neon  Mandregin, 
caiiat),  acute  phthisis. 

T'iie  births  were  6  in  number:  To  Agrafia  Merculif,  a  son,  .Fuly  4,  IHDl;  .Mexandria 
Melevedo.-,  a  son,  .\ugust  11,  1891;  Fatiana  Koochootcn,  a  son,  November  I,  1894; 
Mary  Messekin,  a  daughter,  February  10,  1S95;  Kvdotia  Popoff,  a  daughter,  April  24, 
1895,  and  Claudia  Vikoul.if,  (.  (laughter.  May  8,  1895.     Increase  in  population.  4. 

At  tile  bottom  of  by  far  the  majority  of  troiibles  among  the  natives  is  that  vague 
constitutional  condition  kno.vn  as  the  stronious  diaotliesis  or  scrofula.  It  shows 
itself  chiefly  in  a  general  lack  of  the  ]>hosphates  and  mineral  salts  in  the  native 
physiological  economy. 

Little  can  be  ac('<)my>Uslie<l  in  the  way  of  remedying  this  condition  by  the  various 
medicinal  sirups  oi  emul-dons  until  they  can  be  induced  to  adopt  rt  diet  which  will 
furnish  the  icgulii  diiily  demand  of  nature  for  those  esse"*"'*!  constituents  of  the 
body. 

To  this  end  I  wonlil  suggest  that  the  next  year's  food  supply  contain  a  larger  per- 
centage of  those  foods  I'ich  in  phosphates  and  easilv  c-onvertible  hydrocarbons,  as  for 
example,  of  fats,  lard,  butternnlk,  sweet  oil,  and  of  foods  containing  phosphates  and 
earthy  salts,  oatmeal,  <;raham  flour,  cracked  wheat,  grah.im  crackers,  etc.  It  would 
also  be  atlvautaireous  if  the  (}overnment  agent  would  en(!Ourage  the  raising  of  such 
vegetables  as  will  grow  here,  such  as  turnips,  radishes,  lettuce,  etc. 

One  of  the  most  serious  obstacles  in  the  way  of  attempts  to  improve  the  jiliyaical 
condition  of  the  peojile  is  the  fact  that  most  of  them  are  such  inferior  cooks. 

Since  March  7,  !;"S95,  the  resilient  physician  has  taken  the  »  listetrical  work  in  his 
own  hands.  On  that  day,  .Mrs.  Julia  Uesef  gave  birth  to  a  dead  child  under  such 
circumstances  that  he  felt  it  a  matter  of  necessity  to  put  a  stop  if  possil>le  to  the 
further  ministrations  of  the  native  midwife,  FiUen  Volkof.  A  communication  was 
Bent  to  the  (Toverumeut  agent,  who  took  iintnediate  steps  to  that  effect. 

The  village  has  lieen  cleiiued  and  disinfectant  thrown  in  the  garb.igi;  holes. 

In  concluding,  the  resident  physician  would  like  to  acknowledge  the  hearty  sup- 
port, both  moral  and  material,  given  him  by  the  United  States  Government  agent, 
Mr.  .ludge,  in  every  attempt  to  better  the  public  hygiene. 
Very  respectfully, 

(lAitONKK  Pkkuy  Pond,  M.  \) 

Mr.  .1.  Stanlky-I'"(»wx, 

Siipcrhitenilviil  Xorlh  Amtiican  Commercial  Company. 


-n 


-./ 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBH.OF    ISLANDS.  ^ 

Exhibit  B. 

Annual  statement  of  fur  seals  killed  on  St.  Paul  Island.  .U,Ma.  d.nn,  the  uear  ended 

August  1,  ISO.'). 


of  tlio 


Two 


'  .sever  J 


NuhiImt  of  scuIh 
killed  for  na 
tivfcs'  food. 


Date. 


1894. 

Aug.  10 

Nov.    6 

17 

21 

24 

25 

25 

25 

28 

Deo.     1 

1895. 
Slav   27 
28 

JtllK!      1 

4 

3 

i:i  ; 
10 
20 
24 
2ii 
July     1 


3  [ 

0  > 
10 
l.'i 
17 
19 
22  , 
27  . 

1  , 


Uookery. 


Nmiilicr 
of  souls 

killfd  by 

for  .skills.  ■ 


I.itrge  Skills  ar- 
young  (.ejitcd  bv 
Heals.  I  l(.s«|.fM.' 


Aug 


'  Watcliiiifii  to  date 

Miildle  Hill '.'.'..'.'.... 

i  Wati'hiiien  to  (Into 

I  Ki'pf .'.'.'.'.'..'.'. 

Wi!tcliiii(.ii  Northeast  I'ldnt '. 

Tolstoi  and  Koef 

\Vat«;liiiic<i  Half  W'av  Point. 

Watcliiiieii  Southwest  Bay 

Tolstoi  and  Keel' 

Watchiiicn  .Voriliea^it  I'ldnt 

Tolstoi,  I.iikannon,  '■  iariiotih,  and  KeeK  . '. '. 

\V«t(  liiii(.ii  Northeast  I'oint 

Reef '..'.V.'..".'." 

\Va  iliiiieii  Northeast  I'oint 

llei  f .'.'..'.'.v. 

W'lttehinen  Northeast  I'oint     ......... 

Tidstoi 

Watchmen  -N'ortheast  Point 

Northeast,  Point 

lieef 

Half  Wav  Point 

Ki  ^;lisli  l!ay '...'.'.'.'.'.'. 

Zapadiiie. '  ]  ] 

r.iikaiiiioii \ 

Norlheast  Point 

do 


I 


Keef 

Half  Way  Point... 

Ziipadnii.'   

Worlheast  Point 

Liikiuiniiii 

Ueuf 


24 

24 

U2 

i:i2 

12 

12 

147 

147 

87 

87 

218 

.J 

474 

0 
79 

:! 

78 

:i 


Total 


18-. 
1,454 


218 

•> 

474 

») 
79 


i8r) 

I.4.J4 


Agdfregate 


Aieopied      Skins       number 
ilirimei.    aeeepted.    of  seals 
killed. 


24 

132 

•- 

12 

147 
I 

87 
2 
3 

i 

• 

218 

"■■ 

474 

6 
79 

3 
7B 

■■ 

184 

184 

184 

1 

.> 

2 

l.ittil 

i ,  9li? 

1   9til 

1.548 

1,.")48 

i,r>48 

.'to 

57.-I 

.".75 

T.'i! 

7.'>1 

75' 

8lil 

Hill 

80: 

:i(ii 

iilil 

:ut4 

1)1  iu 

9IIII 

9ti0 

i:il 

4;ii 

431 

1.  i:i8 

i,i:!8 

1.138 

:i24 

:i24 

324 

!<:t4 

8;i4 

834 

S27 

827 

827 

2.sii 

28li 

286 
185 



ll.nifi 


11.041! 


12.500 


such 


44 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Annual  stutement  of  fur  teah  killed  on  St.  lleort/e  hUnid,  Alaska,  duriiKi  the  i/vav  ended 

Jitlfi  31,  1895. 


Dale. 


KodktTV. 


j  :  Xiiinlx'r 

'  Number  of  s(!alf.  '  ol'HeiilH 
killed  for  na-    killed  liy 
tiven'  food.        I    li'UHees 
'forHkiiis 


Large  Skint* ac-  i,„„,.,...i 
v.mSs  Leptedl.v  h'.^Z  ' 
WulH.  '   lc88e««.      O'nin.'l. 


A  Kuresiule. 


Nov. 


1894. 

Oct,    20 

23 

2C 

29 

3U 

2 

6 

« 

13 

20 

Dec.     3 

1895. 

May  25 

June    3 

14 

24 

24 

26 

20 

July     1 

8 

8 

11 

20 

22 

30 


Nortli 

Zapailnie  (killed  liy  triiards) 

Ea.it    

North 

/apailnie  (killed  Ity  guards) 
do 

North 

/»|)adnie  (killed  by  Kuurds) 

do .' 

do 

North 


(rrent  Kast . 

North 

do 


Starry  Aiteel 

/apadnie  (killed  by  giiardn) 

I  ireat  and  l.ittle  Kast 

Zapaduie  (killed  by  guards) 
North . 


/apadnie 

/aj)adnie  (killed  by  guardfi) . 

(ireat  and  Kittle  KaHt 

Zapaduie  (killed  by  guards)  . 

Starry  Artidl  and  North 

Zapadnie  (killed  by  guards) 

Total 


58 

3  I 
U) 

3  ' 

3 
14  . 
35  j 

3 

1 

13 

16  I 
25 


58  . 

3  '. 

19  . 

3  . 

3  . 

14  1. 

35  . 

3  t. 

3  I. 

13  ''. 

16  . 

25  . 


130 

483 

2 

471 
2 

156 
232 

3 
538 

3 
279 

7 


Skins 
ai'i'i'pted. 


.">H 
3 

I'.l 
3 

14 

35 

3 

3 

1 

13 

16 

25 

139 

483 

2 

471 
2 

150 
232 

3 
538 

3 
279 

7 


196 


196 


315 


2,511 


Total 

nuiiibor 

111'  «eiilH 

killed. 


58 
3 

l» 
3 
3 

U 

36 
3 
3 
1 

13 

Id 

25 

139 

483 

2 
471 

2 
156 
232 

3 
638 

3 
279 

7 

2,611 


•VK> 


ill 


I  ii 


Eleven  of  the  foregoing  skins,  taken  from  seals  killed  f«)r  uath-e  food  during  the 
fall  of  18iU,  were  damaged  by  bldc  (bxcs,  leaving  2,5()0  mark.">table  skins  to  be 
shipped  by  the  lessees. 

Tho8   E.  Adams, 
Jssislant  Special  Treasury  Jijent, 


Exhibit  C. 

Heceiptg  for  fur-»eal  skins  skipped  from  the  seal  islands,  including  eleren  skins  shipped  to 
the  collector  of  customs  at  San  Fravcisvo,  Gal,,  189o. 

Island  ok  St.  Pail, 
Bering  Sea,  Alaska,  August  11,  1896. 
This  is  to  certify  that  12,500  fur-seal  skinh  have  this  day  been  shipped  on  board 
the  Nortli  American  Commercial  Company's  steamer  Jierthu,  .1.  M.  Hays,  master,  con- 
signed to  the  North  American  Commercial  Company  at  >San  Francisco,  Citl. 

.Jamks  Judcje, 
Assistant  Treasurg  Agent. 


Island  ok  St.  Gkokge, 
Bering  Sea,  Alaska,  August  14,  1895, 
This  is  to  certify  that  2,500  fur-seal  skins  have  this  day  been  shipjied  on  board  the 
North  American  Commercial  Company's  steamer  Bertha,  .1.  M.  Haya,  master,  con- 
siirnod  tc  the  North  American  Commercial  Company,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Thomas  E.  Adams, 
Assistant  Treasury  Agent. 


Island  ok  St.  (ikokok, 
Bering  Sea,  Alaska,  August  14,  1896. 
This  is  to  certify  that  11  damaged  fur-seal  skins  boxed  have  this  day  been  shipped 
on  board  the  North  American  Commercial  Compauy's  steamer  Bertha  (.1.  M.  Hays, 
ma8t«r),  consigned  to  the  collector  of  customs.  San  Fr'^ncisco,  Cal. 

Taos.  E.  Adamb, 
Assistant  Treasury  Agent. 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


45 


Exhibit  D. 

Dialrihulion  of  coinniiinitji  fund,  St.  I'aiil  Island,  Alaska,  Aiitjuil  l,lS9'i — Division  So.  6. 


Total 
nniiiber 
of  HeaU 

killed. 


58 
:t 

19 
3 
3 

14 

36 
3 
3 
1 

13 

16 

25 

139 

483 

2 
471 

2 
156 
232 

3 
538 

3 
279 

7 

2,511 


Agent. 


18, 

Agent. 

IK, 

,  ISOi). 
shipped 
A.  llaye, 

18, 

Agent. 


f     M 


To  12,500  iniiiie  fur-Heal  .skins,  at  ."»0  cents *6,  2hO.  00 

To  140  prime  fur-seal  skins,  taken  in  1894,  rejected  by  local  ajjent, 
snbseiiueutly  accepted  by  the  lessees,  but  not  incliid«(1  in 
Division  Mo.  ") 70. 00 


First  class : 

Arkasliof,  .Arseny 

Hoiirdnkortsky,  ApoUon. 

Hiiteriii.  Karp 

(Jroniof,  N'icoii 

Kochootcn,  .lacol) 

Kocliooten,  .lohn 

Ko/.eritf,  Stei)an 

Krukof,  Nicoli 

Mandreijan,  Neon 

Melevedov,  Anton 

Nedar.'i/of,  .Martin 

\eda  razof,  Stepan 

Ovstegof,  Peter 

Pankof,  Parfiri 

Harant^liin,  Daniel 

Resetf,  Nicoli 

Sedick.  Theodore 

Stepetin,  Kh; .y 

Terrakanof,  Kerriek 

Tetof.  I'eter 

Tetof,  Xeoi 

Volkof,  .Mi  ikel 


Second  rings: 

Artonianof,  Kerriek 

Hojjodanof,  Nicoli 

Knianof,  (ieorge 

Fratis,  .)ohn 

(iaiaktionef,  Alexander. 

(folotof,  .lohn 

Haberof,  Paul 

Kochooten,  Enpheme . . . 

Koznit/of,  .John 

Mercnlief,  Alexander... 
Melevedov,  Alexander.. 

Sednli,  Vassily 

Shabolin,  Necon 

Stepetin,  I  )orofay 

Shaisnakof,  PanI 


Third  class: 

Hansen,  Alexander. 
Melevedc'V,  Simeon. 
Nozekof,  Simeon  ... 
Stepetin,  John 


Fourth  class: 

Kochergin,  George  .. 

Krukof,  .loLin  M 

Krukof,  Jolm  N 

Krukof,  Maxim 

Sedick,  Philip 

Shaisnikof,  \  alerian. 
Tetof,  Zahar 


Special  class : 

Nicoli  Krukoff  (first  chief)  ... 
Nicoh  Oronioff  (second  chief) . 


.16,320.00 


lt>4.:{H 
164. 3S 
irvl.3>< 
164.  3« 
164.38 
164.  liH 
16l.:i)( 
1(54.  ;{8 

164.  :w 

161.38 
164. ;« 
164.38 
164.38 
164.  38 
164.38 
lftl.38 
161.38 
164.38 
ItU.  3« 
161.38 
164.  38 
1&I.38 


131.  .52 
131.. 52 
131.. 52 
131.52 
131.52 
131.52 
131.. 52 
131.. 52 
131.. 52 
131.. 52 
131.  ,52 
13 1.. 52 
131.52 
131.  52 
131.5.' 


105.  21 
lit-,.  21 
!>':>.  21 
MI5.21 


3,616.36 


1,972.80 


420. 84 


30.  00 

.w.oo 

30.00 
30. 00 


.50.00 
50. 00 


210 


100 


,1 


46 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


We,  the  iindersi^netl,  do  hereby  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  Ktatemeat  of  the 
diBtribu'iioii  of  the  cotmnunity  fund,  derived  from  taking  nir-seal  sitiua  on  the  island 
of  St.  Paul  durin<;  the  seaHon  of  1895;  that  the  appuA'tioniuent  is  just  and  equitable; 
that  the  uniouul^  sut  o]ipi>site  each  name  has  been  credited  to  such  native  sealer  on 
the  books  of  the  North  American  Commercial  Company,  and  also  placed  to  their 
credit  on  their  pass  books. 

Subscribed  this  the  2d  day  of  August,  189"). 

J.  C.  Redpath, 

,  Agent  North  American  Commercial  Company. 

NlCOM    KUUKOKF, 

First  Chief. 
NicoM  Ghoxiokk, 

Second  Chief, 
J08KPII  B.  Crowi.ky, 
Special  I'rvaHur)!  Agent  in  Charge  Seal  Inlands, 


Distribution  of  commiinitii  fund,  St,  George  le  ;»irf,  Bering  Sea,  Alaska — Oiriaion  No.  6, 

To  taking  2.  .500  fur-seal  skins,  at  50  cents -fl,  250. GO 

By  seven  men,  lirst  class if!475.  I57 

By  eight  men,  second  class 134. 56 

By  six  men.  third  class 211. 50 

By  one  man,  fourth  class 20.57 

By  salary  to  lirst  chief 50. 00 

Bv  salary  to  second  chief 25. 00 

1,250.00 

First  class :  ■== 

Demetri  LcNtinkoli «7. 91 

Eustin  .Swe/liiir 07.91 

Eotf  Philomonolf 67. 91 

Simeon  Fliilonionolf 67. 91 

Elexia  Oustigoft" 67. 91 

Coi'niel  (irokolf 67. 91 

.lo.sei)h  MercnlilV 67.91 

Second  class:  *'^^-^'' 

Nicoli  Melovanskv  54.  32 

Peter  K'ezanzolV 54. 32 

Andronic  I'liilomanolf 54.  32 

Stej)han  LekanolV .54.  S2 

Simeon  Onstigoll .54. 32 

Parfiri  Galanin 54. 32 

Michael  Lestinkoll .54. 32 

Peter  l'rokoi)ief 54.  {{2 

Third  class:  ''34.56 

( ieorge  Meri'ulltr 40.  75 

(iregnry  Philonianoti' 40.7.5 

Mvaii  Knlikulotl 40.75 

Iniiokenty  K'ezan/otV 40.75 

Nicoli  Nedera/oli' 10.  75 

Evan  Mercnlitr 40. 75 

Fourth  .lass:  -^^-^ 

Inntdvcnty  I'hiloinanofr 20.57 

Special ; 

iJemetri  Lestonkt>rt'  (first  chief) .50.00 

I'iiislin  Swctzod  (second  chief) 25.00 

75. 00 

\Vc  hcreliy  ('ertit'v  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  statement  of  the  distribution  of  the 
community  fund,  derived  from  the  taking  of  fur-seal  skins  on  the  island  of  St. 
(Jcorge,  Alaska,  during  the  season  of  1895;  that  the  apportionment  is  just  and  equi- 
table, ind  that  each  individual  sealer  has  been  credited  on  the  books  of  the  North 
American  Cominendal  Company  with  the  same  amount  as  heroin  set  o])posite  each 
name,  etc. 
St.  George  Island,  August  1,  1895.  Tiios.  E.  Aoams, 

Assist'inl  Special  Agent. 
I'ANIKI,  Wkiistku, 
Agent  North  American  Commercial  Company. 
Demktui  Lkstenkofk, 

Native  Chief. 


244. 50 
20.57 


75.00 

f  tho 

of  St. 

eoui- 

■Vorth 

each 


ent. 

any. 

itf. 


REPORT  OP 


.lOSEI'H    MURRAY.   SI'KCIAL   TKEVSURV    ACKNT, 
KOR  THE  YEAH   IS1I4. 


Office  of  Special  Aoknt, 

TUEASUUY  Dkpahtmknt, 
WuHhiiujtou,  I).  C,  Devvmber  30,  ism. 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  in  compliance  with  Department 
instruotions  dated  June  12,  181>4,  I  went  to  the  seal  i.slands  of  Alaska 
and  inspected  the  fur-seal  rookeries,  notinjf  [)articularly  the  numbers 
and  present  con<lition  of  the  seals  in  comparison  with  what  they  were 
every  year  since  1  first  saw  them  in  lfSSt>. 

I  afterwards  sailed  ahmj;  the  American  coast  from  llnalask«a  to  San 
Francisco,  calling  at  every  im])ortant  settlement  on  the  way;  inspecting 
every  salmon  stream  and  cannery  on  the  route;  making  diligent  inquiry 
into  the  condition  of  the  native  inhabitants  of  Alaska;  the  wants  and 
desires  of  the  white  settlers  who  are  busy  developing  the  natural  re- 
sources of  the  Territory,  and  noting  the  views  of  the  people  generally 
on  all  that  ai>pertains  to  the  luesent  and  future  prosperity  of  the  new 
country. 

On  July  10,  I  left  San  Francisco  on  board  the  U.  S.  revenue  cutter 
Rmh,  Capt.  C  L.  Hooper  commanding,  and  arrived  on  the  ir)tli  at  Port 
Townsend,  where  we  were  afterwards  joined  by  Hon.  (J.  S.  Hamlin, 
Assistant  Secretary  ot  the  Treasury,  who  accompanied  us  to  the  seal 
islands  and  back  as  far  as  Vancouver  City,  British  Columbia. 

Wc  sailed  on  board  the  HhhIi  from  I'ort  Townsend  .Inly  2.'i  and 
arrived  at  the  seal  islands  August  3,  hrst  touching  at  St.  (leorge  and 
sailing  along  the  coast,  inspecting  all  the  rookeries  on  that  island 
except  Zapadnie,  and  then  sailed  over  to  St.  Paul  Island,  where  we 
landed  in  a  dense  fog  at  0  o'clock  ]>.  m. 

The  seal  islands,  comuionly  called  the  Pribilof  group,  consist  of  four 
distinct  islands  in  Bering  Sea,  situated  between  ."i.TJ  and  57'^  north 
latitude,  and  about  170^  west  longitude  from  (Ireenwii-h.  They  are 
about  200  miles  west  from  the  nearest  point  on  the  mainland  of  Alaska, 
20()  miles  north  of  the  Aleutian  chain,  and  200  miles  south  of  St.  Mat- 
thews Island,  or,  in  other  words,  they  are  about  200  miles  away  from 
any  other  himl. 

The  seal  islands  are  nearly  2,;J00  miles  from  San  I'ranci.sco,  and  about 
1,000  miles,  as  the  ship  sails,  directly  west  from  Sitka, 

They  are  known,  respectively,  as  St.  Paul,  St.  (leorge.  Otter,  and 
Walrus  islands. 

Otter  and  Walrus  are  small  and  of  no  importance,  and  as  the  .seals 
do  not  haul  out  at  present  on  either  of  them  regularly,  and  as  they  are 
not  included  in  the  lease,  it  .ill  not  be  necessary  to  refer  to  them  again.' 

St.  Paul,  the  larger  of  the  two  principal  islands,  is  long,  low,  and 
narrow,  its  extreme  length  and  breadth  being  12  and  (5  miles,  respec- 
tively, and  its  total  area  being  about  .{(5  s«|uare  miles.  Around  the 
greater  part  of  the  island  runs  a  long,  low,  sandy  beach,  easy  of  access, 
where  the  seals  haul  out  without  dithculty,  and  where  they  were  to  be 


'  In  1894  about  1,000  seals  hauled  out  on  Otter  Island. 


47 


48 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


found  for  a  ccutury  in  {jrcater  numbers  than  on  any  other  spot  on  the 
earth. 

St.  (Jeorge  Uhmd  has  an  area  of  uoout  137  square  niih'8,  and  its  sides 
rise  out  of  the  water  so  abruptly  and  so  steep  that  tliere  are  only  a  few 
places  around  the  whole  roast  upon  which  anything  coining  out  of  the 
sea  can  tiiul  a  footing,  and  consequently  the  number  of  seals  landing 
must  of  nei'essity  be  limited,  which  accounts,  I  think,  for  the  great  dif- 
ference in  the  numbers  to  be  found  on  the  two  islands. 


/  Iv 


1   r 


CLIMATE. 

The  islands  ;ire  situated  in  the  "path  of  the  Japan  current,  which,  ou 
meeting  the  icy  waters  of  the  north  at  this  point,  brings  forth  the  dense 
summer  fogs  for  which  Bering  Sea  is  so  Justly  fanums,  and  in  which  the 
islands  are  envelojjed  from  May  to  September.  Owing  to  difference  of 
altitude,  St.  (ieorge  Island  being  mucli  higher  than  St.  Paul,  there  is  a 
very  marked  (JiriVM-ence  in  the  amount  of  rainfall  on  each — fully  five 
times  the  vohimc  tiling  on  St.  George,  although  the  islands  are  only 
40  miles  apart. 

The  average  temperature  for  the  year  is  about  35°,  ranging  from  35° 
to  00°  in  the  summer,  and  from  zero  to  1")°  below  in  winter. 

Both  of  the  islands  are  of  volcanic  origin,  and  there  is  not  a  sign  of 
tree,  shrub,  or  vine  on  either  of  them.  They  are  covered  in  season  with 
moss,  grass,  and  wild  flowers,  but  it  is  impossible  to  raise  anything  by 
cultivation,  for,  no  nnitter  iiow  rich  the  soil  may  be,  there  is  not  enough 
sunshine  to  ripen  the  crop.  Thick  fog,  leaden  sky,  driz/ly  rain,  mist, 
and  moisture  are  the  general  conditions  ruling  there,  and  during  a  con- 
tinuous residence  of  thirty  months — fifteen  on  each  island — I  saw  only 
six  wholly  clear,  sunshiny  days. 

The  surface  of  the  highlands  on  St.  George  is  covered  with  loose  and 
broken  rock — rock  broken  into  aii  shapes  and  sizes,  from  that  of  a  pebble 
to  boulders  weighing  many  tons,  and  thrown  together  into  every  imag- 
inable position  except  a  level  one. 

On  St.  Paul  the  winds  of  centuries  have  heaped  the  sands  of  the  sea- 
shore into  dunes  of  considerable  height  and  magnitude,  and  tilled  up 
many  cavities  and  rough  spots,  but,  excepting  a  slight  covering  of  most 
nutritious  reindeer  moss,  tlie  greater  part  of  the  surface  of  St.  George 
remains  to-day  as  it  came  from  the  hands  of  the  Creator. 

And  yet  nature  timls  a  use  for  those  rugged  and  unshapely  rocks,  for 
under  and  between  them,  where  the  prowling,  crafV  t*>x  can  not  pene- 
trate, millions  of  sea  birds  build  their  nests,  and  lay  their  eggs,  and 
rear  their  young.  I  use  the  word  millions  advisedly,  and  I  believe  I 
might  say  billions,  and  yet  be  within  the  bounds  of  truth. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  sights  to  be  seen  in  this  otherwise  desolate 
region  is  the  return  of  the  birds  from  tiie  sea  to  their  nests  during  the 
hatching  seas«m,  when  toward  evening  they  till  the  air  and  darken  the 
sun  for  hours  in  their  flight  with  their  countless  numbers. 

Here,  too,  on  St.  George  Island  the  famous  blue  fox  finds  a  perma- 
nent home,  and  grows  to  perfection,  for  here  he  has  abundance  of 
choice  and  dainty  food,  and  no  one  to  molest  him  out  of  season. 


I 


SEALS. 

To  these  islands,  notwithstanding  their  cheerless  aspect,  their  dreary 
barren  shores,  their  damp  and  foggy  climate,  come  the  fur  seals  every 
year  with  the  unerring  regularity  of  the  seasons;  here  they  haul  out  of 
the  water  and  make  their  home  on  land  for  six  months  at  least,  daring 


si:al  mfk  on  THi;  i'Riiwloi'  islands. 


4d 


trina- 
36  of 


leary 

|very 

it  of 

Iring 


which  time  they  briiijf  tbith  iiiid  vv.w  tiicir  yomi;;'.  after  wliidi  tiwy 
return  to  tlie  sea,  and  disapitear  in  the  dejiths  ot"  tlie  gieat  oeean  until 
the  days  lenj>tiien  out  aj^ain  and  nature  tells  them  t<»  return. 

(liven  a  few  warm,  sunny  days  any  time  about  April  L'O,  and  the 
"first  hull"  may  be  seen  carefully  iH'connoiterinjjf  a  rookery  and  event- 
ually hauling' (»iit  ami  takin;;'  possession  of  the  identical  rock  or  sjiot 
of  earth  upon  which  lu'dwc^lt  with  his  family  last  year,  and  upon  which 
hi  himself,  in  all  probability,  was  bom. 

Early  in  .May  the  breediu};-  nniles  oi'  bulls  beji'in  to  arrive  ni  larj^e 
numbers  and  select  their  statiotis.  ajxui  whi(.-h  they  lie  down  and  sleep 
for  several  weeks,  or  until  about  the  tinu'  the  breedinjj  females  or  cow.s 
are  expected,  when  they  assume  an  uprijiht  sittinj;  posture  and  send 
forth  at  intervals  a  ciy  peculiar  to  the  fur  .seal,  which  is  supposed  to 
be  an  invitation  or  si};ind  to  th«'  approachinjj;-  cows. 

About  tlie  middle  of  May,  and  lonji'  before  the  arrival  of  the  cow.s, 
the  larji'e  younj;'  males,  or  bachelors,  be<;iii  to  arrive  at  the  islaiuls; 
and  they,  too.  would  haul  out  upon  the  breedinj;  grounds  were  it  not 
that  the  bulls  are  there  to  prevent  it  by  drivinj*-  them  oil'.  No  undo 
seal  can  stay  on  the  breedin^i'  ^loiMids  that  is  not  old  enou<;h  and  strong" 
enough  to  maintain  his  position  against  all  conu'rs.  The  young  males- 
are  thus  naturally  foiced  to  herd  by  vheinselves  at  a  safe  distance  from 
the  breeding  grounds  during  the  breeding  season,  and  this  regulation 
in  turn  serves  a  veiy  g<Mid  i>nrpose,  Jor,  as  the  breeding  asul  killing 
seasons  run  together  through  the  moi.ths  of  June  and  duly,  the  young 
males  can  be  easily  surrounded  and  driven  to  the  killing  grounils  with- 
out having  J^o  disturb  the  breeding  seals. 

None  but  young  male  seals  are  ever  kille<l  for  food  or  for  skins  or  for 
any  otiu'r  purpose  on  the  islands. 

Aboutdune  10  the  cows  begin  to  arrive  and  haul  out  and  seh'ct  their 
stations  for  the  season. 

It  has  been  claimed  that  the  bulls  meet  the  cows  at  the  water's  edge 
and  tight  bloody  battles  for  them,  but  my  observation  has  convinced  me 
that  the  cow  herself  selects  her  station,  and  having  once  made  a  choice 
she  is  certainly  comi»e!led  to  remain  there. 

"Shortly  after  the  arrival  of  the  cows  the  young  seals  or  pups  aie  to 
be  seen  upon  the  ro(>keries:  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that,  with  i'ew  excep- 
ticms,  they  are  all  brought  forth  by  July  L'o. 

I  have  for  six  years  j)aid  i)arti(!ular  attention  to  the  *'orination  of  the 
harems  or  families,  and  1  find  that  from  July  10  to  LM)  the  rookeries  are 
fullest  and  at  their  best,  and  I  have  c(MUited  from  1  to  72  cows  in  one 
harem. 

After  bringing  forth  their  young  the  cows  go  into  the  sea  to  feed, 
retMining  to  and  nursing  their  ort'spring  every  few  hours  at  (irst,  but 
gradually  lengthening  their  stay  into  days  and  weelis  before  they 
return. 

When  about  four  or  live  weeks  old  the  pups  begi  o  stir  around  and 
get  actpiainted  with  one  another,  forming  pods  or  crowds,  and  lunning 
in  ('oiiipany,  at  first  inclining  toward  the  interior  of  the  rookery,  and 
afterwards,  as  they  advance  in  age  and  strength,  they  direct  their  steps 
toward  the  beach,  where  they  paddle  around  in  the  shallows  until,  step 
by  step,  they  learn  to  swim. 

About  the  begiiming  of  August  the  harems  are  broken  up,  the  com- 
pact huinatu)!!  of  the  herd  is  dissolved,  and  the  ditt'erent  sexes  mix  and 
mingle  together  imliscriminately  all  over  the  rookeries  and  hauling 
grounds. 

When  the  bull  hauls  out  in  May  he  is  as  "round  as  a  barrel"  and  as 
S.  Doe.  137,  pt.  1 4 


i 


' 


i 


7^ 


50 


HEAL    MKE    ON    THK    PUIHILOK    ISLANDS. 


fat  iiiul  sleek  sind  /flossy  as  possiblo:  but  after  a  lour  iiioiitlis'  residence 
on  land,  wliere  lie  neviT  tasti-s  food  or  drink,  h*}  bet-onies  so  poor  and 
gaunt  and  weak  that  it  is  with  the  utmost  dini<-ult.v  lie  crawls  utl'  into 
the  sea  when  he  leaves,  late  in  Aufjust  (U-  early  in  8eptend»er,  to  take 
his  annual  Journey  throu;;h  IJerinj;'  Sea  and  the  North  Pacific  Ocean. 
lly  .September  !.">  the  bulls  have  <lisai)peare«l,  and  by  the  ndddle  of 
October  the  larj'est  of  the  youn;;'  males  have  lollowed  them. 

Karly  in  Noveinl>er  the  cows  beyin  to  leave,  and  if  the  weatluT  turns 
unusually  cold  or  rouyh  they  do  not  delay  their  departure. 

The  pups  leave  about  the  middle  of  November,  and  the  yearlings, 
male  an<l  fennile,  leave  early  in  December. 

In  excei)tiomilly  line  weather  it  is  common  to  see  a  few  seals  in  the 
waters  around  the  islands  ull  wintei-,  an<l  in  raie  instances  they  have 
been  taken  on  shore  as  late  as  .January;  but  the  great  herd  tbllows  a 
well-defined  and  (at  present)  well  known  path  through  the  Be'ing  Sea 
and  the  North  I'acitic  Ocean  south  and  east  fiom  tlie  seal  islaiuls  to 
the  coast  of  Calilbrnia,  nearly  opposite  Cape  St.  Lucas,  and  return 
along  the  American  coast  and  the  Aleutian  Islands  to  Bering  Sea. 

The  following  very  accurate  descriptirtu  of  the  fur  seal  and  its  pecul- 
iarities is  taken  from  the  report  of  the  I'nited  States  Bering  Sea 
Gommissioners : 

1.  Till' iiortherii  t'nr  seal  (''(i/ZoWii/iXM  iiixiiiHD)  isaii  iiiliiibitjint  of  lieriiig!^«-ii!Uiil  the 
Kea  ol  <lklll>t^sk,  wlirn-  it  liretMls  on  lockv  iHliiiiils.  Only  fonr  hreediiijr  colonies  are 
known,  n^iniejv,  (1)  on  the  I'riliilof  Islands,  b('lon<;iu<{  to  the  I'nited  States;  (2)  on 
theConinianiler  Islamls,  liclonfiinj;  to  Hnssia;  (H)  on  Koltlieii  |{eet'.  Iteloni'iuj;  to  Hns- 
sia;  and  (I )  on  the  KnriU-  iMlaiids.  l>elon<;'in^  to  .)a))an.  'I'he  I'lihiiot'and  (Joniinander 
Inlands  are  in  li  rinu;  >Sea ;  Kolthcii  Keet'  is  in  the  Sea  ot'OkliotHk,  near  tlie  island  of 
Siiglialien,  and  tln^  Knrile  Islands  are  Ucttween  Ve/o  an<l  Kamchatka.  The  species  is 
not  known  to  brei'd  In  any  other  ]>ai't  of  tiie  world.  The  fnr  seals  of  Lobos  islsind 
anil  the  sonth  seas,  and  also  those  of  the  (iala]ia<ros  Islands  an<l  the  islands  olf  Lower 
California,  belon<j;  to  widely  ililferent  speries,  and  are  ])laeed  in  ditl'eient  genera  from 
the  northern  liir  seal. 

2.  In  winter  the  fnr  seals  nii;i;rate  into  the  North  I'aeilie  Ooeaii.  The  herds  from 
ibe  CommaiKler  Islands,  liol)lien  h'eef,  and  the  Knrile  Islands  move  south  along  the 
.lapan  coast,  while  the  herd  bt^lon^insr  to  the  I'riliilof  Islamls  leaves  Hering  Sea  by 
the  eastern  jiasses  of  the  Aleutian  chain. 

;{.  The  fnr  seals  of  the  I'ribilof  Islanils  do  not  mix  with  those  of  the  Commander 
ai]<I  Knrile  islamls  at  any  time  of  the  year.  In  sninmer  the  two  herds  remain 
entirely  distinct,  separated  by  a  water  interval  of  several  hundred  miles;  and  in 
their  winter  mij;rations  those  Iroin  the  I'ribilof  Islands  follow  the  Ameriean  eoast 
in  a  sontheasterly  direi'tion,  while  those  from  the  Commander  and  Knrile  islands  fol- 
low the  Siberian  and  .Japan  coasts  in  a.  sonth  westerly  direction,  the  two  herds  being 
separated  in  winter  by  a  water  interval  of  several  thousand  miles. 

'I'his  regularity  in  the  movements  of  theditVerent  lier<ls  is  in  obedience  to  the  well- 
known  law  that  migratory  aviimals  follow  delinite  routes  in  migration,  and  return 
year  after  year  to  the  same  i)laces  to  breed.  Were  it  not  for  this  law  there  would 
be  no  such  thing  as  stability  of  s])e('ies,  for  interbreeding  and  existence  under  diverse 
physiographic  conditions  would  ilestroy  all  specilic  characters. ' 

The  pelage  ot  the  I'ribilof  fur  seals  differs  so  markedly  from  that  of  the  Commander 
Islands  fur  seals  that  the  two  are  readily  distinguishe<l  by  (>x]»ert8,  and  have  very 
dilfensnt  values,  the  former  conananding  much  higher  prices  than  the  latter  at  the 
regular  London  sales. 

•I.  The  old  breeding  males  of  the  l'ril»ilof  herd  are  not  known  to  range  much  south 
of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  but  the  females  and  young  appear  along  the  American  coast 
a.s  far  south  as  northern  Calitprnia.     Ueturning,  the  herds  of  females  move  north- 


'  The  home  of  a  species  is  the  area  over  which  it  breeds.  It  is  well  known  to  nat- 
a  alists  that  migratory  animals,  whether  mammals,  birds,  fishes,  or  members  of 
other  groups,  leave  their  homes  for  a  part  of  the  year  because  the  climatic  conditions 
or  the  food  supply  become  unsuited  to  their  needs;  and  that  wlierever  the  home  of  a 
species  is  so  situated  as  to  provide  a  suitable  climate  and  food  supply  throughout  the 
year  such  species  do  not  migrate.  This  is  the  explanation  of  the  fact  that  tTie  north- 
ern fur  seals  are  migrants,  while  the  fur  seals  of  tropical  and  warm  temperate  lati- 
tudes do  not  migrate. 


^ 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PBIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


^1 


th(! 
by 

'iiiiiiu 

ud  ill 

•oast 

fol- 


well- 
jtiirn 

k'erse 


<outh 

I'OiKSt 

orth- 

iiiit- 
srs  of 
tioiiH 

of  il 
It  tho 
ortli- 

lati- 


wiinl  alonj?  tli«)  roasts  ol'  Oregon,  Wasliington,  ami  Hritisli  Colninliia  in  .laniiarj-, 
Ftibniary,  ami  Martdi,  occiirin;;  at  varying  diMtanet's  from  shorr.  Following  tlie 
Alivskan CoMst  nortli'A'ard  and  westward,  tliey  leave  tln^  North  l'a<'ili<;  ( ici-aii  in  .liinc, 
traverse  the  eastern  pasdcs  in  the  Aleutian  chain,  and  ]>ro(e*-d  at  once  to  the  I'riliilof 
Islands. 

.').  The  old  (bretMling)  iiiah-s  rraih  the  islands  niurli  cariiei',  the  lirst  i-inning  the 
last  wvi'k  in  April  or  early  in  Ma.\ .  They  at  once  land  and  take  stands  on  the  rook- 
eries \\here  they  await  the  arrival  of  the  females.  Each  niale(ealled  a  hull)  selects 
a  large  rock,  un  or  near  which  he  remains  until  August,  unless  <lriven  oil'  liy  stronger 
linlls,  never  leaving  for  a  single  instant,  night  or  day,  and  taking  neither  tood  nor 
water.  Moth  hefon<  and  for  some  time  atter  the  arrival  of  the  females  (called  cows) 
the  hulls  light  savagely  among  themselves  for  |»osilioiis  on  the  rookeries  and  for  jios- 
session  (d' the  cows,  and  many  are  severely  wounded.  All  the  bulls  are  locateil  by 
June  2(1. 

(!.  The  l>aclielor  seals  (liollusehiekie)  begin  to  .iriive  early  in  May,  and  large  num- 
bers aie  oil  the  hauling  grounds  by  the  end  of  May  or  lirst  week  of  .1  uiut.  They  begin 
to  leave  the  islands  in  .Novembi^r,  but  many  remain  into  iJeeeinber  or  .lauuary,  and 
8(Uiietimes  into  February. 

7.  The  cows  begin  arriving  early  in  .Inne,  and  soon  a]i|iear  in  large  schools  or 
droves  iumieiise  niiuibers  taking  their  plai'es  on  the  rookeries  each  day  between  tho 
midille  iiiid  the  end  of  the  month,  the  jnecise  dates  varying  with  the  weatht^r.  'J'hey 
assemble  about  the  old  bulls  in  com|iaet  groups,  called  harems.  The  harems  are 
coin]ileti)  early  in  July,  at  which  time  the  breeding  rookeries  attain  their  maximum 
si/e  and  (Mimpactness. 

8.  The  cows  give  liirth  to  their  young  soon  after  taking  their  jdaees  on  the  harems, 
in  the  latter  part  of  .Inne  and  in  Inly,  but  a  few  are  delayed  until  August.  The 
jteriod  of  gestation  is  between  eleven  and  twelve  mi<ntlis. 

!l.  A  single  young  is  born  in  each  instance.  The  young  at  birth  are  about  ei|ually 
divided  as  to  sex. 

10.  The  act  of  nursing  is  jierformed  on  land,  never  in  the  water.  It  is  necessary, 
therefore,  for  the  cows  to  nunain  at  the  islands  until  the  y<uing  are  weaned,  which 
is  not  until  they  are  four  or  live  montiis  (dd.  Each  mother  knows  ll<^r  own  pu|i,  and 
will  not  iiermit  any  other  to  nurse.  This  is  the  reason  so  niiiny  thousand  pujis  starve 
to  death  on  the  lookeiies  when  their  mothers  are  killeil  at  sea.  We  have  repeatedly 
seen  nursing  cows  cmiie  out  of  the  water  and  search  lor  their  youiiir,  (dten  traveling 
considerabli'  distances  and  visiting  group  after  grouj>  of  pups  before  iinding  their 
own.  On  reaching  an  asseml>lage  of  pups,  some  of  which  are  awake  and  others 
asleep,  she  rapidly  moves  about  among  them,  snilling  at  each,  and  then  gallops  olf  to 
the  next.  'I'hose  that  are  awake  advance  towar<l  her,  with  the  evident  pur|iose  of 
nursing,  but  slu^  re]»els  them  with  a  snarl  and  jiasses  on.  When  she  linds  her  own 
she  londles  it  a  moment,  turns  |)artiy  over  ou  her  side  so  ;is  to  present  her  nipples, 
and  it  ))roMii)tly  begins  to  suck.  In  (Uie  instance  we  saw  a  mother  carry  her  pu]i 
liack  a  distance  of  IT)  meters  (."id  feet )  belure  allowing  it  to  iiuise.  It  is  said  that  the 
c«)ws  Sfmictiiues  recngiii/e  thi-ir  young  by  their  cry,  a  sort  of  bleat. 

11.  Soon  alter  birth  thi^  pups  mo\t!  away  from  the  harems  and  huddle  together  in 
small  groups,  called  "  ))ods.''  ;ilong  the  iKU'ders  of  the  breeding  rookeri(^s  and  at  some 
ilistance  fnun  the  water.  The  small  groups  gradually  unite  to  form  larger  gr<in])8, 
which  move  slowly  down  to  the  w.iter's  edge.  When  six  or  eight  weeks  old  the 
])ii])s  begin  to  learii  to  swim.  Not  (ml\'  are  the  young  not  born  at  sea,  but  if  soon 
after  birth  they  are  washed  into  the  sea  they  are  drowned. 

ll'.  The  fur  seal  is  polygamous,  and  the  male  is  at  least  live  times  as  large  •vs  the 
female.  As  a  rule  ea(di  male  serves  about  fifteen  or  twenty  females,  but  in  some 
cases  as  many  as  tifty  or  more. 

18.  The  act  of  co]inlatioii  takes  place  on  land,  and  lasts  from  live  to  ten  minutes. 
Most  of  the  cows  are  served  by  the  middle  of  .July,  or  soon  iifter  the  birth  of  Iheir  pups. 
They  then  take  to  the  water,  and  come  and  go  for  food  while  nursing. 

It.  Many  young  bulls  succeed  in  si^-uring  a  few  cows  behind  or  away  from  the 
breeding  harems,  particularly  late  in  the  season  (after  the  middle  of  .Inly,  at  which 
time  the  regular  harems  begin  to  break  uji).  It  is  almost  certain  that  many,  if  not 
most,  of  the  cows  are  served  for  the  first  time  by  these  young  bulls,  either  on  the 
hauling  grounds  or  along  the  w  ater  front 

I'hese  young  bulls  may  be  distinguished  at  a  glance  from  tl.  tse  on  the  regular  harems 
by  the  circumstance  that  tliey  are  fat  and  iu  excellent  condition,  while  those  that  have 
fasted  for  three  months  on  the  breeding  rookeries  are  much  emaciated  and  exhausted, 
'ri..    y„ii„„.  imiis,  even  when  they  have  succeeded  in  capturing  a  number  of  cows, 


Th. 


can  be  driven  from  their  stands  with  little  difticulty,  while  (as  is  well  known)  the 
oldjnills  on  the  harems  will  die  in  their  tracks  rather  than  leave. 

15.  The  cows  are  believed  to  take  the  bull  first  when  2  years  <dd,  and  deliver  their 
lirst  pup  w  hen  H  years  old. 

l(i.  Hulls  first  take  stands  on  the  breeding  rookeries  when  6  or  7  years  old.  Hefore 
this  they  are  not  powerful  enough  to  fight  the  oldeV  bulls  for  positions  on  the  harems. 


f 

t 


52 


SEAL    LIl'K    ON     IHK    I'KIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


17.  ('own,  wlicii  niii'siii;;.  rrf^iilarly  travtH  Ion;;  fliHtiiiice.s  t(t  ('ci'd.  'I'lie.v  nri:  fro- 
i|(ientl,v  t'oiiiiil  1(H)  or  l.'iii  miles  IVoin  tin*  islamls,  iiiiil  Hoiiicliiiics  at  ^LCi'ciitcr  (liHtiiiircs. 

18.  'I'lio  foiiil  of  tlif  I'lir  s(mI  coiiHists  ol'  lisli,  Mi|iiiils.  criistMi'i-Miis,  and  |iri>lialtly  ullii>r 
forms  of  inarinf  life. 

1!).  'i'lic  trrcat  iiiii.jorit.v  of  oow.j,  |)iips,  ami  ^illl'll  of  tlie  brecilin;;  liiills  aH  liiivo  not 
ulriiiidv  tioiw.  Icavi-  the  islands  altoiit  tin-  middle  of  November,  llic  date  var.vih;;  eoii- 
Hiderai>l.v  witli  the  season. 

I'O.  I'ai't  of  tiie  nonhrecilinj;  nnile  seals  (liolliiseliiekie),  to;rether  with  ii  few  old 
bulls,  renniin  nntil  .lannar.v,  and  In  i.iie  in^tanees  nntil  l''ebi'iiar.v,  or  even  biter. 

lit.  Tilt;  fur  seal  as  a  spi  rie.-^  Is  ]iieseiit  at  tlic  I'ribilof  Islands  vA'^Ut  or  nine  months 
of  tlio  year,  or  from  t«o  thirds  lo  three  fourths  of  the  time,  and  in  mild  winterH 
sometimes  during  the  entirt!  yt-ar.  The  breeding  liiills  arrivt-  earliest  and  remain 
contiiiiioiisly  on  the  islands  about  four  inontlis.  'i'he  breed in;r  cows  remain  about 
six  months,  and  part  of  the  nonlneeilin^'  male  seals  about  ei;;ht  or  nine  months,  and 
sometimes  throii;;hiiiit  tin'  eiilire  yeai . 

L'l'.  jhiriii^rthe  northward  nii;;i:itioii,  as  has  Itueii  stated,  the  last  of  the  body  or 
herd  of  fur  seals  leave  the  North  I'arilie  and  enter  Iterin;;  Sea  in  tin;  latter  i»art  of 
.Mine.  A  lew  scattered  individuals,  however.  ;irt;  seen  dniiiiy;  the  snmiiier  at  vari<MUS 
points  uIoiih;  the  northwest  coast.  These  are  probably  sciils  that  were  so  badly 
wounded  by  pela;;ie  scaliMS  that  they  eouhl  not  travel  with  tbe  rest  of  the  herd  lo 
the  I'ribilof  Islands.  It  has  lieeii  alle;;ed  that  ycum^i'  fur  seals  have  been  found  in 
early  snmnier  on  sevtM'ai  occasions  alon;;  the  coast  ol'  Itritish  Coliinibia  and  south- 
eastern Alaska.  XN'hilc  no  :iiitlieiitie  ease  id'  Ihe  kind  haseome  to  our  iioti( c,  it  would 
ho  expected  from  Ihe  lar^ie  number  of  eows  that  are  wuuniled  each  winter  and  spring 
alon;;'  these  eoasls  and  are  tln'iiby  rendered  nnalde  to  reach  the  breed  in,i«' rookeiies, 
and  must  jiertorce  ^iive  idrth  to  their  .Nouny;  (perhaps  |ireniatiiiely )  wherever  they 
may  be  at  the  time. 

U!!.  'i'he  reason  the  northern  fur  <c,il  inhabits  the  I'liliilof  Inlands  to  the  exelusion 
of  all  other  islands  and  coasts  is  that  it  here  liiids  the  cliui.'itie  and  (diysical  coiidi- 
ti<  lis  necessary  to  its  life  wants.  I'his  s|iecies  rei|uires  a  uniloiinly  low  tem)ierature 
and  :>\ereast  sky  and  a  lo;rK>  at  UHis])liere  to  pieveiit  the  .^iin's  rays  troiii  in.jiirin;;'  it 
diirin;;'the  Ion;;  suiiimer  season  when  it  remains  u])(mi  the  rookeries.  It  rei|iiire8 
also  roi'ky  beaches  lui  which  to  bi  in;;-  forth  its  yoiinu;.  No  islands  to  the  northward 
or  southward  of  the  I'riliilof  Islands,  with  the  pos.sible  exception  of  limited  areas 
on  the  Aleutian  chain,  are  known  to  possess  the  rei|ui8ite  combination  of  climate 
and  physical  eoinlitioiis 


aim  pnysicai  eontiiuoiis. 

All  statements  to  the  el'tect  that  fur  seals  of  this  species  tbrmerly  bred  on  tl 
coasts  and  islands  of  CaliCornia  and  Mexico  are  erroneous,  tlie  seals  remaining  the 
belonging  to  w  idely  ditfc  rent  ^iiccies. 


the 
re 


DKlVTNd  AND   KILLING. 

When  tilt'  liist  yomiy  innles,  or  bju'liohns,  arrive  at  the  ishtiids  in 
May,  a  drive  i.s  iiiiide  tor  food  tor  the  iiative.s,  who  are  liuiifiry  tor  trcsh 
meat,  not  havinj;'  tasted  any  since  tlie  precedinj;-  Novendier. 

All  of  the  driving'  is  dont^  under  the  immediate  and  exclusive  direc- 
tions of  the  mitive  chief,  who  is  the  most  exi»erienced  and  most  tru.st- 
worthy  nian  on  the  island. 

Shoidd  the  seals  happen  to  lie  near  the  water,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
wait  till  the  tide  runs  out  before  distuibinj;'  them.  At  the  i)ro[»er  time 
a  dozen  men  are  on  the  yround,  an<l  silently  and  swiftly  running'  in 
single  Hie  ahing  the  beach  they  form  a  line  between  the  seals  and  the 
.sea;  and  then  the  startled  aninnils  will  immediately  start  inland,  where 
they  are  slowly  followed  by  the  men,  until  they  are  too  far  from  the  beach 
to  escape  to  the  water,  when  they  are  put  in  charge  of  three  or  four  of  the 
men,  wlio  bring  them  jilong  slowly  to  the  killitig  grounds,  which  is  never 
le.ss  than  half  a  mile  away  from  the  nearest  breeding  seals.  No  other 
part  of  the  work  done  in  taking  seal  skins  is  more  carefully  performed 
than  the  driving  of  seals;  they  are  never  driven  at  a  pace  greater  than 
about  one  mile  in  three  hours,  and  most  of  the  driving  is  done  during 
the  night,  .so  as  to  take  advantage  of  the  dew  and  moisture,  and  to  avoid 
the  sudden  appearauc**  of  the  sun,  which  is  always  more  or  less  injuri- 
ous to  seal  life  on  a  drive.  The  stories  told  by  interested  men  about 
careless  and  reckless  driving  are  not  true,  and,  for  obvious  reasons, 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    TIIK    IMilHlLOl-     ISI.AM». 


53 


li 


ids  in 
fresh 


uy  to 
time 
11^-  ill 
1(1  the 
rtliere 
beach 
)t  the 
never 
other 
M'liied 
than 
nring 
avoid 
njuri- 
ibout 
sous. 


,--! 


can  not  he  triu',  because  oveidriviiig  iiu'aiis  overlieatinjii  iiii*l  an  over- 
he!it<'(l  III r  seal  is  one  iVoiii  wiiieh  tiie  fur  iias  fallen  and  Wit  the  sUiii 
valueless,  iind  that  means  a  loss  to  natives,  jj'ssei's,  and  (lovernnient 
alike.  As  there  is  no  one  to  benelit  by  overdriviuju',  it  is  never  indulged 
in;  and  during  an  experience  of  six  years  on  the  ishinds  I  never  s;i\v  a 
skin  injurcti  by  overheating  oi  overdriving. 

As  most  of  the  driv»'s  an*  made  in  the  night,  the  seals  ure  allowed  to 
he  in  the  dump  grass  aiound  the  killing  .uiounds  lor  several  luuirs  before 
killing  takes  place;  iiiid  it  is  customary  to  allow  them  to  rest  tor  a  few 
hours,  no  imittt-r  when  they  are  diiveii.  because  it  is  Itcst  for  the  skin 
and  for  the  tlesh  that  the  animul  be  killed  while  it  is  cool  and  <|niet 
rather  tlnm  while  it  may  be  waiiii  and  excited. 

Theic  arc  lour  diflerent  and  well-delined  killing  giounds  on  St.  Paul 
Island,  I'lom  some  one  of  which  the  most  distant  hauling  ground  or 
ro(»kery  is  not  to  exceed  -A  miles. 

(Ml  St.  George  there  are  two  killing  grounds,  Irom  some  one  of  wliich 
the  most  distant  rookery  or  hauling  ground  is  not  to  exceed  •>  miles, 
and  during  the  ]>ast  tilteeii  years  there  has  not  been  a  loiig«'r  drive  made 
on  eitln'r  island  than  .'{  miles,  interested  parties  to  the  contrary  not- 
withstaiidiiig. 

(lenerally  the  killing  is  dime  Just  after  breakfast,  and  the  whole  pop- 
ulation turns  out  and  takes  part  in  the  work. 

The  men  and  boys  are  divided  into  grades  or  classes:  Clubbers,  stick- 
ers, llipperers,  and  skinners;  the  women  and  girls  following  the  skinners 
and  taking  care  of  the  blublter  and  meat. 

Two  men  at  opposite  sides  of  the  herd  will,  by  advaiu-ing  till  tla-y 
meet,  cut  out  twenty  or  thirty  seals  from  the  main  body  and  drive  theui 
up  to  the  killing  ground,  where  six  experienced  men  stand  aimed  with 
clubs  of  ash  or  hickory  about  oA  feet  long  and  about .'»  inches  thick  at 
the  heavier  end,  which  «'nd  is  generally  bound  in  sheet  inui  to  prevent 
its  destruction  by  the  continuous  biting  of  tiie  seals. 

Tiie  clubbers  are  under  the  immediatti  orders  of  tin'  lessee's  local 
agent  who  is  a  man  of  large  experience  in  seal  work,  (uie  who  can  tell 
at  a  glance  how  much  the  skin  of  any  particular  seal  will  weigh,  and 
he  i)oints  out  the  seals  to  be  clubbed. 

A  smart  blow  on  the  head  knocks  the  seal  down  and  stuns  hiui,  and 
if  the  blow  has  been  proi)erly  dealt  he  never  recovers;  but  <|uite  often 
it  reijuires  two  to  three  blows  from  a  bungler  to  linish  him.  The 
clubbed  seals  are  dragged  into  line  and  counted,  and  then  "stiu-k" 
and  ''tlippered,"  or,  in  other  words,  they  are  stabbed  to  the  heart  and 
allowed  to  bleed  Ireely;  and  then  a  knife  is  drawn  around  the  head 
and  thppers,  severing  the  skin  and  leaving  it  ready  for  the  skinner, 
who  strips  it  oil"  in  short  order  and  spreads  it  evenly  on  the  damp 
grass,  tlesh  siile  down,  to  cool. 

These  several  operations  are  repeated  till  the  desired  number  are 
killed,  when  the  remaining  seals  are  allowed  to  go  into  the  water  and 
return  to  the  hauling  grouiuls. 

Alter  the  skin  has  been  removed,  the  women  take  the  carcass  and, 
after  striiiping  olV  the  blubber  or  fat,  cut  olf  the  choice  meat  in  strips 
to  dry;  and,  when  dried,  they  pack  it  into  the  dried  stomaidi  of  the  sea 
lion,  where  it  is  kept  an-  tight  and  preserved  for  an  indehuite  period. 

The  remainder  of  the  seal  is  boiled  and  eaten  as  wanted. 

When  all  the  seals  killed  are  skinned,  the  skins  are  taken  by  wagon 
to  the  salt  house,  where  they  are  assorted  and  carefully  inspected  by  the 
lessee's  agent,  who  throws  out  as  rejected  all  skins  that  do  not  come 
uj)  U)  a  certain  standard.  There  are  three  classes  of  rejected  skins, 
namely:  cut,  small,  and  stagy. 


\    ! 


Tf 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THK    I'lniilLOF    ISI.ANUH, 


A  cut  skill  is  one  tliat  lias  Ikmmi  bitten  tlirou^^li  by  one  soul  liiting 
smother  <luriiig  one  of  tiieir  many  battles,  or  it  may  have  been  aeei- 
dentally  eiit  (hiring  the  operation  of  skinning;  a  small  skin  is  one  that 
weighs  a  little  less  than  the  mininiuni  staiidaul  set  up  by  the  lessee's 
agent,  generally  less  than  H  pounds.  After  .Inly  the  fur  seal  sheds  his 
hair,  and  it  is  during  the  shedding  season,  when  the  old  hair  is  falling 
out  and  before  the  new  hair  has  attained  its  full  growth,  that  the  skin 
is  said  to  be  stagy. 

The  fur  of  a  stagy  skin  is  Just  as  good  as  any  other;  but  the  half- 
grown  new  hair,  being  shorter  than  the  fur.  can  not  be  plucked  out  by 
hand  or  by  machinery,  and  is  theretore  considered  a  blemish  on  the 
skin,  in  coiise(|ueiu!e  of  which  its  price  and  value  are  naturally  lowered 
in  the  market. 

Heretofore,  and  until  the  adoption  of  tlic  modus  vivendi  in  1<S!)1,  it 
was  customary  to  allow  the  natives  to  kill  seals  for  food  at  any  and  all 
times  when  they  were  to  be  found  on  the  islands.  And  it  was  in  this 
way,  and  in  this  way  only,  that  stagy  skins  were  ever  taken  and  wasted, 
because  all  skins  that  are  rejected  by  the  lessee's  agent  are  waste«l  so 
far  as  (loveriiment  interests  and  revenue  are  concerned. 

No  killing  should  be  permitted  for  any  purpose  wliats»»cver  during 
the  stagy  season,  say  from  .Inly  .">l  to  November  1.5. 

After  a  tli(U"ough  ins])ection,  the  skins  are  roiiiitcd  one  by  one  in 
presence  ()f  the  Treasury  agent,  who  makes  a  record  of  the  same  in  a 
book  kept  for  that  purpose,  and  in  which  he  also  enters  the  date  of  the 
drive,  the  rookery  driven  from,  the  hour  of  driving,  the  state  of  the 
weather,  the  number  of  seals  killed,  tlie  number  of  skins  accepted, 
the  nuiiibei'  rejected,  and  the  cause  of  such  reje«'tion. 

The  a(tcept«d  skins  aie  then  salted  by  the  natives  in  presence  and 
under  the  dire(!tion  of  the  native  chief  and  the  lessee's  ag«'nt.  The 
skins  are  siu'cad  on  the  floor,  hair  side  down,  and  «'ovcred  with  a  layer 
of  coarse  salt:  again  ;i  layci  of  skins  is  laid  on  and  (!<>vered  with  salt 
as  before,  and  the  siipeiation  is  rc|)eated  until  all  aie  salted. 

After  lying  for  at  least  live  days  in  the  lirst  salt  tliey  arc  shaken  out 
and  examined,  ami  resalted  as  before,  exitepting  that  the  top  layer  is 
now  put  down  lirst  and  the  original  position  of  all  layers  reversed. 

When  siilliciently  cured  they  are  bundled  by  the  natives,  who,  spread- 
ing a  thin  layer  of  salt  between  two  skins,  laj'  them  Hcsh  side  to  Hesh 
side,  and  told  the  two  into  a  neat,  comi>act  bundle,  which  they  tie 
securely  with  strong  twine,  and  throw  into  the  i)ile  for  shii)ping.  From 
the  sliipi>ing  ]>ile  they  are  again  counted  out,  bundle  by  bundle,  by  the 
Treasury  agent,  in  whose  presence  they  are  always  taken  from  the  salt 
house  to  the  Itoat,  from  whi<'h  they  are  again  counted  by  the  mate  into 
the  steamer  that  takes  them  to  San  Francisco,  when'  they  are  c(»uuted 
once  more  by  the  custinns  oUicers,  and  linally  packed  into  barrels  by 
the  Icssci's  and  shipped  «liicct  to  London  via  New  York. 

Early  in  tiie  morning  of  August  I.  1894,  a  drive  was  made  from  the 
lieef  rookery  in  presence  of  Mr.  Ilamiin,  who  accompanied  the  native 
men  who  di«i  tiie  work,  and  «  ho  was  pi'esent  throughout  the  whole  oper- 
ation of  driving,  killing,  and  skinning  the  seals,  inspecting,  assorting, 
counting,  and  salting  tlie  skins,  just  as  tlie  same  operations  have  been 
performed  every  killing  season  for  the  i)ast  quarter  of  a  century.' 

'  Tilt!  only  exception  to  this  is  in  tin"  nietliod  of  killinj''.  The  olden  rnlc  was  to 
allow  each  ni;in  to  lirst  knock  down  his  share  and  then  turn  in  and  skin  them,  but 
experience  taught  us  that  this  was  bad  policy,  for  the  carcasses  that  were  allowed  to 
cool  and  stilVt  ii  before  skinning  wore  very  apt  to  have  their  skins  injured  in  the 
operation,  hence  the  a<loptiou  of  the  present  improved  system. 


'  r. 


J* 


SKAL    MFi;    ON    inK    I'lniilLOl'    ISLANDS. 


56 


DitriiifT  our  tiw  days'  stay  on  St.  I'aiil  Island  \\v  iiisjM'ctrd  all  tlie 
rookeries,  walking  over  iiiaiiy  of  tlieiii,  and  I  earefiilly  noted  tlieir  eoii- 
ditioii.  tiie  s|)ar,s«>ly  setth'd  hreedinj;'  yi'oinuls.  the  deserted  liaiiliiig 
},'roiiiids.  ami  liie  descdate  appearance  ot"  the  place  in  i'onipiirisMn  with 
wliiit  I  saw  tliere  only  five  yt'ars  aj{M.  when  hundreds  of  tlinu>aniis  of 
s«'als  swarmed  over  the  ^reatr-r  portion  of  the  }j[ronnd  that  is  now  bare 
iuid  al):in<loned. 

Next  to  the  shriveled  condition  of  tlie  se:il  herd  as  a  whole,  the  most 
noted  ciianye  I  observed  on  the  Ureedin;-'  ;ironnds  sjiK-e  1SS',»  was  tlic 
juneat  nund)er  of  idle  hulls,  yoiiii}>;  and  vi}>'orous,  lyin;:'  around  in  all 
ilin'ctions.  watchiny;  an  op, n-rl unity  to  secure  cows. 

They  ean  not  succeed,  however,  for  dui'in<jr  the  past  ten  yeai's  the 
cows  have  been  the  (juarry  <tf  the  pelayie  sealer,  whose  inijnoved  meth- 
ods of  hunting;'  in  the  open  waters,  and  whose  unceasinji'.  unerring,  and 
mer<;iless  huntiu};' of  them  at  all  seasons,  have  at  len;;th  snece«'ded  in 
destroying"  at  least  a  million  niiisin<;-  mothers,  who.  witli  tlier  starved 
«>tVsprin;i'  and  unborn  youny,  n-piesent  a  loss  of  many  millions,  whieli 
in  turn  aecMiunts  for  the  acres  of  bare  ami  unoccupied  rookeiy  yiound 
over  which  we  walked  without  lindin^j' a  seal.  Wiien  in  IS'.M  I  inspe<-tcd 
the  same  rookeries  I  counted  l,L'r»o  idle  bulls  at  t  e  veiy  lM'iy:lit  of  th« 
ruttiufj  season,  and  I  have  since  (tbserved  a  steady  increase  of  breediuf; 
bulls  as  the  herd  continued  as  steadily  to  decrease  as  a  wlioh'. 

tSo  plain  and  palpable  has  this  increase  of  bulls  l)een  for  the  past  live 
years,  it  has  become  a  ttipic-  of  j^eneral  (!onversatioii  amonj;'  th<»se  who 
have  had  opjiortunities  to  oliserve  the  rt)okeries  Ironi  year  to  year  dur 
injf  the  bleeding  s<'ason:  and  in  his  annual  rep(Mt  for  1S'.»4  the  a;;ent 
in  charge  of  the  islands  says: 

The  only  class  of  sci  In  tliat  sliowrd  .in  iiicrt-asc  oviT  last  vciir  wcri'  tlie  yitniij;  UiiIIh, 
will)  Wi'i'o  iinnlilo  lu  iiiul  a  siiiir|)>  i'„w  witli  wliidi  tn  stait  a  liaiini  on  tlir  lonki'iics. 
'riieiv  \V(!ic  iiioif  iillo  hulls  «r  IiicimIiiiu-  ay;!-  tliaii  tlii-ic  wiif  liiills  witli  liaii-nis  on 
the  lircrdiim  nioiiiiils.     (Se<'  K'l'port  ol'  .)<>'^f|ih  I!.  Cmwlt  y.  l^!ll.l 

Anotiier  very  important  feature  obs«'rved  in  onr  iiispeetii>n  of  the 
rookeries  in  IStM  was  the  ab.sence  of  dead  pn])s  i  •  tli(>  early  i)art  of 
August,  for  up  to  our  leaving  on  tli«'  Sth  1  had  not  M'en  a  dead  imp  on 
the  islaml,  and  th(^  agent  in  charge,  who  was  on  St.  I'atil  Island  fronn 
June  to  the  latter  part  of  August  and  who  kept  a  r\<>M>  watcl:  for  dead 
pups,  tells  me  now  that  it  was  not  till  abttut  .\iigust  20  there  was  a 
dead  |)np  to  l>e  .seen,  but  from  that  date  t(t  tiu'  close  of  the  season, 
according  to  olUcial  communicati<uis  received  iVcnn  the  islands,  the  car- 
casses of  dead  pups,  starved  and  emaciated,  increased  witii  appalling 
rai)idity  until  1L',(KI()  weic  counted  by  the  a-sistant  ag«'nts. 

The  agents  report  that  they  actually  counted  l-'.(i(M»  dead  pups  on  the 
accessible  portions  of  the  rookeries  to  whicli  they  could  go  without  <lis- 
turbiiig  the  seals,  and  alter  making  due  allowance  for  the  i»ortions  iu)t 
visited  at  all,  they  believe  that  a  fair  estimate  of  the  total  nunilter  <d' 
dead  jjups  on  the  two  islandsof  St.  Paul  and  St,  (ieorge  in  IS'.U  W(uild 
aggregate  l'(),(K)0.     (See  leport  of  .loseph  U.  (Iruwh-y,  IS'.M. ) 

And  .Mr.  .lose])!!  H.  Crowley  tells  us  that — 

Kvery  |iroi'aiitiiin  was  taken  to  count  only  siirli  as  a])|ifar(-tl  to  have  died  late  in 
the  season.  None  of  the  .small  yonnfx  pnps  which  Hliowcd  decay  and  Itoic  the  appear- 
anee  of  havinir  died  early  in  the  hreedin;;  season  weic  counted.      "  1  do  not 

make  recklessly  the  statement  of  the  ileath  of  pups  iioin  starvation.  There  is  piwi- 
tivc  jiroof  of  it.  I  witnessed  the  l)e;iinniii;i  of  its  disastrous  results  the  last  of 
Aujjiist  hcfore  Ic^avinji;  the  islandH.  Visiting;  the  rookeries  in  jierson.  I  found  liiiinlredH 
of  pups  which  had  lately  died.  They  bore  every  ajjpearanceof  liaviim  died  ol  slarva- 
thin.  Hundreds  that  weie  yet  alive  were  so  wasted  and  weak  they  could  scarcely 
dray;  themselves  over  th>'  rocks  and  would  not  attempt  to  yet  out  oi  the  way  when 
ajiproaehed.     i  Ueport  of .'.  H.  Crowley.  ISIU. ) 


( 


j.\u 


(I. 


IN 


If 


5(; 


SEAL    hllK    ON    THK    IKIIJll-OF    I.SLANl'f-l. 


'•What  is  tlic  cjicsodf  till'  dcatu  of  so  many  i'lirscal  pups?"  has  been 
asked  many  rimes  diniiiy'  tlii'  p.^st  live  years'  uiseussion  of  t!ie  seal 
(jiiestion.  and  nian\  conllictinj^  jpisweis  I;ave  been  f;iven.  1  think  the 
f(»llo\\  in;;'.  nncU'r  tlie  ('ii'ciimstani''s,  is  an  answer  tliat  can  not  l)t'  <'oiitra- 
dictcd.  The  pehij^ic  sealinj;'  season  <ii»ened  in  lleiinj;'  .Sea  on  An^iist  I, 
ISIM.  in  accordanee  wilii  the  international  lejtidat ions  made  possi  le  bj' 
the  JSeiin;;  Sea  Tribuinil,  nnder  which  ]>ehi};ie  seah'is  are  lice;  e«l  to 
kill  seals,  with  spears,  out  side  of  t  lie  (it»  mile  zone  around  the  seal  ishuuls, 
and  immediately  we  see  the  result  of  their  work  in  the  thousands  of 
pups  starved  to  death  after  their  mothers  ha«l  been  Uilled  at  sea  by  the 
men  wlntsc  ri^ht  to  kill  them,  at  eerlaiii  seasons,  has  been  established 
and  aekuiiwleil^i'd  by  tin-  very  tribunal  that  was  created  for  the  purpose 
of  preventiii};'  tlu'  <lestru(*tion  of  the  fur  seal  herd. 

One  (d"  the  most  hiwrible  and  harrowinj;  si.i>hts  ia>ai>inable  is  that  of 
))eiu^'  surrounded  on  the  bleak  ami  inhospitable  shores  u\'  the  I'libilof 
Islands  by  thousands  <d'  dea<l  and  d..  inji'  pup  seals  whose  death  has  been 
tlie  r<'Sii!i.  <d"  slow  starvation,  and  whose  hunjiiy  cries  and  almost  human 
appeal--  tor  fo<td  ;ii:d  li'e  must  be  nntde  in  vi-in,  for,  no  matter  how  willini; 
and  anxious  one  ma.  I)e  to  render  assistance,  one  feels  it  is  beyond 
human  power  to  arrest  the  ••nawinj^  of  hunger  in  an  animal  who  is 
totally  (iependent  for  sustenance  on  a  mother  who  was  killed  a  .nith 
an'o  bv  peiajiic  sealers! 

Those  who  once  \>itnesse,d  such  a  sif»ht  never  can  foif^et  it,  and  occa- 
Rion.dly  I  recj-ivc  ietters  from  some  of  tiuMii  wldch  run  somewhat  like 
the  followiii};: 

|)i)tL'll  iiie  wliiit  is  to  lif  iloiK!  witli  tin-  lew  iiMii.iiiiiiiy;  Hcii':,.  '  '  '  If  llicsc 
8tc]>s  liail  bocii  fal%i'ii  l:isl  _v<-iir.  rvcti,  liu'io  ini^lil  liii\  o  l)i'i'ii  cnoiijili  It-Cr  tn  tell  tlic 
talc,  iiiit  as  it  is  1  can  imt  Imt  led  wli:ii  a  pitialilt-  Niuiit  tin'  .'.inktii'lcs  will  jircsciit 
iH'Xt  Near.  It  wa.s  <li.-<<M)Hiaj;iii';  .iLiijili  last  s]iiiiiy;  wlicii  I  r<nii|iat('i|  tlir  rnokcries 
with  what  I  liail  si-cii  Jii>l  tin- vt-ar  lidoic,  M\  licait  lih-il  loi' itic  (loorHtarviii;;  )iii)is 
so  iiiiifli.  tlic  last  Htftdl  I  toiik  III!  tlu'  lonki'iies,  that  I  roiihl  never  jjo  hack.  I  doiTt 
see  how  til*-  jiiil;;!' (mimM  slaiiil  to  see  lO.tHKI  ile.iil  oiios.  It  would  liav«  lii'okeli  Illy 
Iieaii  I  know.  'I'lie  inoi'iiin;;  we  <-iiin<into  llntrli  I  lailioi' on  our  vo.v  a;:e  tlown  we 
Haw  three  sealin<^  vessels  s^illn;;  out  towaril  the  tid-niiles  limit.  Oh.  what  a  larcc, 
what  a  snare  an>l  delusion  that  iSii-injIc  limit  was!  Mow  <'oul)l  aiiNoiW!  who  hail 
ever  heen  to  the  seal  islands  and  noted  the  lialiit-  ol  th«  leiMliii;;  eows  ever  reeom- 
mend  such  a  !>>urdei'ous  |iro|)ositlon  '     I". ven  '.  knew  lietter  than  that.  '      "     Miit 

1;>.0IMI  cows  taken  sla;j;iere  !  uie.  I  !i;nl  e\;|ireted  ahout  ."i.diMi  or  ti.lHM),  and  even  <'nl- 
enlatr-d  the  tei  lihle  <'oMsei)Uen<  >•  u|i<iu  the  rnidserirs,  lint  l;i.(MH»!  that  wa;.  teirihle, 
ttrrihh'. 

The  writer  of  that  letter  is  the  wife  of  the  Tretisury  ii}'ent,aii  .\mer 
ican  lady  of  Christian  ed'ication.  culture,  and  relinemctit.  who  natu- 
rally fe!'.  horritieil  at  the  si^lit  she  sjiw  on  the  rookeiie.-,  ;iiid,  like  the 
teinler  iind  merciful  \\<»man  she  is,  she  denounces  the  s\  sic'ii.  re^^ula- 
tion.  cuslom,  or  whatever  <'ise  it  may  l»«'  i-alled.  which  makes  .such  suf 
ferinj;  possible. 

One  iiistiincc  in  this  conneclion  wortli  recordini.;'  is  thut  of  a  )m  la}>ic 
sealer  whose  In-art  was  touched  by  the  jiitilul  cries  ol  an.  orphan  pup. 
and  the  story  is  tohl  by  an  eyi-witness  under  (lath: 

Of  the  se.als  that  were  i-anjilil  oil  t'u-  eoast  liiil.i  UC  nut  ol'  every  KKI  had  youn.( 
)»njts  in  them.  The  hoats  would  lirinji  the  s'-als  on  Imaid  the  \csHel,  and  we  would 
take  the  .\oun<;  |mi))s  out  a'ld  skin  them.  I  ihe  {inj*  is  irood  and  a  niee  oim>,  w<i 
woe!. I  skin  it  and  iveep  it  lor  oiirsel  ve;'.  I  h. id  eiu;hl  sueli  skins  nivselt'.  lour  out 
«)!'  live,  if  I  .•m;;hl  in  Ma\or  .Intif.  vvoald  lie  alive  when  we  cut  tiieiii  out  ol  their 
mothers,  line  of  them  we  krpt  for  pretty  ne.ir  liiree  week«  alixe  on  deek  !■>  feetl- 
in<;  il  ii:i  condensed  luilk.  One  of  IIkmiich  liii.illy  killetl  it  hecansi>  it  cried  so  piti- 
fully.     i.Vllldavil  lit    Alfred  |iar<iean.) 

The  rexcrse  si(U'  <if  the  <]uestion  is  that  held  by  the  av<'ra;ie  pelaj;ic 
Healer,  vv  ho  kills  the  mother  seal  and  cuts  out  her  unborn  \oun}j;ov 
leaves  the  born  youhf;  to  slowly  starve  to  d<'ath  on  Ihe  rookeries. 


i 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    TIIK    I'KIIllLOF    ISLANDS. 


07 


I 


a  .M- 


Till'  British  iJcriiij?  Sesi  coiiiniissioiuTS  in  tiiia  coiiiicction  staled: 

'I'll!'  I'lir  of  tin'  It'iiialo  is  ninally  <xom\  with  tlint  nf  tlie  iiiiilc,  iinl  iiiidtT  tlic  <(inili- 
tioiiH  ii'idei'  wliirli  tli<!  Iiniiiiiiji  is  currii'tl  on,  tlii'n*  isriMiiii  lor  no  sciitiint-utal  consid- 
erations in  lavor  of  oitbor  sex. 

1  \vi!s  intoriiH'd  by  tlir  Trcasiiry  Wi^eiit  and  otliers  w  lin  liatl  wintered 
on  the  s«'al  islands  tiiat  tiie  w inter df  IS'.t.'MU  had  been  ttne  of  unusual 
sev<'iity,  liijor,  and  ]en};th,  and  that  the  seals  liad  been  nincli  later  in 
hauliii;Lj  oui    lian  for  nniny  y<'ars  past. 

TMs  happens  oeeasionaily,  I'or  whenever  it  is  unusiiiilly  cold  dnrino;  the 
sjainji  and  early  summer  mtjaths,  and  the  ice  hanu.s  iiiound  Iheishinds 
till  the  latter  end  ot  May  or  early  June,  the  seal.>*  will  not  or  v.m  not 
haul  o'lt  until  jjassaj^es  are  ma<le  and  the  ro<'ks  and  beach  cleare<l  ot' 
it'«':  all  of  which  had  to  be  done  last  season. 

i-roni  the  saii<!  source  1  also  learned  thai  never  before,  since  the 
United  Slates  o.ned  the  islands,  were  seals  so  few  upon  the  rookeries 
during' the  killing;  season  of  dune  and  duly,  and  that  the  w'(>,4M)0  killa- 
bh's  allowed  to  be  taken  this  year  were  not  to  be  found  unless  the 
standard  weioht  and  size  should  be  lowered  by  the  lessees  :ind  smidler 
seals  taUen.  As  the  lessees  have  not  taken  any  skins  wei^hinii  less 
than  7  pounds,  and  havj*  killed  some  l(i,00(»  lirst-class  seals,  I  ha\e  no 
<loul»r  of  Mieir  beinjj;  able  to -.et  LMM»(«»  had  they  chosen  to  take  ».<HM» 
skins  wt  joain;""  from  ">  to  (»  poutids  each. 

This  opens  up  a   (piestion  of  the  utmost  impoitanee  toourCiovern 
ment.  (or  if  wecan  not  find  L'(>,(><'"  ycauiji:  inah'  seals  on  the  seal  islands, 
whose  skins  will  weij;h  from  7  to  lli  pounds  each,  altera  modus  vivendi, 
and  a  ^-oiieral  rest  of  nearly  f(air  years,  it  is  most  assuredly  time  for  us 
to  search  i'tr  the  cause  of  the  steady  decrease  of  the  fur-seal  herd. 

To  dl  thoi'e  whose  lono-  and  |M-acti«'al  e\]H'i'ience  on  the  islands  and 
amon^  the  seals  };ives  them  a  rij^ht  to  l>e  heard,  the  explanation  is  not 
hard.  hvA  'anfortunately.  b«'cause  of  many  clashino  inti're.>ts,  there  has 
been  a  glamor  of  s^'crecy  and  sa<'r»Mlnc.ss  tliiown  around  the  fur  seal 
(piestion.  by  and  thioujih  winch  iilain,  practical,  business  mi'U  have 
been  debarretl  from  expressiu';  an  opinion,  or.  havin;^ dared  to  exjaess 
oiu',  have  been  talK>oe<l  by  interested  parties.  For  >ears  the  caust;  of 
the  (h'crease  in  the  seal  herd  has  be«'n  discussed  with  unaltaled  vi;:or; 
so-called  im]M'ovcd  metlnals  of  all  sorts  have  been  snyoested,  and  a 
few  of  I  hem  tried  :  and,  tinally,  when  tlu'ijuestion  assumed  international 
jadportions.  arbitration  was  le.sorted  loin  hopes  of  forever  settlinj;  a 
vexed  <|iH'sti(ai  and  of  sa\  ino-  iVoni  total  extinction  the  remnants  of  our 
seal  herd  that  had, only  a  f«'v,  years  a<;<),  been  tiumbeied  by  the  millions 
and  valued  at  nearly  >«ln(».(Mio',noi), 

In  spite  of  all  that  has  be<'n  done  thus  f;ir,  howexer.  the  seal  herd  is 
rapidly  decreasinf«-,  and  in  the  very  nature  of  thin.us  must  contiiiiu'  to 
decreasi'  so  lonj;'  as  scores  ol"  ships  and  thousands  of  men  are  permitted 
to  iiuiit  ihem  In  the  opt>n  sea  and  kill  them  without  le^aril  to  ap-.  sex, 
or  c<aidition. 

There  is  no  more  mystery  about  ,  he  cause  of  I  he  decrease  an«l  destrue- 
tiiai  of  the  fur  seal  herd  than  there  woidd  be  about  the  decrease  of  a 
herd  of  cattle  on  the  ]>lains  of  ('olora(to  if  the  owner  should  continue  to 
sell  or  kill.oi'  alhiw  .someone  else  to  sell  o"  kill,  his  l.reedinj,'  cows  for  a 
seri«'s  of  yeais.  or  until  they  weiji  all  jjoiie. 

Twice  since  the  discovery  of  tin*  seal  islamis  and  dnrino-  |{ussian 
occupation  have  the  seals  been  ahnost  exterminated  be«-aus«'  of  the 
indiscriminat*"  slani^iiter  of  the  female,  or  mother  seal,  for  it  is  well 
known  that  the  Hnssiiins  continued  to  slaughter  everything  on  the 


)    ! 


m 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    TIIK    PkllMLOl"    I^M.ANUS. 


islands  without  rcfjard  to  aj^e,  sex,  or  coiidition  until  l.S;U,  when  the 
question  of  total  extermination  stared  tiicni  in  the  face. 
Veniauiinov  tells  us: 

Fntiii  tlie  time  oltlic  (li.scoveiy  ot'tlu'  I'riliilof  InIiiiuIs  up  to  ISd".  tin-  Liking  of  Cur 
RcalH  |iro)rr*>Nse<l  witlioiit  (-oiint  or  Uxis.  mihI  witliodit  rcHiionsilile  hc:i<ls  or  c-liii-t'H, 
bec.-iiiKf  then  ( 17S7  to  IH()5,  iucliiHive)  there  wci"'  a  iiiiinlier  ol'  coiiipiiiiics,  re])rc.seiite<l 
by  !(H  iiiaiiy  a^entH  or  leatiers.iiiHl  all  ol  thciii  vietl  with  eaih  otiu'r  in  taking  hs  iiiaiiy 
an  they  (Miiihl  hetoi'e  tlio  kiliin<;  wuh  Nto|i])('<l.  After  thiH,  in  ISlili  anal  ISO?,  th<-re 
were  no  Heals  taken,  anil  nearly  all  the  ]ieo|il<'  were  removed  to  riiala^'ka. 

In  IWIK  the  killinjt  was  again  eomni«''nc«'«l.  )>nl  llie  |ieo|»le  in  this  year  wvvr  allowed 
to  kill  only  on  St.  (ieorj;e.  (hi  t»t.  I'ai;l  hunters  wcve  not  iirrniittt'd  this  \earor  tho 
next. 

It  was  not  nntil  the  fourth  year  after  this  that  as  many  as  half  the  nnnilier  pre- 
viously taken  were  annually  killed. 

From  this  tinw  (St  (ieorj;f  1W)S  and  St.  I'aul  1SI(H  up  to  \XJJ,  tiikiuy:  fur  srals  pro- 
t;res8ed  tm  both  islands  witliout  ccoiionty  and  witli  slight  cirennispertion  a>  if  there 
were  a  race  in  killin<;  lor  thi>  most  skins.  Cows  wi-rc  taken  in  dines  ami  killed,  and 
were  alsodrivi-ii  from  the  rookeries  to  plares  where  they  were  slaughtered,  i  lOlliott's 
translation.) 

And  Mr.  Klliott,  coinnientinj: on  N'eniaininov's  /apieska.  tells  tisthat — 

.\  study  of  this  killing  tlirou;;li(>iit  the  zapooska  of  1S34  on  St.  I'aul  Island  shows 
tliat  for  a  period  id"  sevrii  years,  from  I'^Iio  down  to  the  eloseof  the  season  of  IS-II,  no 
seals  praitiially  were  killed  save  those  that  were  needed  for  food  and  elothiiif;  l>y  tho 
nativi-H,  and  that  in  ls;{.'>  for  the  first  tinn-  in  the  history  of  this  industry  on  the-se 
islands,  was  the  \  ital  jiriiieiple  ol°  not  killinjj;  female  srais  reeii<;iii/.iMl.  It  will  he 
notiued  that  theentry  for  eneh  and  i.-veiy  year  distin<tly  siieeilies  so  many  haehelor 
seals  <u'  hollusehii'koN  kotovie. 

The  sealing  in  those  days  was  carried  on  all  thron^rh  the  summer  until  the  seals 
left  in  Octohcr  or  Novemher.  on  aceouni  of  the  tedious  method  then  in  vo;;iie  ol'  air 
dr\in<;  the  skins.  This  caused  them  in  driviu<;al'ter  the  hreakiii;;  up  of  the  lu'eediu^ 
8«-ason  hy  the  end  of  .Inly,  to  lake  up  at  lirst  hundreds,  and  thousands  later  on,  of  tho 
females,  liut  they  never  s|  ared  those  cows  then  v\  hen  they  arrived  in  the  droves  on 
the  kiliin<;'.urounds,  )iriiit  to  this  d.-ite  aliovei| noted,  of  is:i.">.     ( l''.lliott's  re)iort,  IMIKI,^ 

I{>'ii()riii<>-  for  the  tnoineiit  all  that  has  l)eeii  said  about  the  thou{;^ht- 
lessness  iiiul  brutality  of  tht^  Russi.in  inethoils  of  di  iviii^  and  Uillinijf 
seals,  and  of  tiie  incalculable  waste  arisiiiei-  therefrom.  whi(!ii  resulted  in 
the  almost  total  destrinttion  of  the  species  on  two  occasions,  it  is  never- 
theless true  that  after  many  yetirs  of  bitter  expeiience  tln'y  ditl  leitrii  to 
do  better;  and  when  they  turned  the  property  over  to  the  I'nited  States 
in  ISiiH  iliert!  were  nearly  r),OUO,(M)0'  ot  setiis  on  the  Tribilof  Islainls, 
smd  that  for  a  peiiod  of  si.xteen  years  afterwards  there  was  neither 
decrease  nor  diminution  pereeptiblein  tho.seii.     .en.se  antl  valuable  herds. 

Dr.  11.  II.  .Mclntyre,  who  wjis  the  ;ieneral  superintendent  lor  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  duriii};'  the  whole  time  of  their  twenty- 
year  leaseof  the  seal  islaiuls.  writir  ',  confident ially,  to  his  emi)lovers  iit 
1881),  says : 

The  tireeilin;>-  rookeries  fr<uu  tlie  hejrimiiuu  of  the  lease  till  18S2  or  \HH'A  were,  I 
believe,  ciinstaiitly  iucreasinu;  in  area  and  popiilat  ion,  iind  my  oltservations  in  this 
direction  are  in  accordance  with  those  of  .Mr.  .Morjjan,  Mr,  Wehster,  and  others,  who 
have  been  lor  many  years  with  me  in  your  service,  and  of  tlu)  Lite  special  Treasury 
a^ciit,  .1.  M.  .Morton,  who  was  on  the  islands  from  IHTO  to  ISHU.  (See  II.  II.  .Mclntyro 
to  .\laska  t'ommercial  Company,  .liily  Hi.  lSS!t.  .Vppendis   s 

Ami  Mv.  Henry  \V.  Illliott,  writiii};  in  ISSl,  fully  eorroborates  the 
fore^oinj;  when  he  tells  u.s — 

There  'veie  no  more  seals  seen  hero  hy  human  eyes  in  17S()  and  17S7  than  there  are 
now  in  IHSt,  as  far  as  all  evidence  goes.     ( F.lliott'H  Seal  Islands  of  .Vlaska,  p.tMi,) 

'(iraiid  sum  total  lor  the  rriliilof  Islands  (season  of  1H7I)),  breediiiK  seals  and 
yoiiii).;,  :t.l!*:i,l'_'(i.  The  iionbreedine;  seals  seem  nearly  ei|Ual  in  niinilicr  to  that  of  the 
adult  lireeding  seals:  Imt,  without  initting  them  down  at  a  ligiire  i|uil(*  so  high,  I 
niuy  s.'ifely  say  that  the  sum  I'dal  of  L.^iNLiKiO.  in  round  niimheis,  is  a  fair  <>numera- 
lion,  and  i)Mite  within  hounih.  .if  fact.  This  makes  the  grand  nuiii  total  of  the  fur- 
Heal  life  on  the  I'riliilof  Islauds  over  l.7<i(i,iMi.  (Klliott,  The  Fiit-8eal  Islands  of 
Alaska,  pp.  til,  (>'.'.) 


SEAL    I.IFK    ON    THl'.    I'RIHILoK    ISLANJ^S. 


r)9 


It  was  in  1873  that  Mr.  Klliott  «'stirnato(l  tlu'  uuinlxT  of  seals  on  tlio 
I'ribilof  Islands  at  4,7(M»,(MK),  and  lie  again  tells  ns  in  ISSl  that  the 
seals  never  had  been  more  innnerons  than  they  were  then;  Imt  in  I.SJMJ 
he  fonnd  them  reduced  to  !).V.>,.'i!»;»  seals,  ineiudin;'''  <>vervthin{;  on  the 
islands,  or  about  one  titth  ot'  what  tlie  herd  had  been  in  1.S7.'>. 

In  ItSDl  tlie  Treasni-y  a^ients  on  the  seal  isla  uls  were  instrneted  Uy 
make  <laily  visits  to  the  rookeries  during  the  breeding  season  for  the 
purpose  ot  noting  the  peculiar  habits  of  the  seals  and  carelully  j'stimat- 
ing  their  numbers  at  various  dates  on  each  rookery,  and  the  highest 
estimate  made,  not  including  the  pups,  was  somewhat  less  than  half  ik 
million. 

1  was  one  of  the  agents  who  did  this  work  in  IH'.M,  and  1  have  spent 
hours  aiul  days  and  weeks,  in  turn,  watching  the  (-ows  from  (heir  llrsl. 
landing.  They  would  often  stay  away  from  their  offspring  for  a  week 
at  a  time. 

1  have  selected  a  favorabh'  locati«)n  on  the  IJeef  rookery,  where  i  wa.s- 
some  .{(>  feet  above  the  harem  and  oii{  of  danuer  of  being  dis«'o\ered  by 
the  seals  below,  and  I  have  wat<hed  <tne  particular  i)U|>  from  its  birth 
until  it  was  a  month  old;  and  I  f(»uiid  that  the  cow  left  it  for  an  hour  or 
two  only  at  first,  then  tor  a  day,  and  Ity  tiie  end  of  the  month  for  four 
to  six  days  at  a  tim<>. 

This  fact,  coupled  witii  another  that  I  ()bseived  in  IS'.KK  convinced 
me  that  the  fiir  seals  do  not  digest  tlu'ir  food  as  rapidly  as  some  other  ani- 
mals, and  consecpu'Utly  they  can  live  long<'r  witiiout  eating  <U' drinking. 

The  otiier  fact  referred  to  is  this:  In  iStlO  we  killed  foi-  the  natives 
on  iSt.  Paul  Island  some  L',.'iti4  pups,  after  all  the  cows  had  been  gone 
from  the  island  for  more  than  two  weeks,  and  we  fonnd  the  stomachs 
of  all  those  pups  full  ot  pure,  nndigested  milk. 

I  walked  over  all  the  rookeries  on  St.  Paul  Ishunl  twice  during  the 
season  ot  ISiM,  beginning  at  Halfway  Point  on  .Inly  7,  and  completing 
tin'  s(>cond  Journey  at  Nortlieast  Point  on  -Inly  -L'.  and  the  highest  esti- 
mate i  made  ot  the  nund)cr  of  seals  (Ui  each  was  as  follows: 


fi 


l.'oilkiM '^ 


Seals. 


\iiillun-.i  I'liiiil      lllt.'.lT.'i 

Kelt lt:i   i:,(l 

HiiH'vvjv  I'lDiit 111.  "iilii 

Tiilstiii  ami  I  .iiuiMtn !»:;.  i:.'iii 

Ziiiiaclnir  mill  Kant  Zaiiailnii' Mil.  Jllii 

Kiiyliili  lia\ :r.',  urio 


licMlkclV. 


^lals. 


Mid. II."  Hill r,,15<» 

K.la\|.' 3,0T."» 

I.iil.aiiii.iii 10,60(1 

T.'lal,  ii.il  iiiilii.liii:.' pups 1«1,  3.111 


■if 

I 


were,  I 
ill  tills 
wlio 


's  the 


Ih  siihI 
nt'tllO 
ligll,  I 
IllU^ld- 

n«  fiir- 
iiiIh  of 


This  estiniiite  was  made  »m  the  basis  of  an  a\erageof  K)  cows  to  each 
ball,  and  it  was  assumed  that,  only  one  hall  the  bulls  ^^(•re  in  sight  at 
any  one  time,  or,  in  other  w(U'ds,  we  «*ould  not*  get  close  enon.uh  to  see 
them  without  disturbing  the  seah,  so  we  multiplie<l  the  nnnil)er  found 
by  L*.  and  the  product  by  10,  in  (uder  to  obtain,  approximately,  the  nuiii- 
Iter  of  seals  ofi  a  rookery. 

It  is  possible,  of  course,  that  the  nu'thod  of  compntati<Hi  ado])ted  was 
not  the  best  and  that  we  jirobably  missed  iiu>  real  number  liy  many 
tlmusanus,  plus  or  minus,  but  for  all  practical  puiposcs  of  comparison 
hetwi'en  the  condition  of  the  rookeries  in  ]S\\l  and  IS'.M  i)  i.s  as  good  as 
peit'ection,  fin-  it  is  enough  to  show  that  no  matter  how  many  seals  were 
there  in  l.S!H.  n«>t  to  exceed  one  half  of  the  nuiuln'r  were  to  be  fcmnd  in 
l.S!H. 

The  saiiH^  is  eciually  true  of  St.deorge,  where  the  rookeries,  beo.iuse 
of  their  relatively  snuiller  area,  show  the  decrease  ut  a  glaru'e.  to  any- 


« 


m 


si:ai.  i.ifk  on  tiik  I'Uir.ii.oF  islands. 


one  wlin  was  on  tlio  island  a  few  years  ajio,  iiinl  who  ever  \k\U\  any 
attention  to  tiie  seals  when  the  I'ookeiies  were  filled  out  to  their  fullest, 
aiui  lliousan<ls  were  to  hv  seen  sporting'  in  the  waters  around  them. 

Intleed.  i  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  there  was  not  to  exeeed  .')0(>,(M)(» 
seals  (11  St.  I'anl  and  St,  (le(M}«e  islands  in  An;;nst,  1S1)4. 

It  i.-  here  the  (inestions  naturally  arise.  "What  is  the  cause  of  the 
decreasi'  of  the  seal  herd.'  Is  theie  a  renu'dy;  and  if  so,  how  <'an  it 
be  aj)|»lied  V 

I  shall  attenipi  to  answer  the  <]uestions  in  tlie  order  in  whii  h  I  have 
state<l  them,  and  1  aim  to  show  tiiat  all  of  my  own  views  are  in  strict 
accord  with  those  whose  disinterestedness,  |)ra<-tical  knowh'djje,  or  sci- 
entific attainmentvS  warrant  them  in  expressinjf  views  <»n  the  (piestion  at 
issue. 

And  it  will  l»e  found,  I  think,  that  while  we  may  difCei  in  our  estinnites 
of  the  numiter  of  seals  on  the  islands  at  any  jM.'rticuIar  time  ov  period, 
or  that  our  notions  ahout  methods  and  nmmi<;ement  may  never  be  exactly 
alike,  we  are  all  agreed  that  the  cause  of  tli«'  decrease  of  th«'  fur  seal  herd 
is  jielaj-ic  sealing. 

Speak  injitor  myself,  after  an  expericncetd"  six  years  on  the  seal  islands, 
I  have  no  iloubt  that  were  it  not  for  pela{;i<*  scalinjj[  the  seal  herd  would 
be  as  nunu'r<uis  and  as  llouiishin^i'  to  day  as  it  was  in  ISiiS  or  1881,  or 
at  any  other  i)e:iod  since  the  discovery  of  the  islands;  n^n-  is  it  at  ran- 
dom or  without  lonjr  study  that  I  say  this,  lor  I  have  jiiven  the  subject 
a  Invent  deal  of  serious  ihouyht  durin;;-  the  worldwide  (liseussion  of  the 
question  sim-e  1S{)0. 

When  the  (|ncsti<»n  of  the  deerease  of  the  seal  herd  was  first  men- 
tioned publicly  as  a  reality,  theoiies  as  numerous  as  the  men  who  enter- 
tained them  were  oflered  in  exidanation  of  the  cause  of  siu'li  decrease, 
aiul  ior  awhile  it  was  arj>ued  with  consununate  ability  and  persistent 
ener;>y  by  Mr.  II.  W.  Elliott,  who  was  (considered  an  authority  on  all 
that  relates  to  fur  'als,  that  the  drivinjjf  from  the  hauling;  to  the  killing 
grounds  injuie«l  the  young  males  to  the  extent  of  imjujteiuiy,  and  thus 
unfitted  them  at  maturity  for  service  on  the  breeding  grounds. 

A  meie  idle  guess  at  liist,  this  theory  was  pushed  t(»  the  front  with 
energy,  althougl»,  coidd  angry  personal  feelings  and  prejudice  have  been 
eliminated  from  the  controversy,  the  gentlennm  might  have  discovered 
what  every  scientist,  naturalist,  and  imi)artial  observer  saw  from  the 
first,  that  so  long  as  all  the  cows  on  the  rookeries  had  pu|»s  beside  them 
in  season,  an«l  eveiy  nniture  cow  killed  at  sea  was  either  a  nursing 
mother  or  about  to  become  one,  the  theory  of  a  scarcity  of  bulls  could 
not  be  maintained.  An<l  alter  the  passions  and  jirejudices  existing  on 
the  seal  islands  in  ISKO  cooled  down  or  had  ceased  to  exist,  Mr.  Klliott 
made  an  aflidavit  in  which  he  says: 

A  It  IT  carcriilly  fxaiiiininji-  tlio  situation,  artiiai  rcconls.  ami  trust  worthy  tcHtiuiony 
of  lueu  fuga};r<l  in  scaliuK  witii  wlioui  I  liav«  <'<inv«irHi!il,  anil  also  I'roiu  kiiowhMJjjc  of 
the  iui>;rator,v  lialiit  ami  itcculiar  rjrc-uiiiHtam'cs  of  Hcal  lil'r,  I  am  of  tliu  o])inion  tliat 
iiu('li(>t'k*'(l  jx'laiiic  scaling  is  suro.  s|h'(mIv  (It'structinii  of  tlio  I'riliilof  lionl  of  fur 
Buals;  tiutt  if  allo\v(Ml  to  coiitiuuc  and  Mio  lleut  incrt-ascH  in  nunilicr  of  vukhoIh  anil 
incrcaH(><I  nkill  of  liuntcrs,  even  thou<>;li  tliu  |ii'Osi'nt  nioilns  vivcmli  slioulil  remain  in 
forct'.  it  \voul<l  result  in  tlio  uttrr  rommorcial  ruin  of  tli<-  lii-ni;  that  in  onhir  to  pre- 
sorvi'  the  seals  from  comph-ttMlfstrurtioii,  aw  a  romnii'rcial  factor,  it  in  nrcfMsary  that 

1)ola};ii'  sr.'iiini!;' hIiouIiI  not  only  lie  |iroiiiliit)'<l  in  Itcriu^  S(*a,  hut  nlao  in  tlio  North 
?ai  ilic  Irom  the  Ist  of  Ma,\  until  tim  t'lxl  of  (WtolKM.  annnally.  'i'he  ])i>la);ic  hunters 
to-day  kill  at  least  !Ml  |»rr  cent  eo\v«  (the  <^roat  majority  UeljiK  witli  young, noiirly 
rca<ly  for  delivery)  in  the  I'aeilie  Oce  in. 

Ah  the  phyaieal  conditiouH  are  Hiuh  that  it  in  utterly  impoHHllde  to  ilistriminate  in 
matters  of  sex  or  n^e  when  siiootiug  or  Hpeariii};  in  the  water,  it  is  evident  that 

Iiela^iesealiiii;  can  not  he  refrulatiul  in  the  slin;htest  degree  heyond  itH  complete  )*ro- 
libition  within  certain  limitH.     iKlliott'H  aOidavit,  li-dJ\  see  Appendix.) 


SKAI,    LIl'K    ON    TIIK    I'laiUI.OF    ISLANDS. 


m 


illing 
thus 

with 
been 
/ered 
the 
them 
rsiiijj 
coiihl 
Iff  on 
llliott 


mony 
iljjc  <»(■ 
II  that 
of  fur 
Ih  aiul 
mill  ill 
<>  iiro- 

V  tllllt 

North 
inters 
loiirly 

lite  in 

that 

0  pro- 


of all  the  tcstiinoiiy  coMccted  iliiiiiij^  tiic  iMi-piiration  ol'  tlic  ('nited 
Statt's  civse  lor  tiie 'riibmial  of  Arbitiatioii,  I  know  of  nothini;  rlcarer 
or  more  explicit  than  tliis  of  Mr.  Miliott,  ami  to  me  it  seems  pitifnl, 
indeed,  that  one  wlio  has  sneli  a  grasp  of  the  snbjtu't,  and  tliealiiiity  to 
express  it  so  \veii,slionld  havebeen  allnred  Wtr  a  moment  from  tlu'itlaiii 
path  of  fact  toloilow  tin'  ignis  fatniis  of  theory  tiircnigh  so  many  lanes 
and  iiyways  to  the  sorrow  of  so  many  of  iiis  Iriends  ami  admirers. 

IJeading  iiis  ditferent  i>aiiers,  in  tlie  liglit  of  snbseqnent  events,  their 
pernsal  nndces  one  feel  sorry,  indeed,  tiiat  he  did  not  atlopt  W  ebster's 
views  and  follow  his  advice?  when  tiie  old  veteran  sealer  con  veised  with 
him  on  .St.  (iecn-ge  Island  that  LVJtii  day  of  .Inly,  l.Sl»(>.  uf  which  Mr. 
hllioti  writ«>s: 

ll.iliirl  \\('l)stt'r  is  the  vi'ttTiili  wliitt;  ■sciilfr  on  tlicsn  isl;imls.  lid  ciiiiif  to  >t.  I'iilll 
Islanil  in  IStiS,  jiiitl,  sa\o  tlic  st'iiMnii  ol'  IHTti  i  lln'ii  on  ii  tri|.  to  tin^  U'ussiiin  .seal  islantln), 
lu!  lias  been  st'aliii}^  here  i^ver  since,  lieiiij:  in  flKir;;t'  of  llic  work  at  Northeast  Point 
uiiiinallv  until  this  snnniicr  ol'  Isilii,  nyIumi  lu- liasconilticti'il  tlic  Killin<{  on  St.  (ieiir;;e. 

Ilcspoki;  \  ei'.v  freely  to  nie  this  al'teiiioon  while  eallin^  on  ine,  and  said  there  is  iio 
use  trying;  to  Iniild  thest;  rookeries  np  a;;ain  so  as  to  seal  here,  aa  lias  lieeii  done  since 
IStiS.  nnless  these  aniiiiuls  are  proteeted  in  the  North  I'ueilie,  ()i(!aii  as  well  as  in 
Heiiny;  Sea;  on  this  point  the  old  man  was  very  enipliatie.  (IJliott's  report  for 
1S!I(),  p.  250.) 

Wliat  wonder  is  it  tliat  Webstei-  should  have  been  emphatic  in  his 
remarl<s  on  pelagic  sealing?  l-'or  more  tlian  fifty  years  lie  has  lieeu  iu 
Bering  Sea,  thirty  yetirs  of  whii-li  have  been  spent  iiiiioiig  the  fur  seals 
of  whicii  he  Ims  had  tin' practical  management,  and  handled  ;ind  killed 
more  of  them  than  tiny  other  living  man. 

A  plain,  l>lnnt,  roiigli,  practical  seaman,  honest  jiiid  patriotic  to  the 
core,  he  conld  not  be  wheedled  into  new-langled  notions  or  airy  theories 
which  are  repngnant  to  good,  comimMi  sense,  and  .so  he  makes  oath  that: 

My  ohservation  has  been  that  there  was  an  exjiansioii  of  tli(!  rookeries  from  ls70 
to  1S7!I,  whieh  fact  I  attrilnit<'  to  the  earefnl  m;iiiai;eiiii  nt  of  the  islands  by  the 
I'nitetl  .states  (iovernme.iit.  '     There  was  never,  while  1  have  been  upon  tlio 

islaiid>,  any  scarcity  of  vi^roroiis  bulls,  there,  always  beinn'  a  millieient  niiiiiber  to 
fertili/e  all  the  I'ows  eoiiiinj;  to  the  islands. 

'I'he  se.'ison  of  ISltl  showeil  that  male  seals  had  certainly  been  in  Mnllicient  number 
the  year  before,  because  the  pups  on  the  rookeries  were  as  many  as  should  be  for  the 
iiiiiiibcr  of  cows  landiiiLT,  the  ratio  beinji  the  same  as  in  former  years. 

'I'heii,  too,  there  WiS  a  surplus  of  vi;;orons  bulls  in  1S!*1  who  could  (ddaiii  no  cows. 
'  "  '  At  Zapad'iie,  on  St.  (ieor<;e,  the  drive  to  the  killini;  irrouinls  is  less  than  s\ 
mile.  The  seals  ar^'  now  beini;  killed  there  instead  of  beiiij^  driven  across  the  islantl, 
as  they  were  jirioi  to  1S7S,  when  it  took  three  diiys  to  make  the  Jourinty. 

At  Northeast  I'oint  rookery,  on  St.  I'anl  Island,  the  lonH;est  drive  is  '2  miles.  la 
former  times  tin  KMissians  used  to  driv(i  from  this  rookery  to  St.  I'aul  villaiio,  a  ilis- 
tance  of  IJi  milts.     (See  Webster's  allidavit,  A|)pendis.) 

Yes,  let  it  n'>t  be  forgotten  for  a  moment  that  from  the  first  taking  of 
fur  .seals  for  their  skins  on  the  I'ribilof  Islamls  to  1S(».S  they  were  driven 
a  distiince  of  \'2\  miles — or  from  entl  to  end  of  .St.  I'anl  ishind — and 
that  uo  distinction  of  sex  was  made,  male  and  female  being  driven  and 
sliinghtered  indiscriminately,  until  the  almost  total  extitu-timi  of  the 
species  in  lS34eonipelletl  the  IJnssian  Ainericiin  Company  to  investigate 
the  ciiu.se  of  the  decrease,  which  rcsiilt<'d  in  [irohibiting  the  killing  of 
females  forever  afterwa  ds. 

It  seems  that  in  spite  of  their  igmiraiit  and  biirbaions  nu^thods  and 
their  possible  lack  of  sc'ientilic  iicunu'n,  these  b'ussians  were  pracrtical 
fellows  after  all,  for  the  seipiel  certainly  shows  that  the  plan  iidoptcd 
by  them  of  saving  and  pr<>tecting  the  female  was  the  tiiie  one.  Mr. 
Elliott's  own  estimates  show  that  from  IH-'i')  to  ISSl  the  herds  had 
steadily  increased  up  to  .1,()(K>,0(M>  seals,  or  up  to  a  point  beyond  which 
it  Wits  impossible  to  go.    Speaking  of  the  increase  of  seid  life,  he  teilsus: 

I  mil  free  to  say  that  it  is  not  within  the  power  of  human  maiiajremeiit  to  promote 
this  uiid  to  tbe  slightest  tippreciublu  degree  over  its  present  extent  und  couditioD  as 


;r 


rr 


62 


SKAK    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


it  HtaiMls  ill  the  .sfatt*  of  iiatun-  liortitofonf  ilescribeil.  It  can  not  fail  to  bo  evident, 
from  my  detailed  narration  of  tlit;  liahits  and  life  of  the  fur  seal  un  these  islands 
during  NO  lar;;e  a  part  of  every  year,  that  could  man  iiave  the  same  snoervision  and 
coutrol  over  this  animal  during  tlu^  whole  season  which  hi;  lias  at  his  command 
while  they  visit  the  land  he  mit;ht  <-aiiNe  them  to  multiply  and  increase!,  as  lie  would 
so  many  catth-.  to  an  iuclelinite  number,  only  limited  by  time  and  the  means  of  feed- 
in;;  them.  Knt  tlii>  case  in  i|ueHt!on.  unfortunately,  is  one  where  the  fur  seal  in 
taken,  by  demands  for  food,  at  least  six  months  out  of  every  year,  far  beyond  the 
rea<di  or  even  co^ni^^ance  of  any  man,  where  it  is  all  this  time  exposed  to  nuiny 
known  powerful  and  destructive  natural  enemies,  and  probably  many  others,  eipially 
8o,  unknown,  which  prey  u))on  it,  and,  in  aci'ordance  with  that  well-recogni/.ed  law 
of  nature,  keeps  this  seal  life  at  a  certain  number— at  a  li;j;ure  which  has  been 
reached  for  ajjcs  jjast,  and  continue  to  be  in  tlm  future,  as  fara.s  they  now  are — their 
present  inaximuui  limit  of  increase,  namely,  between  4,<X)i),<KM)  and  .5,(HH),()0l)  seals,  in 
round  numbers.  This  law  hcdds  nrood  every  w'jre  tlirou;;liont  the  animal  kingdom, 
re;;ulatiii;r  and  preserving;  the  ei|uilibrinm  of  life  in  the  state  of  nature.  Did  it  not 
hold  good  these  seal  islands  and  all  Hcrin;;  >Sea  would  have  been  literally  covered, 
and  have  Hwarmed  like  the  medusa-  of  the  waters,  loni;  before  the  Russians  diseov- 
4M'ed  them.  Hut,  aecordin;;  to  the  silent  testimony  of  the  rookeries,  which  have  been 
abandoned  by  the  seals,  and  the  noisy,  emphatii;  assuranei;  of  those  now  oixupied, 
there  were  no  more  seals  when  lirst  seen  hen^  by  liumati  eyes  in  17Wi  and  \1H7  than 
there  arc  n(jw  In  ISSI,  .as  far  as  all  evidence  •toes.  (l';iliott's  .Seal  Islands  of  .Alaska, 
p.  66.) 

VVliiit  SI  I'it.v  it  i.s  Mint  Mr.  lOIliott  should  have  forgotten  in  1890  the 
fact  tiiat  tlie  loii;;  drives  of  lioiii  <•  to  12  miles  were  continued  by  the 
Kussians  as  long  ;is  they  were  in  jw»ssessj(tn  of  the  islands,  and  that 
from  18(»8  to  18S1  the  Americans  killetl,  aiiMiially,  10(>,0(H)  young  male 
Heals  without  <-aiising  diminution  or  decrea.se,  tind  that  during  the  entire 
forty-.seven  yeai-s,  from  is.il  to  lS.Si,  the  hen.  increased  to  marvelous 
proportions  in  spite  of  the  long  drives  an<l  tlie  killing  of  so  many  young 
males,  until,  as  he  himself  .--^ays,  ''there  were  no  more  .seals  when  fir.st 
seen  here  l>y  huntan  eyes  in  ITStJ  and  1787  than  tliere  aie  now  in  188], 
as  far  as  all  evidence  lities.'* 


>/ 


DECREASK  OF  SEALS — LACK  (»F  MALE  I  IE  NOT  THE  CAUSE. 

In  this  <'onnection  it  may  l>e  well  to  notice  some  of  the  testimony  bear- 
ing on  this  very  question  of  ill!  excess  or  a  dearth  of  bulls  on  the  breed- 
ing grounds,  collected  by  the  United  States  when  preparing  their  ca.se 
for  submission  to  the  'rribunid  of  Arbitral  ion,  \vhere  the  British  coun- 
sel laid  such  stress  njion  .Mr.  Elliott's  rejiort  of  18".M>,  with  his  theory  of 
overdriving,  impotem^y,  <leartli  of  bulls,  innumerable  bai-ren  fenniles, 
and  a  conse(juent  tlecrease  of  tin*  .seal  herd  as  a  whole. 

In  their  report  the  Jiritish  Uering  Sea  Commissioners  say: 

Upon  the  I'ribilof  Islands  in  lH!tl  we  did  not  ourselves  note  any  ;;reat  abunduuce 
of  barren  females,  but  the  facts  in  this  nuitter  would  be  scarcely  n])parent  to  those 
not  intinnitely  couneeted  with  the  rocdvcries  for  nuirc!  than  a  siii<;lc  year.  In  his 
oflicial  re]iort  on  the  couilltion  of  the  islands  in  lKi)(),  .Mr.  Klliott  states  that  there  were 
then  250,<M)0  females  ''not  bearin;;  or  liot  served  last  year  and  this,"  but  h(>  does  not 
explain  in  what  way  this  nunuMical  (estimate  was  arrived  at.  (K'epoit  ot  Itritish 
Connnissioners,  sec.  \'Xi,  p.  77.) 

Not  only  did  they  not  note  "  any  great  abundance  of  barren  females," 
but  it  is  an  open  (|uestion  whether  tltey  noted  any,  for  the  fact  is  there 
were  not  any  such  animals  there  to  be  seen,  but  they  gladly  tjuote  Mr. 
Elliott's  story  of  1890  about  the  2.'»0,000  barren  females  which  lie  observed 
on  the  i.slands. 

There  was  not  a  single  day  of  the  breeding  .season  of  1891  when  some 
of  the  lour  Treasury  agents  were  not  out  on  the  rookeries  making  care- 
ful examinatimi  of  the  condition  of  seal  life  thereon,  and,  although  I 
was  one  of  the  four,  I  have  yet  to  hear  the  lirst  word  from  any  of  them, 
or  from  any  one  else  who  has  ever  been  on  a  rookery  (excepting  Mr. 
Klliott),  about  barren  females. 


H 


SKAL    LIKE    ON    THK    PRIHILOI"    ISLANDS. 


G3 


>/ 


It  has  been  amply  deinonstiatt'd  by  ditt'ereiit  iiidividiiiils,  iiiid  in  many 
ways,  that  tliere  was  not  a  sha<ls)w  of  truth  in  Mr.  ICIIiott's  tiu'ory,  and 
many  of  his  own  most  intimate  friends  and  follow  \v<M-kers,  who  are  well 
ijualilu'd  to  si>eak  as  scientists  on  the  seal  (jiiestioii,  are  amonj;  the  fore- 
most of  those  who  Hatly  cuntradi<t  him  on  that  point. 

Prof.  li.  W.  Kvermann,  of  the  United  JStates  Fish  ('ommission,  visitetl 
St.  Paul  Island  while  1  was  there  in  l.S!)-',  and  he  very  eaiefnlly  inspected 
the  seals  on  many  of  the  rookeries,  beyinniiig  July  IS  and  endiny  on 
the  31st.  iind  here  is  what  he  found: 

Lt'KANN«).V    UOOKKHV,    Jltljl  lU,  ftom  f  JO  to  4  p.  IH. 


I 

Ilari'iiis. 

;   ItiilLs. 

(  'oWS. 

li 

« 

III 
■J 

(1 

I'll 

:;ti 

IHI 

•ji 

5 
12 

u 
u 

»  . 
III.. 

11.. 

II 

llflll.s. 

Ill 

ills. 

i:i 

Cows. 

.'» 
1-J 
4 
5 
(i 

IMI 

I'lipn, 
3 

■> 

•JO 

3 

15 

5 

:ii) 

0 

loin 

1 

— 

7 

211 

f  ... 

lales," 

there 

~te  Mr. 

^erved 

li  some 

h  care- 
Ill  f?l»  T 
Ithem, 

k'  Mr- 


liKKK    lUtitK\  [l\,  Jill jl  JO,  p.  m. 

'  '  '  Many  <|iiit«'  liirgo  Imlls  \v<'re  hi-oii  aiiionjf  tln^  liiicrlitlorH,  jiimI  tlicii' im  no 
iloiilit  ill  my  iniiid  hut  that  the  niiiiiliur  of  aviiilabi*'  IhiIIh  is  considoraltly  iii)'\ri-HH  of 
tile  niiiulier  luu'cHsary  to  scrvis  tin-  cows. 

NtHMiiiAST  Point  Hooki'.uv,  Jiili/  ;i.i. 

Several  lioiii's  in  tlio  iniildlf  of  tlif  ihiy  wiTf  spent  in  <-xaniinin<>;  tlilH  rook- 
ery.    *     '     ■ 

.limt  west  of  tliiH  is  a  Itiincii  of  about  Id  ^ooil-si/cd  Itiills  tliat  liail  no  cows  alioiit 
tlicni  at  all.  TheHO  were  not  old.  sn)i(>i'aiiiinat<'d  bulls,  lint  yoiin<;,  vi<;orons  ours,  and 
iiTidoiiblcdly  well  able  to  maintain  liarcms  were  there  a  ureater  number  of  cowa. 
This  and  iiiimerons  other  similar  sijrhts  ronvinre  me  that  there  are  even  now  a  fjood 
many  more  bulls  than  are  necessary  to  ser\  c  the  cows,  f  Notes  on  the  Inr  seal,  l>y  \i, 
\V.  Kvcrniann,  C'onnter  Case,  liiited  Slates,  p. ■_'(!(.) 

And  ('.  n.  Townseiid,  of  the  Tnited  States  Fish  Commission,  who 
has  had  many  years  practical  experience  amoiij>;  fur  s«'als,  aHoat  and 
ashore,  and  who  was  on  duty  in  Bering  Sea  during  the  summer  of  1892, 
makes  allidavit  as  follows: 

.\s  already  stated  above.  I  was  attached  to  the  ste;imer  Corwiii  during  tlio  jiaat 
Slimmer,  and  1  made  :ill  the  examinations  of  the  stomachs  of  the  seal '  relerred  to  iu 
('a]itain  Iloojier's  report.  co\  erin^  in  all  IW  seals.  '  '  "  I  hes<!  seals  weie  taken  ou 
the  2il  day  of  Aiifinst,  1S.I2.  at  a  distance  of  about  17.")  miles  from  the  islands.     *     *     * 

From  the  fact  that  amoni*'  the  females  thus  takiMi  and  examined  there  wei'c  found 
mostly  niirsini;  cows,  with  a  small  number  of  vir]i;in  cows,  it  is  rcas mable  to  concliidu 
that  there  an;  practically  no  barren  feiuaUs  swimmin;:'  about  in  the  sea  unattached 
tn  the  ishinils,  or  that  at  any  rate,  if  such  seals  exist,  they  are  rarely,  if  e\er,  taken. 
In  all  my  exiterience  I  never  saw  anything;  to  lead  nie  to  the  conclusion  that  tlitMe  is 
such  a  tliiiii;  as  a  barren  female.  In  the  case  of  the  viry;in  cows,  a  carelii!  examina- 
tion of  the  ntorns  proved  them  to  be  too  immature  for  conception,  (('.  II.  Town- 
send;  see  atlidavit  in  Appendix.) 

The  testimony  of  Professor  Fverinann  and  Mr.  Townseiid  is  a  fair 
sample  of  that  given  by  naturalists  generally,  and  it  is  dnublyvalualde  in 
this  instance,  because  it  comes  from  personal  friends  of  Mr.  Klliott,  and 
from  friends  who  rather  inclined  to  his  tlieory  until  they  had  t>pportunity 
to  investigate  for  themselves,  and  to  demonstrate  to  their  own  and  the 
world's  .satisfaction  that  there  never  was  an  impotent  bull  or  a  barren 
cow  seen  on  the  breeding  grounds  or  rookeries  of  the  Pribilof  Islands 
or  in  the  waters  adjacent  thereto. 

Additional  testimony  of  tho.se  who  have  had  experience  with  the  fur 
seals,  and  whose  practical  knowledge  of  the  whole  subjectt  of  seal  life, 
its  gr»»wth,  expansion,  and  decay,  and  the  csiuses  thereof,  entitles  them 


ii? 


64 


SKAI.    LIFE    ON    THK    I'RIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


to  a  licariiii;  oti  the  point  at  issue,  is  most  rospocti'nlly  submitted  to  the 
earnest  eonsideintion  of  all  who  are  interested  in  the  peijietnation  of 
the  Aliiskan  fur  seid. 

Mr.  Joseph  Staidey-lirown,  whoalsowason  the  seal  ishmds  in  l!S!H-!»2, 
testilies  as  follows: 

No  iiitclli;r(Mit  oltserx  t-r  \M»nl«l  Uv,  s(»  bold  as  to  iiNst'it  tliiit  dnriii;;;  the  sriison  of 
IHU'J  tlicr*>  was  not  an  aliiiiKlaiu  e  of  iiialt's  of  coiiipftoiit  virility,  (lcH]iit«  tin;  occiir- 
rf'iii-i'  of  o<M-asioiial  lar.i^o  liarttiiiH.  'i'liu  a('('oiii]iaii,viii<;  |iliott>>;ra|ili.s'  show  that  fven 
at  the  h<-i<;ht  of  th*<  s<-as(>ii.  aiitl  Just  |ir(;vioii,s  to  tlio  (li^inI(■<;lation  of  tlitt  liiffiiinjir 
^roiiiiils,  then;  were,  iii)sii|i]ilii'<l  with  cowk.oM  males  which  had  takt-n  tht-ir  stand, 
and  friini  which  1  was  nnal)lc  to  drive  tlieni  with  sloin's. 

I  slionld  have  been  e\treniel,v  ^hid  to  have  been  aide  to  note  a  ;;reat  many  inoro 
lar^e  harems.  Imt  the  work  of  tin;  ])ela<;i<!  hunter  anion;;  the  females  has  been  so 
effective,  that  the  averajje  siy.<!  of  the  harems  is  ;;rowin,i{  smaller  and  smaller,  while 
the  number  of  idle  bulls  is  >teadily  increasing;. 

Tlie  abundance  of  mab- life  for  service  upon  tlio  rookeries  was  evidenced  by  the 
number  of  youn;;  bulls  which  eontiiui.-illy  sou^^ht  lodgment  upon  the  breeding 
grounds. 

It  is  highly  inipnd>alde  that  the  rookeries  have  ever  sustained  any  injury  from 
inHiitiieieiit  service  on  the  ])art  of  the  males,  tbr  any  male  that  di<I  not  possess  suf- 
licient  vitalit.v  lor  sustained  potency  would  inevitably  be  deprived  of  hi>  harem  by 
either  bis  neii;bbor  or  some  lusty  youii;;  aspirant,  .-iiid  this  disiiossessiou  would  bo 
rendered  the  more  certain  by  the  disloyaltv  of  his  consorts. 

The  seal  iM-ing  poly<;anions  in  habit,  each  male  beint;  able  to  iirovide  for  a  harem 
averaging;  twenty  or  thirty  membeis.  and  tlie  pro]iortion  <d'  male  to  female  Ixu'u 
l)eing  e(|Ual,  llieie  must  inevitably  be  lelf  a  reserve  of  young  immature  males,  the 
death  of  a  certain  ]iro])ortion  of  which  c<mld  not  in  anyway  alfcct  the  annual  su])ply 
coming  li(un  the  breeding  gr(Minds.  I'liese  conditions  existing,  the  (iovcrnment  has 
permitted  the  taking,  with  three  exce)>tio!is  up  to  IS'.'ll,  (d'  a  (|uota  of  alxmt  l(i(),(0O 
of  these  youii;;  male  seals  annually.  When  the  abundance  of  seal  life,  as  e\  idciiced 
by  the  areas  formerly  occupied  by  seals,  is  consideit-d.  I  do  not  beliexe  tliat  this  eoiihl 
account  for  or  ]day  any  a)ipr(!ciable  part  in  the  diminution  of  the  herd.  "     ' 

From  my  knowledge  of  the  vitality  of  seals.  I  do  not  1  elieve  iiiiy  injury  ever 
occurred  to  tin;  re))ioductive  jxiwcra  id'  the  male  seals  from  redriving  that  would 
retaril  tin;  increase  ol'  the  herd,  and  that  the  driving  id'  ISiK)  necessary  to  secure 
about  :^L',(MMI  skins  ccuild  not  liaxe  caused  nor  ]>liiyed  any  important  part  iu  tlie 
decrease  that  w;ls  ap])arent  on  every  hand  last  year. 

Karp  Buterin,  native  chief  of  St.  Piiul  Island  (see  Appendi.v): 

I'lenty  of  bulls  all  the  time  on  the  rookeries,  and  plenty  bulls  have  no  cows.  I 
never  seen  a  3-year  idd  cow  without  a  pup  in  July ;  only  2-year-olds  have  no  pups. 

II.  N.  riiirk,  lociil  UjL>«'iit  for  lessees: 

I  never  noticed  any  disproportion  of  the  sexes  tliiit  would  lead  nie  to  sus]iect  that 
the  bull  seals  were  too  few,  nor  more  than  nn  occasional  barren  (U)w'.  Tlieije  latter 
were  so  few  as  to  excite  no  remark,  but  if  any  such  di>proportion  di<l  in  fact  exist 
in  \HHH  and  in  ISS!),  it  was  the  fault  of  those  who  killed  them  at  sea,  because'  it  never 
oceiirred  at  all  until  the  marine  hunters  became  numerous  and  aggressive.  I  mention 
this  matter  here,  because  since  1  Icit  the  island  I  have  heard  it  asserted  that  the  mis- 
management there  caused  thedeerease  of  seal  .'ife.  The  niauageinent  there  was  Just 
siicb  us  1  woiibl  follow  if  all  the  seals  bebuiged  to  me. 

C.  L.  Fowler,  loeal  ajjent  for  k"   '  es: 

I  never  saw  ■•my  impotent  l)nlls  on  tin  .ookeries,  and  do  not  believe  there  ever  was 
any,  unless  it  was  the  result  of  age;  nor  do  I  believe  that  ycnuig  imtle  seals  were  ever 
reudered  impotent  by  driving.  'I'berc  has  always  been  a  ]>lenty  of  bulls  on  the  rook- 
eries for  breeding  ])urposes  ever  since  i  have  been  on  the  islands. 

John  I'ratis,  native  sealer,  St.  I*aiil  Island: 

I  never  knew  (d"  a  time  when  there  w«mo  ncd,  plenty  of  bulls  for  all  the  cows,  and 
I  never  saw  a  cow  sejil,  <'xeept  a  2-year  old,  without  a  jnip  by  her  side  in  the  jiropet 
season.  I  mver  heard  tell  of  an  impident  bull  seal,  uor  do  I  believe  here  is  such  a 
thing,  exce))ting  the  very  old  and  feeble  or  badly  wounded  ones.  I  have  seen  hun- 
dreds of  idle  vigorous  bulls  upon  thi'  rookeries,  and  there  were  no  cows  for  them.  1 
saw  many  such  bulls  last  year. 


4 

4 


'Not  Kiven  here. 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PRIIJILOF    ISLANDS. 


65^ 


lect  that 
latter 
.  cxi«t 

I  IlOVtT 

iifiitiou 

tilt'  iiiis- 

asjust 


kvs,  uihI 
proper 
Hiicli  a 
i<  hiiii- 

lOIII.       1 


4 


4 


II.  N.  Gliddeii,  Treasury  ageut: 

Dnriu};  these  years  there  wiw  always  n  HiiHleieiicy  of  vi>;oroim  male  life  to  serve  all 
the  female  seals  which  eaiiie  to  tlie  islands,  and  certainly  during;  this  period  seal  life 
was  not  ail'etted  by  any  deticieiicy  of  males. 

Alex.  Ilansson: 

The  orders  of  the  boss  of  the  gang  in  which  I  worked  in  l^S  and  1^8!),  nuder  the 
management  of  the  Alaska  L'oniniercial  Company,  were  not  to  kill  the  o-year-old 
bulls,  becanse  they  were,  be  said,  ueedc<l  on  the  rookeries. 

Aggei  Kusheii,  native  sealer,  St.  Paul  Island: 

W*^  noticed  idle,  vigorous  bulls  on  the  breeding  rookeries,  because  of  the  scarcity 
of  cows,  and  I  have  noticed  that  the  cows  have  decreased  steailily  every  year  since 
IHHti,  but  more  particularly  so  in  1SS8,  1HS!«,  18t)(),  and  1M!)L 

II.  U.  Mclntyre,  general  superintendent  Alaska  Conimercial  Com- 
pany: 

And  I  am  satisfied  a  sufficient  number  of  males  was  always  reserved  for  future 
breeding  jiurposes. 

That  during  the  twenty  years  I  was  ui»on  said  I'ribilof  Islands  as  general  agent  of 
said  Alaska  Commercial  Company  there  were  reserved  upon  the  breeding  rookeries 
upon  said  islands  sufficient  vigorous  bulls  to  serve  the  number  of  females  upon  said 
rookeries:  that  while  I  was  located  upon  said  islands  there  was  at  all  times  a  greater 
numlierof  adult  nuile  seals  than  was  necessary  to  fertilixe  the  females  who lianled 
upon  said  rookeries,  and  that  there  w  as  no  time  when  there  were  not  vigorous  bulls 
on  the  rookeries  who  were  unable  to  obtain  female  <'onsorts. 

So  well  was  this  necessity  for  reserving  sufficient  mature  male  life  recogui/.ed  that 
when  in  18S7,  1X,S8,  and  188!t  the  depleted  rookeries  (dcjtleted  from  causes  that  will 
be  cx]ilained  further  on)  would  not  furnish  the  quota  of  100,(KX)  large  skins,  2  and 
3  year-old  male  seals  were  taken  to  nuike  up  the  i|Uota  in  preference  to  trenching 
upon  this  reserve  of  maturer  male  life. 

The  ])olicy  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  during  the  whole  period  of  its 
lease  was,  as  might  be  naturally  expected,  to  obtain  the  best  possible  skins  for 
market  and  at  the  same  time  preserve  the  rookeries  against  injury,  for  it  was  not 
only  in  their  interests  to  be  able  to  secure  every  year,  until  the  expiration  of  the 
lease,  the  full  (piota  allowed  by  law,  but  they  conlidently  expected,  by  reason  of 
their  good  management  of  the  business  and  faithful  fultillnn^nt  of  every  obligation 
to  the  (iovernment,  to  obtain  the  franchise  for  a  second  term.  I  was,  therefore, 
always  alert  to  see  that  the  due  ])roportion  of  breeding  males  of  serviceable  age 
was  allowed  to  return  to  the  rookeries.  This  was  a  comparatively  easy  task  prior 
to  188:^,  but  became  from  year  to  year  more  difficult  as  the  seals  decreased.  No  very 
explicit  orders  were  given  to  the  bosses  upon  this  point  until  1888,  becanse  the  bulls 
seemed  to  be  plentiful  enough,  and  becanse  it  was  easier  to  kill  and  skin  a  small  seal 
than  a  large  one,  and  the  natives  were  inclined,  for  this  reason,  to  allow  the  large 
ones  to  escape;  but  in  1888  anil  1889  there  was  such  a  marked  scarcity  of  breedius 
males  upon  the  rookeries  that  I  gave  strict  orders  to  spare  all  5-year-old  bulls  and 
confine  the  killing  to  smaller  animals. 

Anton  Melovedoff,  native  chief  of  St.  Paul  Island : 

I  have  never  known  or  heard  tell  of  a  time  when  there  were  not  bulls  enough  and 
to_  spare  on  the  breeding  rookeries.  I  never  saw  a  cow  3  years  old  or  over  in  August 
witiiout  a  pup  by  her  side.  The  only  cows  on  a  breeding  rookery  without  pups  are 
the  virgin  cows  who  have  come  there  for  the  tirst  time.  I  never  went  onto  a  rook- 
ery in  the  breeding  season  when  I  could  not  have  counted  plenty  of  the  idle,  vigor- 
ous bulls  who  had  no  cows. 

Talk  of  epidemics  among  seals  and  of  impotent  bulls  on  the  rookeries,  but  those 
who  have  spent  a  lifetime  on  the  seal  islands  and  wh«)8e  business  and  duty  it  has 
been  to  guard  and  observe  them  have  no  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  either.  An 
impotent  bull  dare  not  attempt  to  go  on  a  rookery  even  had  he  a  desire  to  do  so. 
Excepting  the  extremely  old  and  feeble,  I  have  never  seen  a  bull  that  was  impotent. 

Simeon  Melovidov,  native  school  teacher,  St.  Paul  Island : 

Nor  is  there  any  shadow  of  fact  for  the  idle  statement  made  from  time  to  time 
about  a  dearth  of  bulls  on  the  rookeries  or  of  impotent  bulls. 

I  have  talked  to  the  old  men  of  our  people,  men  who  can  remember  back  over  fifty 
years,  and  not  one  of  them  knows  of  a  time  when  there  was  not  plenty  of  bulls,  and 
more  than  enough  on  the  breeding  rookeries,  and  no  one  here  ever  heard  of  an  impo- 
tent bull.    *    *    *    It  has  been  said  that  cows  are  barren  sometimes  because  of  the 

S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 5 


•a 


m  ill 


i  I 


66 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THK    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


«k-artb  of  hiillN,  Imt  niicU  Ih  not  tli*;  case  at  nil,  for  t\w  oiilv  cowh  on  tliu  lirctMling 

ii-ol<l» 
come  on  tlio  rooki-rioM  lor  tbe  first  tinn 


rookcrioH  in  .Inlv  or  Aiif^uHt  williont  ]>ii|is  ant  tlit>  :^-,veui 


8  (virgins),  whicii  have 
Alaska  Coininercial 


T.  V.  Morgan.  t'ortMnaii  on   I'riliilof  islaiuls  tor 

Coin))aiiy : 

Despitt'  the  hiwerini'  on  the  stiinilaiil  wcijrht  of  skins,  I'uro  was  taken  annually  on 
St.  (!»'or<je  that  the  residiif  of  avaiialilo  inalf  lirmlcrs  was  sntlicieiit  for  the  needs 
of  the  rookerit's,  antl  instrnctionH  to  that  cttVi-t  were  ){iven  to  the  asHistants  by  tlie 
Huperintendent  ol  the  Alaska  Ciininicrrial  Company,  in  thiu  we  were  aided  by  tbe 
inac^cessible  character  of  Home  of  the  hauling  ^roiindH. 

I.  H.  Moulton,  Trt'a.siiry  anient: 

During  thcHe  years  therti  were  always  a  snllllciency  of  male  seals  for  lireeding  pur- 
poses, and  in  every  yrtiv  I  saw  great  numbers  of  idle,  vigorous  bulls  about  and  back 
of  the  breotling  grounds  which  were  unable  to  obtain  females, 

S.  1{.  Nt'ttletoii,  Treasury  a<;«'iit: 

During  my  stay  <m  the  islamis  I  have  never  seen  a  time  during  the  breeding  season 
when  there  has  not  been  a  number  of  large,  vigorims  ycuing  bulls  hanging  al>out  the 
borders  of  thi^  rookeries  watching  for  an  opportunity  to  get  a  ])ositiou  of  their  own. 

L.  A.  Xoyes,  M.  I),  (svv  aHidavit  in  Appendix): 

The  "dearth  of  bulls  theory"  has  been  thoioughly  and  imimrlially  investigated 
without  discovering  a  cow  of  It  years  idd  or  over  on  the  rookeries  without  a  )iup  by 
her  side  at  the  proper  time,  and  I  am  convinced  that  the  virgin  females  (coming  onto 
the  rookeries  for  tin;  tiist  rime  are  the  only  ones  to  Ix;  found  there  without  |mi]>n. 

The  investigation  established  the  additional  fact  that  hundreds  of  \  igorous  bulls 
TVere  lying  idle  en  the  rookeries  without  eows,  and  many  others  had  to  content  them- 
selves with  only  one  or  two. 

The  theory  of  "impoteney  of  the  bull  through  ov<rdriving"  while  young  was  also 
found  to  be  untrue,  an<I  it  was  shown  that  after  1S7H  all  long  tlrives  on  both  islands 
had  been  abolished,  and  instead  of  driving  seals  from  ii  to  12  mihvs,  as  was  done  in 
Russian  times,  none  were  driven  to  exceed  'Jk  miles. 

It  is  also  a  well-know  n  fact  that  none  luit  the  jdiysically  strong  and  aggressive 
bulls  can  hold  a  position  on  the  rookeries,  and  that  a  weak  or  an  impotent  animal 
bos  no  desire  to  go  there. 

J.  ('.  Itedpatli,  lessee's  aj,'ent  at  tlie  .-  1  islands  (see  aftidavit  in  Ap- 
pendix): 

A  dearth  of  bulls  on  the  breeding  rookeries  was  a  ]»et  theory  of  one  or  two  tran- 
sient visitois,  but  it  only  needed  a  thorough  investigation  of  the  condition  of  the 
rookeries  to  convince  the  nu>st  skt^jitieal  that  there  were  ])lenty  of  bulls,  and  to  spare, 
and  that  hardly  a  eow  <-ould  be  found  on  the  rookeries  without  a  pup  at  her  side. 

For  five  years  I  have  given  this  ]iarticular  subject  my  most  earnest  attention,  and 
every  succeeding  year's  experience  has  convineecl  nu'tbat  there  is  not  and  never  was 
a  dearth  of  bulls.  The  theory  of  imjiotencN  of  the  young  bulls  be(^anse  of  overdriving 
when  young  is  not  worthy  of  consideration  by  any  sane  or  honest  man  who  has  ever  seen 
a  bull  seal  on  a  breeding  rookery;  aiul  as  I  have  already  answered  the  questiun  of 
overdriving,  I  will  only  .add  here  that  no  young  bull  over  goes  upon  the  breeding 
rookery  until  he  is  able  to  tight  bis  way  in,  and  an  impotent  bull  has  no  desire  to 
tight,  nor  could  he  win  a  position  on  the  rookery  were  he  to  attempt  it.  The  man 
is  not  alive  who  over  saw  a  6  or  7  year  old  seal  impotent. 

B.  F.  Scribner,  Treasury  agent: 

There  was  always  in  both  seasons  a  great  suttieiency  of  adult  males  to  servo  all  the 
females  coming  to  the  island,  and  I  noticed  each  year  a  great  number  of  idle,  vigorous 
bulls  beliiml  the  breeding  grounds  who  could  not  obtain  consorts,  and  one  of  these 
extra  bulls  always  took  the  place  of  an  old  male  unable  longer  to  be  of  use  for 
breeding  purposes. 

J)aniel  Webster,  lessees'  agent  at  the  seal  islands  (see  affidavit  in 
Appendix) : 

There  was  never  while  I  have  been  on  the  islands  any  scarcity  of  vigorous  bulls, 
tliere  always  being  a  suHicieut  number  to  fertilize  all  the  cows  coming  to  the  islands. 
It  was  always  borne  in  mind  by  those  on  the  islands  that  a  sutHcieut  number  of  males 
must  be  preserved  for  breeding  ])urposes,  and  this  accounts  jtartly  for  the  lowering 
of  the  standard  weight  of  skins  in  1888.  The  season  of  18!)1  showed  that  nuile  seals 
had  certainly  been  in  sufficient  number  tbe  year  before,  because  the  pups  on  the 
rookeries  were  as  many  as  should  be  for  the  number  of  cows  landing,  the  ratio 
being  the  same  as  in  former  years.  Then,  too,  there  was  a  surplus  of  vigorous  bulls 
in  1891  who  could  obtain  no  cows. 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIUILOF    I8LANDH. 


if 


W.  n.  Williams,  Treusiiry  agent: 

|)ni'iii>;  tlif  MeuMoii  ot'  IWM  lusirly  cverv  iniitnrc  I't'iiiale  cuniing  iipon  tin-  rnokerina 
^iivi-  Itii'tli  to  II  yoiiii^  sciil,  »ihI  tlien^  wiih  Krcut  aliiiiiilaiiitt  ofinali-N  olHiitlkiciit  age 
to  ttfiiiiii  yo  upon  the  hrcciliiin  ^roiiiDlH  tliat  \«'ar,  as  was  sliowii  liy  tlif  iiialiility  of 
lar;;i'  iiuiiiliers  of  tiK'in  to  Hc<'iire  more  tliaii  one  to  livt>  rows  *>Mt'li,  wliileqiiittMi  iniin- 
lit'i-  (Miiilil  sei'iirt-  iioiii-  at  all.  My  iiivrHti^atloii  i-nntiriiis  wiiat  has  liceii  so  otteii  Hniil 
b,v  othvrs  will)  have  ru|iort*-(l  ii|ioii  this  siiltjt'ct,  an<l  tliut  is  that  the  I'liWilot'  litlaiiils 
nn>  thit  ;;rt<at  hrecdiii;;  KroiinilH  of  the  fur  seals,  and  tliat  th<\v  can  he  reared  in^reut 
nniiihers  on  Haid  iHlands,  an<l  at  the  same  time,  under  wise  and  JndieionHrestrictionH, 
a  certain  nuniher  of  male  seals  can  he  killed  Ironi  year  to  year  without  injury  to  the 
hree<lin>;  herds,  and  their  Hki lis  disposed  of  foreoniniercial  purposes,  therchy  linilding 
ii|i  and  perpetuating;  tliis  );reat  industry  iiidetinitely,  nn«l  tliiis  adiliii);  to  tii<>  wealth, 
happiness,  ami  comfort  of  the  civili/ed  woild,  wliile,  on  the  other  hand,  if  |iehigic 
hunting;  of  this  animal  is  to  continue,  and  the  harharous  ]iractice  of  killing  the 
mother  seal  with  her  nnhorn  youiiir,  or  when  she  is  rearing  it,  is  to  go  on,  it  will  be 
Imt  a  Vi  ry  short  tinx  hefore  the  fur  seal  will  ]iraeticnlly  lieconie  extinct  and  this  vnl- 
iiahle  imlnstry  will  jiass  out  of  existence. 

There  is  the  testimoiiyoflwM'iity  men  who  have  beeimii  tlieseal  islands 
for  years,  some  of  tlieni  being  boiii  anil  raise«l  there,  and  several  of  thent 
liavinj:'  hatl  from  fifteen  to  twenty-live  years  experience,  while  every  one 
of  them  have  been  tlireetly  interested  in  the  bnsines.s  cither  for  the 
(lovernnient  or  for  the  lessees,  and  two  of  them,  at  least,  are  natural- 
ists of  repute,  who  could  wnt  l»e  induced  under  any  circumstanees  to 
vary  from  the  truth  and  fa<'ts  as  they  tound  them. 

1  have  made  the  (luotations  from  the '•(,'a.seof  the  Unitetl  States,"  as 
it  was  prepared  for  the  Tniti'd  States  ijounsel  before  the  Tribunal  of 
Arbitration,  and  I  (;ould  quote  many  others  to  the  same  purpose  were 
it  necessary. 

IJein;,'  personally  acquainted  with  most  of  the  gentlemen  named,  and 
knowinj;  the  truth  of  their  several  statements,  I  tleeni  it  quite  unneees- 
sary  to  add  another  name  from  the  scores  at  hand. 

DEAD   Pl'l'S. 

Assuming  then  that  the  "dearth  of  bulls''  theory  has  been  disproved 
and  disposed  of,  we  will  now  take  up  the  subject  of  dead  pn])s  on  the 
islands,  and  .show  that  until  the  work  of  the  pelagic  sealer  in  IJering 
Sea  became  an  industry  of  some  importance,  dead  i»ups  by  the  thousands, 
or  l)y  the  acre,  were  unheard  of  aiul  unknown;  but  as  thepelagie  sealing 
industry  flourished  an«l  grew,  and  the  fleet  of  schooners  midtiplied  and 
dtnibled  in  numbers  from  year  to  year,  the  numL>er  of  dead  pups  was 
found  to  increa.sc  on  the  rookeries  in  the  same  pr<>portion. 

That  this  ]>n)i)08ition  has  been,  and  may  still  be,  denied  by  the  inter- 
ested ones;  that  uumi  nniy  be  tbund  who  will  swear  to  the  contrary  is 
already  conceded  by  me,  for  I  have  met  them  who  did  it;  but,  iu  every 
instance,  they  were  men  who.se  whole  interest,  capital,  and  labor  were 
engaged  in  the  business  of  seal  hunting,  and  who  would  follow  a  seal 
wherever  it  went,  on  land  or  water,  uidess  the  strong  hand  of  a  i)ower 
superior  to  their  own  intervened  to  prevent  them. 

Another  class,  in  whicli  are  to  l>e  found  men  of  the  highest  intelligence 
and  per.sonal  honor,  argue  that  possibly  a  stanipede  or  an  epidemic,  or 
something  else  of  which  we  may  not  be  aware,  is  at  the  bottom  of  the 
trouble. 

Of  the  hitter  class  are  the  British  Bering  Sea  Commi.ssioners,  and  I 
quote  them  in  full: 

(D-MOKTAMTV  OF  VOUNC,  SEALS  IX  1891. 

341.  In  the  season  of  18i)l  considerable  numbers  of  dead  pnps  were  found  hi  certain 
places  upon  the  rookery  groniuls  or  in  their  vicinity  and  various  hyiiotheses  were 
advanced  to  account  for  this  nnnsnal  mortality.  As  some  of  these  have  special 
bearings  on  the  general  tiuestiou  of  seal  preservation,  it  may  be  well  to  devote  a  few 
words  to  this  particular  subject. 


If 


ii 


68 


SHALL  IFK    ON    THK    IMUHILOF    ISLANDS. 


:U5.  Ill  onltT  to  I'xliiliit  tlit*  cIk  iiiimtaiKi'H  Hiiri'itiiniliii};  this  tut-t  iiimI  to  iirrive  nt  u 
^rulialile  oxpluiiutioii  ot  itH  true  intuniiiif,  it  will  In-  iintcNMaiy  in  the  IliMt  iiiNtaiice 
tii  give  in  Hiiiiiiiiaii/cil  t'orni  tiiu  oltHerviitioiia  iiikI  notes  lieuriii^  ii|iuii  it  iiuiile  on  tlie 
gruiiiiil  )i,v  onrMt'lves, 

346.  \\  lii-ii  visiting  Tolstoi  niokcry,  St.  I'anl  iHlitinl,  on  tli»  l'!)tli  ot'  ilnly,  w« 
obmM'vcd  and  I'alli'il  attiHition  to  ho\ era!  Iiiinilrcil  (lead  pup.s  wliicli  lay  Hcatlered 
about  ill  u  liiiiittMl  art^a  v>ii  a  Nniootli  h1o|>c  near  tbe  nitithi'in  or  in'and  eiitl  ol'  the 
rookery  Kronnd  mid  at  moiii<-  littlu  distaix-o  Ironi  tlie  sliore.  'I'lic  bodifH  wero  partly 
decoiii]>oHed  and  appf>ir<<l  to  have  lain  wliure  lonnd  tor  a  week  or  iiioru,  wliivli  would 
place  tbe  actual  datt-  of  ibe  dt-utb  (d  tlio  |>MpH,  say,  li«!tw<M-ii  the  l.'itb  and  20tli  of 
July.  Nidtbe:  tlio  (ioveriinit.Mt  u^rciit  who  was  witb  iih.  nor  the  nutivt's  forming  our 
boai'H  crew  lit  tbe  tini*-,  would  at  lirst  liidittvt'  tbat  tbe  oli.jectH  seiMi  on  tbe  roukory 
were  dead  pup»f,  allinnin^  that  tliey  wi-ru  stoiifs;  but  wlicn  it  liecainci'liMirly  apparent 
tbat  tins  was  not  tbe  case  tliey  could  Hii^Ucst  as  caiisi-s  of  deatb  only  overrunning 
by  IiiiHh  or  surf  aloii;r  tiic  sliore,  iicitber  one  of  wliicb  apjiearcd  to  ns  at  tbe  time  to 
be  HatiHfacttU'y.  Mr.  I).  Wcltstcr,  interro^ratcd  on  tbe  subject  some  dayn  later  un 
St.  (ieor^e  Island,  oD'eicd  merely  the  Hanie  su;:KeHtions,  hut  a  few  days  Htill  later, 
both  whites  and  natives  on  tbe  islands  were  fohiid  to  have  developed  (piite  other 
opiiiioiiH  and  to  be  reaily  to  attribute  tbe  deaths  to  the  operations  ot  iiela^ic  sealerH 
killiuK  inothera  while  olt  at  Hi-a  and  leading;  to  the  death  of  pups  from  starvation 
couHn(|ueiit  on  hiicIi  killing;. 

347.  Helievin);  the  matter  to  be  one(d'  considerable  importaiu'e,  however,  it  niiuht 
be  explained,  jtarticiilar  attention  was  ]iaid  to  it  on  Hubseipient  visits  to  rookeries. 
On  tbeHlstof  .Inly  and  the  Istof  AuKiist  the  rookeries  of  St.  Cieoi^e  were  iiis|ieeted, 
but  no  siinilar  ai>|)earabces  were  found,  nor  was  anytbiiiK  of  the  same  kind  apiin 
seen  till  tbe  4th  of  August,  on  Tolavina  rookery,  St.  I'uul  Ishind,  where,  near  tbe 
Boiitbern  extremity  of  tlie  rookery,  several  hundred  dead  pups  were  a;;ain  f'viiid  by 
us,  here  also  covering  an  area  of  limited  size,  which  we  were  able  to  examine  care- 
fully without  distuibin;:;  the  breeding;  seals.  It  was  estimated  tbat  tbe  jinps  here 
found  had  died  Itetweeii  ten  days  and  two  weeks  before,  which  would  place  the  actual 
date  of  death  at  about  tbe  same  time  with  that  of  those  tiist  rct'erred  to. 

348.  On  tbe  following  day  the  extensive  rookeries  of  Northeast  Point  were  visited 
and  examined,  but  very  few  <lead  jiups  were  anywhere  seen.  Mr.  Kowler,  in  charge 
of  these  rookeries  for  the  company,  was  specially  (luestioned  on  this  point,  and  fully 
contirmed  tbe  negative  observations  made  by  ourselves  at  the  time.  It  may  here 
be  mentioned  tbat  the  viciidty  of  Nortlieast  Point  lia<l  been  tlie  principal  and  only 
notable  locality  from  wbiih,  u]i  to  this  date,  sealing  vessels  lia<l  been  sighted  in  tbe 
otting  or  bad  Itecn  reported  as  shooting  seals  within  hearing  of  the  shore. 

349.  On  the  l!)tli  of  August,  after  a  cruise  to  tbe  northward  of  about  a  fortnight's 
duration,  we  returned  to  St.  Paul  and  on  the  same  day  revisited  Tolstoi  rookery. 
On  this  occasion  tbe  dead  pu])s  previously  noted  were  still  to  be  seen,  but  tbe  bodies 
were  flattened  out  and  more  or  less  <overcd  witb  sand  by  the  continuous  movement 
of  the  living  seals.  There  were,  however,  on  and  near  tbe  same  place,  and  particu- 
larly near  tbe  angle  between  Tolstoi  rookery  and  tbe  sands  of  English  Hay,  many 
m«>re  dead  pups,  larger  in  size  tiian  those  tirst  noted  and  scarcely  distinguishable  in 
this  respect  from  tbe  living  pups,  which  were  then  "podded  out"  in  great  numbers 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  Messrs.  Fowler  and  Murray,  who  accompanied  us 
on  this  occasion,  admitted  the  mortality  to  be  local,  and  the  first-named  gentleman 
stated  that  in  his  long  experience  he  had  never  seen  anything  of  the  kind  before,  and 
suggested  tbat  tbe  mothers  from  this  special  locality  might  have  gone  to  some  par- 
ticular "feeding  bank"  and  have  there  been  killed  together  by  sea  sealers.  On  the 
same  dav  we  visited  the  Keef  rookery  again,  and  a  search  was  made  there  for  dead 
pups,  which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  some  of  approximately  tbe  same  size  with 
those  List  mentioned,  but  probably  not  more  than  an  eighth,  and  certainly  not  more 
than  one-fourth  in  number  as  compared  witb  the  inner  end  of  the  Tolstoi  rookery 
ground,  and  proportionately  in  both  cases  to  tbe  number  of  living  jmps. 

350.  While  making  a  third  inspection  of  the  St.  Paul  rookeries  m  September,  on 
the  15th  of  tbat  month,  the  Keef  and  Northeast  Point  rookeries  were  again  specially 
examined.  The  rookery  ground  of  the  southeastern  side  of  the  Reef  Point  was 
carefully  inspected,  area  by  area,  with  tield  glasses,  from  the  various  rooky  points 
which  overlook  it,  and  from  which  the  wlude  tield  is  visible  in  detail  save  certain 
narrow,  stony  slopes  close  to  tbe  sea  edge,  where  dead  pups  might  have  been  hidden 
from  view  among  the  bowlders.  Subsequently,  tbe  northeastern  sloping  ground, 
named  Garbotch  on  the  plans,  being  at  that  date  merely  occupied  liy  scattered  groups 
of  seals,  was  walked  over.  The  result  of  tbe  inspection  was  to  show  that  there  were 
on  the  southeast  side  a  few  dozen  dead  pups  at  the  most  in  sight,  while  on  the  oppo- 
site side  perhaps  a  hundred  in  all  were  found  in  the  area  gone  over,  being,  probably, 
the  same  with  those  seen  here  the  previous  month,  and  in  number  or  contiguity  not 
in  any  way  comparable  with  those  seen  at  the  inner  end  of  Tolstoi. 

351.  On  tbe  same  day  a  final  visit  was  made  to  the  Northeast  Point  rookeries^  then 
in  charge  of  three  natives  only.    Two  of  these  men  went  over  the  ground  with  us 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    TIIK    PKMUI.lU'    ISLANDS. 


♦>9 


i 


es^  then 
with  us 


ami  were  i|ticHtioiu)il  on  varioiH  Hiili.jectH,  iiiclinliiii;;  tli:it  of  ilciiil  piijis,  lliroii;;li  oiir 
AltMit  iiiti'iprcti^r.  Tln'V  would  not  uiliiiit  that  tlu-y  liail  Mct-ii  :iii,\  Ki'cat  niiinlitM'  4if 
(Iciiil  |Hi|)H  on  the  nurtheuNt'  ]>arl  thirt  .M-ason,  anil  liiil  not  hwux  to  he  in  any  way 
inipD'HMcil  with  tile  idea  tiiat  thci'r  had  hci'ii  any  nnnsual  mortality  tlii'io.  I'hn 
j;ioiind  to  tht^  nortli  of  llutchiiiHon  Mill  was,  however,  carrfnlly  t-xamincd  liy  nft 
from  tiiu  ?«lo|)es  of  tho  hill,  and  »  fmv  drad  |in|is  wi-ru  inadit  ont  thfii'.  A;rain.  at  a 
|dai:u  to  the  north  of  Si>a  Lion  Neck  of  tin-  phuiM,  and  Ix-yond  tlir  sand  heath  upon 
whieh  hollnrtchickie  ^eni-rally  haul  out,  a  slow  advanee  wiis  niadt!  amonj;  a  lar^o 
herd  of  fcnuiles  and  pnps,  tiion;:li  jiart  of  tiiese  were  neersnarily  driven  oD'  tho 
^ronnd  in  ho  doint;.  An  oceupied  area  of  rookery  waH  thus  walked  o\i-r,  and  tho 
dead  pnpH  wliieh  a|ipeare<l  at  thi.s  spot  to  ))e  nnusiialiy  almndanl  wcreeonnted  with 
approximate  acenraey.  A  very  few  were  found  seatler<!d  over  tin' general  Hurfatru, 
Imt  on  a]i)iroa('hiiitr  thu  nliore  edjrc  an  area  of  aliont  LM),*MJ()  sijuare  feet  was  noted,  in 
wiiicii  ahoiit  llin  dead  pups  were  assemided.  Some  of  these  lay  within  iiaeh  of  tho 
Hiirf  at  lii;;h  tide.  .Most  appeared  to  iiave  lieen  dead  for  at  least  ten  days,  and  HiiV- 
eral  wore  liroken  up  and  mangled  hy  tiie  movement  oi'  the  liviiiij  seals  on  and  ahont 
them.  This  particular  loeiility  showed  a  greater  niimlter  of  d>'ad  pups  to  area  tliaii 
any  other  seen  iit  this  time  either  on  the  .Northeast  or  l{»'ef  rookei  ies,  lint  in  niimlier 
in  no  respect  comiiarahle  to  that  ]>ri^vionsly  noted  at  'I'tdstoi,  or  even  to  that  on  tho 
south  part  uf  l'<davina, 

Xt'2.  We  were  informiMl  on  this  our  lust  vi.sit  to  the  I'riltilof  Islands  thai  siihso- 
ipUMit  toourdiseovury  of  andeomments  upon  the  dead  pn|>s  at  the  two  last-mentioned 
places,  the  attention  of  Mr.  .1.  Stanley  Mrowu  (who  was  enjfay;ed  diiriiij;  the  snmmor 
in  making  a  special  examintition  of  tlie  rookeries  for  the  I'nited  States  (iovernment) 
was  called  to  the  circumstance,  and  that  he  undertook  Home  further  examination  of 
it,  of  which  the  result  will  no  doubt  eventually  he  rendere<l  available.  1  >r.  Acland, 
who  bad  Just  lieen  installed  ua  medical  ollicer  on  .'^t.  I'anl,  also  t(dd  lis  that  In;  had, 
within  a  lew  days,  examined  the  bodies  of  six  of  the  pups  t'rom  'I'ldstni,  and  that 
though  rather  too  much  decomposed  for  correct  auto]isy,  he  had  been  unable  to  lind 
any  si^^ns  of  disease,  hut  that  all  these  examined  were  very  thin  and  w  itliout  uod  ia 
the  stoMuichs. 

%:t.  It  imiy  be  imted  here  that  the  carcasses  thus  examined  must  hiive  been  those 
of  ]nips  which  had  dietl  in  the  month  of  Se|>tember,  or  when  no  sealing'  sehjoners 
remained  in  Keriii^  8ea. 

Ii.")(.  The  body  of  a  jiuit  found  by  nson  tin;  Northeast  rookery  on  the.'tth  of  AuKUst, 
which  was  still  umlecomposed,  was  jireserved  in  alcohol,  an<l  has  sincu;  lieen  sub- 
mitted t<)  Dr.  A.  (innther,  F.  I{.  S.,  of  the  Itritish  .Mnseinn,  who  kindly  olfered  to 
make  an  examination  of  it.  This  is  qnoted  at  length  in  A^tpenilix  (D).  Tluj  stom- 
ach was  found  to  contain  no  food.  The  body  was  well  nourished,  with  a  fair  amount 
of  fat  in  the  subcutaneous  tissue,  but  no  fat  about  the  abtlomiiuil  or<;ans.  The 
lnn;;s  and  windpipe  were  found  in  au  intlammatory  condition.  Kesjiectin^  the  actual 
cause  of  death,  Dr.  (iunther  says :  *' IJotli  the  alisence  of  food  as  well  as  the  condi- 
tion of  the  respiratory  orj^ans  are  sutlicicnt  to  account  for  the  death  of  the  animal; 
but  w  Inch  of  the  two  was  the  primary  cause,  preceding;  the  other,  it  is  impossible 
to  say." 

!{,">  It  would  be  inap))ropriate  here  to  enter  into  any  len^^theued  discussion  of  the 
bearinirs  of  the  above  facts  on  the  mellio<ls  of  sealinji  at  sea;  bi  t  as.  after  the  ten- 
tative adoption  of  various  hypotheses,  the  mortality  of  the  your.f^  seals  was  with  a 
rennirkablo  nmmindty  attributed  to  ])el«<{i<'  soalinjj  by  the  ^jentlemen  in  any  way 
connected  with  the  br(;edin}r  islanils,  and  as  it  has  since  been  widely  and  consistently 
advertised  in  the  i)res8  as  a  I'nrther  and  striking;  jiroof  of  the  destructiveness  of  pela- 
j;ic  sealin;;,  it  nniy  be  |»ermissible  to  allude  to  a  few  cogent  reasons,  because  of 
which  tlu^  subject  seems  at  least  to  reijuirt;  consideration  of  a  much  more  careful  and 
Bearchiu";  kind: 

(1)  The  death  of  so  many  yonn^  seals  on  the  islands  in  lX!tI  was  wholly  excep- 
tional ami  un)>rccedentcd,  and  it  occurre<l  in  the  very  season  tlurin;;  which,  in 
accordance  with  the  modus  vivendi,  every  effort  was  beinji  made  to  drive  all  pelagic 
sealers  fnun  Herinj;  Sea.  Those  fannliar  with  the  islands  were  evidently  ]>ii//.Ied 
and  surprised  when  their  attention  was  first  drawn  to  it,  and  w  ere  for  some  time  in 
doubt  as  to  what  cause  it  mi<j;ht  be  attributed. 

(L')  The  ex])Ianation  at  length  very  unanimously  concurred  in  by  them,  viz,  that 
the  young  had  died  because  their  mothers  had  been  killed  at  sea.  rests  wholly  upon 
the  assumjition  that  each  female  will  suckle  only  its  own  young  one,  an  assumption 
which  ajipears  to  be  at  lea.st  very  doubtful,  and  which  has  already  been  discussed. 

{'■<)  The  mortality  was  at  lirst  local,  and  thougli  later  a  certain  number  of  dead 
piips  were  found  on  various  rookeries  examined,  nothing  of  a  character  comparable 
with  that  on  Tolstoi  rookery  was  discovered. 

(I)  The  mortality  lirst  observed  on  Tolstoi  and  Polavina  was  at  too  early  a  date 
to  enable  it  to  be  reasonably  exi)lained  by  the  killing  of  mothers  at  sea.  It  occurred, 
as  alre.idy  explained,  about  the  l.'tth  or  liOth  of  .Inly,  at  a  time  at  which,  according 
to  the  generally  accepted  dates  as  well  as  our  own  observations  in  1891,  the  females 


I  ! 


r 


it 


M'.M,  LiKi:  «»N    riiK  pmmt.oF  isi,\m»s. 


l»!ul  !u>t  l>''i:uii  to  li'.n  i>  tlii>  ■•iiol>«'fi<v»  in  li*. ■  iit>  tiiimlit>i's,  nr,  wlicn  li>:n  ill;;  iIumii,  (o  tin 
no  iiioro  iliaa  Hwim  tvr  )>liiy  iiIumiI  i'Io.>«i<  to  ilii>  nIhmi'.  It  \\:ts  jilmiilx  iit'i-ti  si|iili-i|  tli.'it. 
Hrv'iiit  ^;i\r^  fln>  '.'.'"ill  of  .liil\  un  iIii>  o|M'nni<;  ul  tho  |irrioil  in  wliii'li  tlu>  iciiiiilfM 
!i('^;iM  to  liMNi-  the  roiikc)  i<>>^.  M;i,\li'ivii  ^l;ll^s  tltul  tlii'  Ixills.  rows,  mihI  jiiljis  i.'illllill 
witliiii  (III-  loiiKiTX  limits  It)  till'  H;itiii<  i);iir-,  \\liil<'  1  IliotI  |«l:i«'c>'  tliis  cliiiii);!'  in  llli< 
rookollt'M  )u>t«ri'ii  liic«Mnl  of  .htl\  :inil  ll<i>  ."illl  lUlil  Mil  ot  '  iijjlKt!  It  m.  liiiil't>o\  i>l', 
nrUiKiu  NmI^i'iI  Iiv  iIh'  li(>><t  .iiillioril  i«'s  tiiMt  Ilio  diitcH  in  sc;il  lilr  upon  tin-  iHliinilN 
h(tvi'  .ii<<<onu>  liiii'i   I MtluM' t li:iii  <<tn'lii't'  in  ri'icnt   vcmin,  iis  <'oiii|i;irf(l  willi   lliosi>  in 

wllicll  ih<"  tl;it<'«  ;lliii\  r  ritfil  w  t'li"  :|s<  i>rl:iillt<il .  Ill  t  IliM'ilsc  of  t  lie  iIimI  Ii  oI  |iii|is  ilftiT 
tt)t  iiii(lil!i>  ol  August,  it  nii<::lit  lii>  n>\  ,'iiliniNNilili'  l-.v|)<it  Iii-nis  tli.'it  tin-  niiitlicrs  liml 
(i(><Mi  l\ill>  il  at  s{>:\  iiiiil  thai  siiliM<'i|iirnt  ly  to  miiiIi  Killin;;  tlio  yotini;  iiaii  liail  tiini'  to 
Ntiirv  i>  to  ilea  til.  Iiiit  not  at  il,itr>  carlii-r  tliaii  iIim.  Ii  tin'  |ii-t>H<Mit  (■aN<>  t  In'  iiiorl;ility 
li<');an  ion^  lii'lorc  that  dali'.  ami  it  .scciih  |ivo)iaM<>  tinit  tin-  iIi-diIim  wIiIcIi  oi  i-iiri'i><| 
lattM  iiiiist  I"'  «'\i>l,iiin>il  li\  ill"  siiiu<  cause,  \\liati-\iM  it  ni!i\  Iimm'  Ihimi,  ostcinlitiK 
from  till-  ii)ii;inal  localitii".  ami  lin  ;'!;:iiin  mni'f  L;i'm  vai 

.■)">(>  rill' I  aUNi'>  to\»lii'li  till'  iii'Mtalily  noti'il  may  ln<  at  tiili'it  '<l  "illi  i^icati'Ht. 
prolial>ility  all'  tiio  folinwiii^,  lint  tlii<  I'viilnnit  git  proxi'iit  at  illNposal  Hrarccly  ailmitN 
of  u  tirial  at  t  I'l!  .itiot)  to  viiic  oi  oilii'roi'  thi'm.  If,  Imiwi'Vit,  tl.r  I'v.iininal  ion  inailit 
1»\  I  'r.  Ac  III  ml  ol'  M'\  iT.il  I'l'  the  Mri-asm's  lir  ronsiili'ii'ii  hm  iiiilirativf  ol  thi'  Mlatf  of 
tlit>  wIio'h",  oiii'  of  till'  t  «  tt  lir<t  In  liUrly  to  allonl  tlir  I'oi  irrt  I'v  plana  I  ion  : 

((M    It    i^*  wi-li   Known  that    in   consi'iiiu'iiii'  of  tin-  ili-cri'axi'il   iiiimhrr  ot'  Killahlos 

foiinil  oil  till' h.'iiilin',;  ^I'oiiniN  ;n  lati'   voars  it    liai*  In'i'ii    toi'inl   m Msaiy   to  coIIitI. 

tl>o»»«  I' lose  to  and  I'vi'ii  on  the  <  djji'-'  of  tln»  liri'i'diii);  lool.crii'H,  and  t  hat  it  liaH  iIiiih 
lii'tMi  iiitposHildi'  to  , I  void  thi'  «-i'!li'ftion  and  dii\  in«  to  t  lir  l»  illiii<;  kioiiiiiIh,  with  tim 
killaldi'M.  1.1  all  Mill  Is  of  hi«i»In  irit  ri'ipiiri'd,  iiiclniiiii),' Hi'iciitiliii' iiiiil  li'tiiali'M,  li  is 
»Uo  ,'v>io«n  that  tlir  driviiii:  and  killiin;  in  Ihr  early  part  of  tin'  season  of  IM!t|  was 
jnisii.'d  'villi  unwonted  energy,  taUiiti:  into  loiisidi'iiii  •in  the  ii'din'ed  iinmhiT  of 
atMtlH,  I  lid  if  app -ais  to  he  iinite  posihlo  that  the  leinales  thus  diiveii  t'loiii  tlii'ir 
yo'tnv;,  ilioii^li  alli'iw  .irds  tiifiu>d  away  tVom  the  killio'^  ;;roiiiiils  ivi  an  cshansttMl 
and  tlioioiii^hly  iiri'ilii'd  Mate,  nexer  .itterwards  toiiiid  tin  ii'  way  haiK  to  their  oii;;- 
inai  h;eidiliu  plaies.  lull  either  went  oil  to  sea  or  landoil  elsi'wheie.  Till'  places 
wher«'  the  jiieafe.si  niiniln'i' n|'  dead  pups  were  liist  seen  on  Tolstoi  iiinl  I'olaxiiia  w«m«( 
JiiHt  t  losi'  iVoni  the  iiiimediate  \iciiiity  ot    which  diiM  .  hoio  niost  freijin<iilly   imido. 

(/•»  I'lii' .ippearanccs,  imlieatiii^  a  local  lusiiniiiii;;  and  ;creale,st  intensity  of  iiior- 
tiility,  with  its  siil>sei|iient  eNlt'tision  to  greater  ai eas.  inii^h;  re.isoniihly  hi-  I'vplaiiicil 
by  ''u.>  oriiiina   ion  and  ti  ansniissioi!  of  'ome  disease  ol  an  epid'-itiic  ehar.ii'tei . 

■,i  >  The  ciriMii>>s|;iiic,.s  where  the  iiiorialit>  w  as  oloerved  to  he  greatest  apjuviri'il 
to  hi>  sm  h  a"  io  li><  evplicMlde  l>y  a  pan  if  and  stMiiipcdt',  w  it  It  co'isei|iient  overrunning 
of  ti'le  yoMii;;  loit.  if  so,>ii<li  stampedes  niiist  have  occiiired  nmre  than  once.  Tliry 
>ni;.;lit  I'.ot  im|iroliatd\  Icive  lesiilied  troni  attempts  to  collect  drives  too  near  tlii< 
hn'i'dii!'.'.  rookeries. 

[<{■  't  i;.  eitiiely  \xitliiii  the  lioiiiidH  ot'  proli:i  liility  tiiat  (  liileiN  may  have  landt'il 
Oil  at  least  Tolstoi  .ind  i'ol.i  >  ma  rookeries  wii  liont  an\  onr  upon  i  he  islands  liecoming 
coLrni/anf  ot  the  fa>  t .  !'■  malis  w  oiihl  in  such  a  c:is»>  he  killed  in  eri'.'iti'si  nnnilierx,  for 
thi'.se  oi'ciip\  the  s!:itioiis  most  "asily  uol  at  •'rotii  tin'  •■easide,  .mil  (he  killlii};  upon 
the  rookery  ;;ioiiiid  would  also  nnuMiidaldv  h.i  i'  reHiilti'd  in  slumpcdiiiK;  lar^i  niiiii- 
hiTs  of  sea's  of  all  chissi's.     ■.  Iit'porl  lit'  Kniish  iU-rinji  Sni  ('oinininsion«'rs,  pp.(il-tM.) 

A  hfiol'  ii'vit'w  ot  till'  ;;nli(Mit  piiiiiis  of  till'  (oit's'oiiifj  will  not  !>»>  out 
of  |»!i\<".'  Mt  tilt'  \\r{>  'It  tinu'.  o\«'ti  llioii;:li  (In-  'rriltiiiiiil  of  .Krhiiiiitioii, 
ht'foTo  wliicli  tln'y  u  is'  iMtnsKU'rcd  mhI  upon  wliitli  lln>y  t'vrted  tin 
inlliH'iic*'  |n'Tlia|i>.  i."<  in>\\  a  tliiiiy:  of  tin-  past. 

In  .«.»'(' lod  .ittl  tin'v  tell  its: 

U°r  olisi>i\  «<d  and  called  aiictitioii  to  si'\cral   Imndied  diMil  pups.  '      '     Tbo 

bod ii's  were  )i:iitl>  decumposed  iiml  appeared  to  have  l;iiii  wneie  foiind  for  a  wci'K  or 
luort'.      ■  Neither  the  '  oi\  el  nini'iit   a;.eiit    who   wiis   with   iis  nor  the  iiali\«'i« 

funiiiiit;  onr  )>iiat'.>  crew  at  li.e  time  would  iit  first  hclieve  thai  f he  olijects  seen  on 
tin'  roiiker\   weri'de.'.d  pups,  a'lirmiii^  that  thi',\   were  stones. 

Now.  all  that  jM'tMns  plain  «'iii»iio;li,  !mii  dofs  it  iioi  .sotind  ratlicT  Ituli 
CToiis,  to  say  flic  loasf.  win'ii  if  is  a!li');»'il  liy  any  man  that  a  lM»at"s('ivw 
of  inttivo  scalers,  wliiisf  liii-work  is  rlic  liandliii^  of  seals,  roiiltl  not  tell 
the  (litVefcin'c  Ix'tween  tin*  (Ici-oinposftl  fafi'itssot'ii  ])iips('al  anil  it  stone, 
'wln'ii  those  vim  liail  iie\'ev  ix'en  to  the  seal  islands  heioi-e  saw  the  dit'- 
rorenei'  ;it  u  K'i"!'*''      1  he  I'lniiinissioiiers  eontinne: 

rill*  Todies  vverr  paitl,'  iK  ruininmeil  and  iipju'uti'd  to  h.kvo  lain  wiuic  lonnd  fur  a 
week  oi  iiioro. 


SKAL    1,11  I'.    ON    TIIK    n."'     I,0|'    IKI.AMiH. 


71 


I 


!)«>  out 

I'lition, 

i-iod  ail 


i 


To  iinyoiic  not  Unowiii;;  tlio  rnil  roiuiitioiiH  cNislin^  at  Tol.st«ii  rooUcry 
oil  tliat  |iarti<-iilat'  2!Mli  olMiily.  tliti  wonis  i|iioI<mI  would  iMi|>i.\  that  tlii) 
iiH'ii  \v!io  "lomul"  tin'  ImmIh's  of  Mm-  "(It'coiiiposotl  |mi|>n"  wvrt'  walking; 
around  on  tlir  rookery,  liiit  the  truth  is  we  did  n«il  hind  on  Tolstoi  rook- 
vry  at  all  during;  llut  21Mh  of  dnly,  nor  did  wr  liiid  any  dead  pups  that 
had  Ix'cn  lyin;4  tlnMo  for  a  week  or  more,  nor  did  we  lind  any. 

As  I  v.as  the  (■ovrriniK'nt  a^etit  who  aeeonipanied  the  eoniinissioners 
and  was  in  ehar^'e  of  ihe  iioat's  <-rew  of  natives,  I  atlirni  that  we  sailed 
fntni  the  villa;;e  Jandin;;  to  /apadiiio  or  Southwest  l>ay,  where  we 
laiidrd  and  walked  on  the  rookery  without  seeing  any  tiead  pups;  and 
alter'vards  we  sailed  from  /apadiiie  and  follovved  the  trend  of  tlieshoro 
all  aroaiid  l</ii;;lisli  Hay  and  over  to  Ttdsloi,  without  makin<;  a  landin;^ 
till  we  arrived  home  at  Ihe  village.  It  was  while  we  were  passin;;  Tol 
sloi  someone  asked  the  <|iieslion,  '*\Vliat  is  thiit  n|t  there  on  Ihe  side- 
hill!"  Kield  {glasses  wen^  used  l»y  several  of  the  men,  and  some  said 
the  oltjects  pointed  at  were  dead  seals,  some  said  'Miead  pnps,"  and  some 
elaim«'(l  they  were  not  eerlain  whether  they  were  Ixuies  oi'  roeks. 

I^et  it  he  Itonie  in  mind  that  >ve  were  lotd;in;;  at  a  vers  steep  hill, 
Itroken  anti  roeky;  that  we  wert  ir.nn  LMHt  to  .'itHi  yards  out  from  land, 
and  ill  a  hoat  tli^t  was  on  a  ehoppy  sea,  and  therefore  in  eonstant 
niotioii,  and  it  will  lie  readily  understood  why  the  native  sealers  went 
so  dull  ahoiit  dead  pups  on  'i'olstoi  rookery. 

In  sj'clion  .*.'!*.>  they  tell  us  that — 

On  III)'  Itllli  III'  AiiKiiHt  '  *  '  w<t  n^tnriMMl  to  St..  I'liiil,  luid  oii  iIiohuiim-  day 
i,'('vi>>itril  TolNiiii  ruoKi'i'v.  *  '  '  .MrNHt'N.  I'nw  In- imkI  Miiriay,  \\  Im  arciiiii|iiiiii)Ml 
iiH  on  iIiIh  iirt'aHioii.  atlinil  Icii  tin-  iiioilality  l<>  '••'  NmmI,  and  tin-  liiHt  iianii'd  ^nitlr- 
niaii  Htaliil  tliat  in  Ills  lon^  i>n|i('|  iriicf  lit-  had  ti*>viT  hitii  hiivIIiiii^  <d'  llic  kind 
iicl'iiii'.  and  sii;;t>i'Nti'd  Unit  tlic  inidlnTH  litnii  tlii.s  N|M«<'ial  Iticajity  mi;;  III  liiiv  <i  •^oiu-  to 
Moiiif  |iariiriilar  ''I'rfdin;;  ItanU"  and  have  I n  IuIIimI  to^rtliiT  l»y  mch  hhuIi'Ih. 

Without  attempting;  to  eiitei  iiito  an  ar;;unieiit  of  what  we  artiially 
saw  and  said  thai  day  on  Tolsl(«i  rookery,  I  will  say  that  it  is  true  we, 
!'"owler,  Murray,  and  Marnes,  were  astonished  at  the  niiiiil»er  of  dead 
pii|is  we  Iteheld.  a  niimlier  far  exet'edin^;  aiiytliiiitf  we  had  ever  seen 
heloie,  and  it  was  in  that  spirit  of  astoiiishmeiil  that  Mi.  I'owlei  said 
lie  never  saw  the  like,  meaniii};'  that  he  iie\<'r  saw  so  niaiiy  at  one  time, 
wliifli  is  very  easily  aeeoiinted  for  now  Ity  the  well  known  fael  that  in 
no  year  previous  to  is*t|  were  so  many  seals  killed  and  taken  hy  pela;;ie 
.sealers,  as  may  l>(>s(*<>n  by  a  reference  to  the  following;  tahle: 

I'uhli    iif  iiiliifiii-  riilrli    Iriiill    /Si:s   li>    IS.H,  lio'i    iiiiliisivf,  J'ruiii    lln    luxl   utillmiilifH    iiinl 
MDiiriTM  of  int'oniiulfiiii,  n-rhiil  mnl  rnrnrliil  hi  ihih. 


illl 


1^9 


1 

ii 


i 


!     Ii 


Til.' 
« I'i'U  or 
iiativ  t's 
Hi>cn  on 

■I   Illdi 
">  erew 
not  tell 
I  stone, 
lie  dif- 


i 


IXflll 

1  rlir. 

N 

iiiiiliir 

»,:i!T 
1.  ;:i(l 

M.  IIHII 

III.  Illl 

r>,  mill 
:>.  'J'.Mi 
:.,  8t:i 

V.;ll. 

IMTfi  

IHTfl 

NllllllM't 

.'i.  ii;i:i 

IHTli 



1M77 

.">  •-'Ill 

IHTI. 



IK7H 

IMTU 

INHU 

.'i  .'ill 

IKT'J 

IK73 

t*  'ijii 

IKTl 

:;. 

IKMI 

10,  ;iHj 

V.ar. 


IKK'.' 

Imh;i 

IMM4 
lHM.'i 
I  HUH 
\Hl<7 
IHMH 


N  imhIm  I 


l.-.,.v,i 

1)1  riH.'! 

17,  1h:i 
'.'i.imii 

:iH  !MI4 
Ml.  Il-.'M 

•.;<(,  111. 'i 


V.iir. 


IHMII 
IK'.NI 
iHtll 
l.llf.' 
I  Mil 
l-'.M 


.Viiiiilii'i. 


i:i,  I  '.H 
.'.LhU 
IKI.  7mH 
7.1,  ;iU4 
loll  IKNI 
142.  IIUU 


The  it'iil  number  taken   in   isDI  was  78,1100,  hut  only  tliose  actually 
iMihi  ill  |,ondoii  iire  eoiintetl  here,  and,  as  thtu'e  is  iiodoiiht  that  from  80 
to  '.10  per  cent  of  the  total  catch  weie  female  seals,  it  is  not  to  lai  won 
dered  at  that  from  i:o,tMM»  to  .UijOOO  pups  were  found  deml  on  tlie  rook- 
tMies  in  the  tall  of  tluit  year. 


K       ■ 

11 


72 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    TMK    PKIMILoF    ISLANDS, 


What  .Mr.  Miinav  did  »s»,v  on  tkM<t  memorable  ll»tli  of  Aujjiist,  1891, 
is  a  matter  of  r»Mu>rd.  uh  foll^i-ws: 

A<'Coin]((niif<l  liy  Ayoiil  HiirnKH.  Mr.  Ftiwl*^  «JS  ffc*  Xortli  Aincrirmi  Coiniiicrciitl 
Coiii)>uii.v,  ami  l)V  the  llritisii  ronnniHHiDiitM'.'-.  I  vi«it>-r| 'I'oJMtoi  ronkriy  on  VniriiHt  10, 
aisd  \\<'  roiiiiil  tlioiiMuiMlH  of  ili-ail  |>ii)tf .  foviM'iii;;  A  H|iac«^  iit'  ultoiit  .'i  acros,  anil  thoir 
iiiotlici's  Iiu<|  iiisa|i|it^ai'ril.  I  >i'.  I  )a\\  •*Hi.  iiiio  i*t'  tlif  i-'DiiiiiiiHHioiiei's,  took  koilak  vicWH 
of  tlif  |iliir<>  auil  '.'  Ik'I)  lit*  a^koil  ww  what  I  tlii>n;rl>>f  wjm  Ww.  canst-  of  thfir  dratii,  I 
anHWiTcil.  "Ttieir  iiuitlicrs  liavf  Ixivn  killi-il  at  sci» 

Since  I  \fA  St.  I'anI  Islanil  I  have  ivurix »•(!  a  ••Miw  from  .\;:i'ht  llarnes,  in  which 
he  .sa>H:  "  ^  on  itMnt'inlttM'  tlic  .i|i|><-aranrr-  <>('  'I'oNi.h  '  viHitt-il  Hallway  I'oint  ahtiig 
witli  .Mr-.  I'owliT  aJi<l  fniiiid  the  .^aini'  rttati-  «f  att'Mtt'-H.  i<<e  wornc:  i«uil  tlioKc  who  liave 
het'ii  to  NortiieaHf  I'liiit  .-Jav   it  \v.  Ktill  wornc  tlnTc  ' 

Hrai'iii^  in  mind  tliat  NortheaHt  I'oin'  iit  tW  \\\.\-'^»X  rookerv  in  tii<'  world,  it  ih  uo 
«*xiiKjii-raiion  In  -av  tii.it  1.>»<1  w  t-en  :!n,(MMi  mmX  .«w.(XHt  |,>ii|»k  ,ir«*  lyiiiu  dt-.id  at  St.  I'aul 
IhIhikI  wIiohc  niotliers  vv,.|v  Hl;iiijfht«M.«d  l<y  m'jrfawf.';  (♦••'••tooncin  in  x\w 'tyt-w  sea  antl  the 
pnjm  left  to  Htarvc  ii|ioti  'lie  f'.okrTic.H. 

The  tlitioFN  III'  an  (ifra^io! -^i  <'|iid*'niir  anion;;  the  t«>»nlK  ii.i.-  Ii^rii  WxtachtMl,  aud 
plaii^ildt' arv''iiiiu'iitii  ailvan<'i'r  ,1  |»ro- ••  thai  tin' dei  r««as»'  m -n'ai  il'c.an  'm  arr()nnted 
for  witlioiit  iiluinlii'.;  the  He^liii;,-  •<-lioon<>rs  Itiit  as  the  '  i>l«lehr  inn;*l>irant  "  on  the 
islands  lian  no  n-i  nlioctioii  of  mi  I'liiii  of  tin'  Kort.  aii«l  in<  »»ii  oii*-  f\<^  w,\\\  a  do/an 
dead  rows  on  luy  rooki-ry,  it  -  .••''.  to  Na\  iIhtc  is  no  foniMatiof*  l»<r  or  truth  in 
the  eiiiiloniic  tli^-oiy.  i.Ninriay-  tbfj^wt,  IWM,  Senate  Kx.  Luk-.  Xi».  1**;,  lifty-»ec- 
•iid  Con^reHM.  Merond  HesHion.i 

It  tlof.-<  ii«»»  sctMiJ  po.ssiblc  rliaf  lit«»  jMM'.soii  who  wrote  in  f>*^  the  n'port 
lro*ii  wliicli  thi'  fori'tjdiiifj  has  Im'ph  ropi«'fl  could  havi-  ■■  .Kl'iiiittfd  tlio 
inortrtlity  to  he  hu-al,''  and,  as  a  nva'tt^r  of  fart,  iw  nrver  t+id.  ih»  the 
contrary,  ln'catisc  of  ii  thirty  inonth.s'  confimnHis  r«'sid«'nr«'on  IIm'  iKlMids 
and  a  personal  a('<|uaintance  and  very  intimate  and  iriendly  i^^atiMis 
with  every  person  on  hoth.  1  was  well  aware  of  the  •,%\<iVi\vjs\  iner«»i«ie  of 
dead  pups  on  the  ro(>keiies  from  tiie  time  (d"the  lirst contlrnu'd  sMmk 
a^i' of  the  seal  herd  in  lS.H«i.  'IMiai  I  lie  terrible  sifjht  whieh  met  "^mir 
ga/e  on  Tolstoi  rookny  shonhl  have  eaus«'d  e\«'laniation.^  ot  sMrpi'*«r 
from  all  of  ns,  who  knew  its  leal  nieanini..  is  not  to  lie  wmi'leicd  at,  i 
think,  for  the  starved  ca  ••asse-  eniphasi/wl  the  faet  tinit  in  spit>' of 
the  etfoitis  of  the  ri»M'ts  of  the  I  uiti-d  Star«'s  aiid  of  (Ireat  lirita.n.  t»i# 
pelajfie  sealers'  deadly  work  wa^  heiiiir  di»tie  w.th  aw  eneijiy  and  sue 
cess  beymnl  all  pnT«'diiiy  sea.s4rfis.  :ind  '^lial  unU-**  .'OMiiie  other  mode  of 
protection  euidd  t;«*  devj-s^-H  hy  riie  uatums  dirertly  interested  the  seal 
herd  would  .soon  b«-  aiinnk^latfd. 

In  MM'tion  ;W»'J  tilt'  ♦•<»mn.»<.sioner;«  say: 

l>r.  Ai'laiid.  who  had  Jiini  lieen  iMHtulled  a*  iitt-dical  olhet-r  on  Kt.  I'aul,  aliMt  told  im 
that  lie  had  \\itliin  a  few  da  .  •<  i'\»iiiiiii"!  tli*-  (todies  of  sii  <«f  the  y^\»*  froin  lolstoj- 
*  ■  *  he  had  Ueeti  nnalije  t-.  (in«<  an,\  Wjfiic  of  ilineitMr  !»iit  fliut  «II  tiuMe  examined 
were  very  thin  a'  il  without  fo<.»'    ■    •'■•   -'..inaelis. 

Dr.  Akerly  it  was  who  v  i  he  rooki'i  i*»«!i  tv^A  (•\i4Hiii«#*l  tb**  deH4i 

pups,  and  whosr  attid;«vit  will  t>e  C»iind  in  tlii^    \j'|H'ndix. 
ComiiuMitin^  tni  section  L*.">"i.  they  »'siy : 

(li  Tile  death  of  so  many  yoiihu  ■>ea)s  on  tlie  islands  in  ■">)  ^  ih  u  iiully  e\re))tionttl 
and  iin|H'eeedented,  ami  il  lici'iured  in  the  very  season  wlii<  ii  m  aerortlanee  with  the 
modus  vi\eiidi.  every  ellort  was  Weino  iniide  to  drixi'  all  ih-I.ij^-  ■<ealers  Iroin  Itering 
Sea.  Those  familiar  with  the  islands  were  evideiitl\  jin//lei'  w  n'  snr|iriwil  when 
their  attention  was  tlrstr  drawn  to  it,  and  weie  for  some  time  it^  donl>t  an  to  what 
cause  it  mt^;ht  lie  attrilmted. 

It  is  trtie  we  were  rather  aslonisin  •'  at  fhe  mimher  ol  dead  pups  oa 
the  rookeiies,  and  bciner  ,iware  "that  every  etlbrl  wa*  bcin;;  niatle  to 
prevent  pcla;ii<'.  sealiny;,"  we  were  puzzled  t«»  aceoiint  foi  it  at  the  time, 
for  we  knew  of  no  cause  other  tlmii  the  killinj,ifof  the  females  at  sea  by 
which  it  coiihl  be  ae<-ountcd  fwr. 

Hub.st>(|iient'y,  however,  we  learned  of  th**  iinprccedeided  catch  imido 
that  season  by  the  sealing'  fleet,  and,  naturally,  we  eonchided  that  our 


SEAI,    LIFE    ON    THE    I'RIIIILOF    ISLANDS. 


73 


tciid 


■|>t  loiial 
itii  the 
r.'Tiiig 
I    wlicn 

Ii>   VVlllit 


iips  «>n 

l(l(*    to 

'  tiiiM% 
sea  by 

iiiiuie 
lit  our 


conjeftures  were  con  tinned.     Xor  have  I  had  any  infornnition  since 
suliiciently  reliable  to  cause  a  ('Ininj^e  of  opinion. 

(3)  rii*'  mortality  waHiit  lirHt  lucal,  aiitl  thou^li  hiteracertaii)  luiiiilierof  tiead  )Mips 
wurc  louiiil  iit  varioiiH  rookorifa  isxainiiieit,  iiotliiug  of  a  iliaracter  coinparablo  with 
that  oil  Tolstoi  I'ooki^ry  watt  diHcovernd. 

Treasury  A ;;ent  l>arnes,  wiio  was  «)n  St.  Paul  Island  lonj;  sifter  the 
«-i)iiiniissioii(>rs  h>ft  in  the  fall,  is  uiyauthoiity  for  sayin;>' that  the'' same 
state  of  affairs  or  worse  was  found  later  on  i'olavina  and  on  Northeast 
lNtint,"the  two  rookeries  visitetl  by  him. 

I  1 1  'rh<>  inortality  lirst  ohscrved  on  Tolstoi  ami  I'ohivina  was  at  too  <;arlv  a  ilatr  to 

oiiiihir  it  to  lie  I'faHoiialily  t'xiilaiiivil  by  the  killing;  ot'  iiiuthtTH  at  Hen.     It  orciii'i'i'd, 

as  iilrvaily  cNiilaiiD'il,  about  tlitt  I'lth  or  L'Olh  of  .Inly,  at  a  time  at  whii'li,  according 

^  to  the  ^ii'iicraily  accc'iilfd  ilatcs,  as  wt'll  aM  our  own  olisrrvatioMw  in  1H!(1,  the  females 

S[  had  not  lii'jj;iin  to  leave  tlie  rookeries  in  lary;e  nninbers.  or  wlieii  leaviiifj  them,  to  do 

'  more  than  swim  or  play  about  elose  to  the  shore. 

As  already  shown,  there  were  no  dead  pu|>s  seen — most  certiiinly 
notliin^  worth  noting — until  August  11^ 

As  the  c(>minissiotu;rs  did  init  land  on  either  of  the  seal  islands  till 

I        the  liitter  end  of  tJt  ly — about   the  2Mth,  if  I  remember  rioiitly— I  <*au 

not  see  how  they  could  Imve  per.sonally  observed  the  mo\  euu'uts  of  the 

lemales  oi  the  condition  of  the  bree<liii}'};rounds  about  the  l."»th  or  20th 

of  .lidy. 

Sertiiin  :>.">)>.  I'll  It  is  well  known  that  in  i'onsei|iien('e  of  the  decreased  nninber  of 
killaldt's  I'ciiind  on  th<'  lianlin;r  ;.;roniids  in  late  xears,  it  has  been  found  necessary  to 
collect  these  close  to  and  even  on  the  ed;;cH  of  the  brcediiiH;  rookeries. 

It  is  ,'i]so  known  that  the  <liiviii<;  and  killinu  in  the  early  part  (d'  the  season  of 
l.yil  was  jnishcd  with  niiwontcd  ener;{y,  '  "  "  and  it  appears  to  b(>  <|uitc  possi- 
ble th.'it  the  I'eniaies  thus  driven  from  their  .\oun;;,  thoMKli  afterwards  tiiriii'd  awiiy 
from  the  kiliiii};  }rron>uls  in  an  exhiiiisted  and  tlioron^hlv  territied  stiite,  never  after- 
wai'ds  foiMid  their  w.ty  liaek  to  their  <M'i;<:inal  breeding;  places,  but  either  \veiit  olf  to 
se;t  or  landed  elsewhere  The  pbn  t's  where  the  y;realeMt  nnniber  of  deail  pups  were 
lirst  seen  on  I'olstoi  and  '"  davina  were  just  those  from  the  immediate  viri;iity  of 
whicii  drives  were  most  l'rei|i.cntly  made. 

The  readin;;  of  the  above  (|Uotation  stajij^ers  one  who  ever  had  expe- 
rience on  a  rookery  or  a  killiu};  };roun<l. 

The  "it  is  well  known."  is  surely  iinw(Hthy  of  the  commissioners. 

VVIiicii  of  the  men  on  the  islands  ever  said  such  ti  thinjif  Whoever 
said  that  seals  were  colh'cted  close  up  to  the  breedino' ffroiinds?  No 
nuui  who  ever  made  a  drive  or  saw  one  made.  VV^ho  is  responsible  for 
the  story  of  the  driviiiff  of  feniides  in  the  early  pint  of  the  .season  of 
1S!»I  ,'  No  .sealer,  of  course,  It f  he  woul'.l  know  that  there  are  no  fenudes 
on  the  rookeries  in  the  etirly  |>art  of  the  season. 

The  commissioners  found  ni')r<>  dead  p>ips  on  'Tolstoi  than  on  iiny 
other  rookery,  iind  they  einlcavtu'  to  show  that  collectiii};' aud  driviiifj 
of  seals  from  near  the  breedinj;  rookeries  and  the  coiiseipient  taking  of 
Home  females  or  the  disturbance  ot  the  lu'rds  caused  the  death  of  the 
]m|)s. 

riic  island  reitords  of  all  the  tliives  made  on  St.  I'aul  Islatid  in  IH!U 
are  ai  iiaml,  and  I  will  produce  a  c«»py  for  tin-  purpose  of  showinjf  that 
»»o  drives  whatever  were  made  from  either  Tolstoi  or  INdavina  diirinf.( 
Mfe  year  ISiH  ! 

Ami  y(>t  the  commissiuners,  who  were  supposed  to  make  an  impartitil 
report,  say: 

I  lie  placcK  whertf  the  fjreiitest  iniiuber  of  di-ad  pupn  were  liint  seen  on  Tidstid  aiul 
l'olu\  iua  were  jiiHt  tliom)  from  the  inimediale  vicinity  of  wliieh  drivi-s  were  inoHt 
frei|uently  mudw. 

The  fact  [■i,  aH  nuiy  be  seen  liy  consulting  the  records  for  IH'tiMM,  in 
the  Appendix,  that  no  drives  were  made  from  I'olaviini  since  .luly  13, 


\  \ 


'. 


I 


M      S  ' 


li 


S  i 


74 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


nor  from  Tolstoi  since  July  20,  1800;  so  that,  instead  of  being  the 
places  most  driven  from,  they  are  the  places  not  driven  from  at  all  in 
1891. 

The  following  table,  from  the  oflicial  records  of  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment, gives  all  of  the  killings  for  food  and  for  skins  (quota  and  modus 
Vivendi)  from  the  close  of  the  season  July  20,  18JM>,  to  the  close  of  the 
season  August  10, 1891: 


Uste. 


l«i>0. 

July   28 

AiiK.    5 

U 

2a 


K«M)kor»'. 


Liikiiniiiin. 

K«'.f 

Ijiikaiinon. 


Sepl 


Oct. 


Nov. 
Dec. 


:tii 

u 

i:t 

22 
2U 

4 
14 
22 
21t 
14 

4 


<!•> 


I.iikaiiiioii . 
.1...   ... 


Middli'llill. 

I.iikiiiiiinn. . 

Mi<l<U>>!lili. 

do 


Ki'«' 


<|o. 
ilo. 

f... 


1801. 
Muj    15 


Kot'f. 


Junit 


.Iiilv 


Aiiji. 


29 
4 
11 
II 
12 

I  a 
la 

15 
Iti 
17 

18 
20 
25 
28 

K 

i:t 

15 
21 

27 

a 

.*) 

Ill 


.<lo. 


/Hptiiliiic 

/apiitliiit-  iinil  Ueef. 
Nortlit'iiHl  I'oiiit... 

/u|iiiiliii<) 

Noitlii'nHt  I'oint... 

Miililh-lliil 

Niii'tliciml  Point... 
Kief.. 


SlllltllWVNl 

l!...f 

Miihllollill 
Jtuut 


H»y 


ilo 

....  ilo 

<lo 

I.iikiiiiiiiiii 

.Miilillrllill 

....  <lo 

Hecf 

Norllifimt  I'liint. 

l.iiKiiniioii 


Total . 


SenlR 
killtMl. 

Kt'inarka. 

120 

For  IoimI. 

1 2a 

I  to. 

12 1 

Do. 

155 

Do. 

IIU 

Do. 

8a 

Do. 

oa 

Do. 

IIU 

Do. 

KIU 

Do. 

10!) 

Do. 

114 

Do. 

93 

Do. 

ia4 

Do. 

■-•55 

Do. 

28a 

Do. 

2aa 

For  I'ood. 

114 

Do. 

40.1 

Do. 

718 

Quota. 

1.112 

Do. 

428 

Do. 

4ao 

Do. 

2a2 

Do. 

8(Ui 

Modus  vivondi. 

842 

Do. 

ISO 

no. 

1,027 

Do. 

ll» 

Do. 

215 

Do. 

400 

Do. 

100 

Do. 

121 

Du. 

122 

Do. 

178 

IJo. 

248 

Do. 

US 

Do. 

407 

Do. 

IllO 

Do. 

10,805 

Surely  this  is  sunicient  to  convince  every  reasonable  mini  that  instead 
of  impartially  iiupiirin^  intt)  the  causes  of  the  decrease  of  the  seal  lu'id 
and  the  best  possible  metlMMl  of  prottTtion,  as  was  originally  intended, 
the  commissioners  have  endeavon'd  to  screen  the  re.sult  of  the  work  of 
the  i»elagic  scaler  by  mauing  statements  aboi;t  tlrives,  stampedes,  and 
epidemics  on  tiie  islands  wluch  the  facts  do  not  warrant. 

In  another  (;iiapfer  will  be  found  tpiotaiions,  b(>aring  on  this  phase 
of  the  case,  from  tiu>  argument  of  Hnitetl  States  counsel  before  the  Tri- 
bunal of  Arbitration,  to  which  I  respectfully  <!all  the  most  earnest  atten- 
tion. 

In  ortltM'  to  show  that  the  ''deadpuj)"  problem  was  not  a  new  thing 
on  the  ishimls  before  the  Britisii  commissioners  "discovered''  it  in 
ISJM.  1  (|iiotc  from  the  testimony  of  intelligent  native  chiefs  and  scalers 
and  of  many  agents  of  the  Gtivernment  and  of  t  he  lessees,  who  have  had 
many  years"  exjierience  on  the  seal  islands,  iiiid  they  are  unanimous  in 
saying  that  prt^vioiis  to  ISS]  tiK.re  were  practically  no  dead  pups  tf  be 
seen  on  the  rookeries;  agents  who  were  on  the  ishiiid".  previous  to  1884 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


75 


r  t 


;  atteii- 


A 


saw  but  tew  or  none.  That,  although  there  were  some  few  ihowued  in 
the  surf  (luriufjf  lieavy  wind  storms,  or  trampled  to  death  occasionally 
by  the  ti;;iitinf;  bulls,  it  was  uot  until  the  pelagic  sealer  appeared  in 
Bering  Sea  that  dead  pups  were  found  by  hundreds  and  by  th()usaiuls 
and  sometimes  by  tiie  acre. 

DEAD   VVVi<  «»N   THE    KOOKEUIES. 

Dead  pups,  \vhi(;Ii  Heeiiieil  to  have  starved  tu  doutli,  frrow  very  iiunieroiia  uii  the 
rookeries  these  hitter  years,  and  I  noticed  \vii(!ii  driving  the  hjielielor  seal  for  killing, 
as  we  started  tlieiii  up  from  the  heaeh,  thai  iiiiiiiy  siiiaM  pups,  half  starved,  appareiitl^v 
iiiothei'lesH,  had  wandered  away  fr4»ni  the  lireeilMi>j  grounds  and  lieeonie,  mixed  witli 
the  kiUalde  seals.  The  n:itiveH  called  my  attention  to  these  waifs,  saying  that  it  <lid 
uot  use  to  lie  so,  antl  that  tlie  mothers  were  dead,  otherwise  tliey  wonid  he  n])on  the 
hretMlinj;  j;round8.     (II.  N.  Clark,  lessees'  ajjent.) 

There  were  a  ffood  many  dead  pnps  on  the  rookeries  every  ye!<r  1  was  on  the  island, 
anil  they  seemed  to  grow  more  niiineroiis  from  year  to  ye.ir,  lecanse  the  rookeries 
were  ali  the  tinwi  growing;  smaller,  and  the  dead  pnps  in  the  letter  years  were  more 
numerous  in  ])roportion  to  the  live  ones.     (Alex,  llansson,  sealer.) 

The  sejils  were  apparently  srbjeet  to  no  tliseases;  the  pups  v.ere  always  fat  and 
healthy,  the  daail  one.s  very  raioly  seen  on  or  abont  the  rookeiie-t  prior  to  IMSl.  I'pon 
my  return  to  tiie  islands  in  IHStt  I  was  told  by  my  assistants  a  id  the  natives  that  a 
very  liiri^e  number  of  ]iiips  had  perished  the  preceding;  soastin,  ::  pitrt  of  tlieni  dyin^ 
upon  the  isliindsantl  others  lieinjj  washed  iishore,  all  seeming  to  lia\c  stiirved  tode.ith. 
The  same  tliin<j;  oceiirred  ii;  1S86  and  in  e.ith  of  the  followin<;  vesirs  to  and  ineliidiiiK 
18S!t.  Even  before  1  left  the  islands,  in  AiiKust,  188t),  I8S7.  and  IHHH,  I  saw  hundreds 
of  lialf-starv(;d,  bleatii><;,  emaciiite<l  pujis  wiindtM'iu);  aiinlesslv  about  in  searcdi  of 
their  diims,  and  presenting;  a  most  pitiable  sippearunee.  (H.  II.  .Mclntyre,  ;j;enei'al 
maiiii};er, ) 

Hut  fu'  t'-  eiime  under  my  observation  that  noou  led  me  to  what  I  believi>  to  lie  the 
true  ciiiist  f  destruetion.  Tor  iiistanre,  during  the  period  of  my  residence  on  St. 
George  Island,  down  to  the  year  1SS4,  there  was  always  a  nunilxM-  <if  dead  j/ups,  the 
number  of  which  I  can  not  K've  exactly,  as  it  varied  from  year  to  year  and  was 
depemleut  upon  accidents  or  tint  de^lructiveness  of  storms.  Vtiun^  seals  do  not  know 
how  to  s«ini  at  birth,  nor  do  Miev  learn  how  for  six  weeks  or  two  months  alter 
birth,  aiul  thei'clbre  jire  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves  dnrin^  stormy  weather.  Hut  i'rom 
the  year  ISSI  down  to  the  period  when  I  left  St.  (Jeoif^e  Island  there  was  a  marked 
increase  in  the  number  of  dead  |inps.  amounting;,  perliaps.  to  a  treblin;;  of  tiie  niiiii- 
bers  observed  in  (oriner  years,  so  tliat  I  would  estimate  ihi  iiiimlier  of  dead  pnps  in 
th"  year  IHK7  at  about  r),(i;i(i  or  7,iKi(i  as  a  luaxiiunm. 

Dnriiii;'  my  last  two  or  three  vcars  I  also  noticed  amoui;  the  numbi'i-  of  dea<l 
jiups  an  increased.'  at  le,.  it  7(1  iiei-  cent  of  those  which  -Acre  emaciated  and  jioor, 
and  ill  my  jud<;iucnt  they  died  from  want  of  nourishment,  their  luntliers  liavin<.;  been 
killed  while  away  from  tli(>  islainl  reetliujr,  liecaiise  it  is  a  fact  that  pups  drowned 
or  killcii  by aci'ideiits  w«'ic  most  iiiv  iiriably  fat.  LiMiiiin;;  luither,  thruujrh  llu^  Lon- 
don sales,  of  the  increase  in  the  pi'laiiic  seallnjj,  it  became  my  linn  i'onvi<'tioii  that  the 
constant  increase  iii  the  iiiiiiibcr  nl  dead  jiiips  and  the  decrease  in  the  number  of 
marKctaiilc  .seals  and  lireedin;j;  rei!i:ii«'s  found  on  the  islaiid-i  dniipj;  the  years  \XH't, 
iXHii.  ami  IJ<S7  were  cauKtii  liy  till' ili-Ntnict  ion  of  female  seals  ill  the  open  sea,  either 
belori' II!'  altei-  i^iviiiu  biitli  to  tlif  [nips.  Tlie  mother  seals  ^o  to  leedins;-  jiroiinds 
disiiint  tVoni  the  islands,  and  I  ran  unlv  accfnint  lor  tlu'  iiniiilierof  stnived  pups  by 
Hii|ipoMiiiu  that  their  mothers  arc  kiileil  while  fecdinj;.    i  T.  I'.  Mor>iaii,  l<!sseis'ancnt  » 

TIMK   (iK    Ari'EAUANCE     )E    D1;AI>    IM   I'S. 

'i'lie  lii.isof  lilVof  pup  seals  on  the  rookeries  lip  to  about   iSSIiii'  \HH't  was  iiimp.ir-)- 
tively   slight,  anil   wuw   y,euerall>    attrilmifd   to  the  diatli  of  the  inother  seal    IVi'ni 
natural  causes  or  from   their  natural   enemieM  in   the  water,  or,  as  sometimes  ha:> 
pened,  sudden  storms  with  lie,i\y  surfs   lolliiin  in    frnui  certain  diiections  onto  the 

bi liii;.:  iiiokerii^s;   but  never  at    an\    time   would    a    sutilcient    nuniliei'  of  pups  be 

killed  III  make  it  the.siibiect  of  special  comment  either  aiiionj;  the  natives  ni  the 
eniploviM's  of  tint  oomiian\  .     (W.  S.  Ileii't'iird.  M.  It..  rcHideiit  nlivsician   i 


"'"'       .■•■«...  ii.    .i...-.    ••  f^    ....    — 

S.  lleirfiird,  M.  !•.,  resident  physician  ) 

iippeari'd   in   Herinjr  i^ea. 


Hetweeii  1H7I  and  ISHS  prei'iatory  vcshcIs  occasioiially  appeari>d  in  Herinjr  Sea, 
ainoiiH;  them  the  t'l/iiii,!  iu  1H7I  and  ihe  »/»•  /'ic./i>  in  IK7»i,  but  the  whole  iminber  of 
seals  destroyed   by  such  vessels  w  as  small,  and  had   no  appreciable  ell'cci    upon   the 


iM 


'' 


l(ii 


if, 4 
if 
I- 


!"  t 


76 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHIEOF    ISLANDS. 


rookeries.  In  1881  about  4,()00  NkiiiH  wcro  tukoii  in  Hcriuf;  Sea  1>y  three  veNHels,  and 
Htarvcil  ])ii|m  wdiu  noticn<l  upon  tlie  iHlands  thiit  year  tor  the  first  time.  In  1885 
about  10,U(I0  skiuH  won-  taken  in  thic  sea,  and  the  dead  )>u|ih  u)>on  the  rookeries 
became  ho  numcrouH  nn  to  evoke  eoi'iwient  from  the  natives  and  others  u])ou  the 
iahinds.     (II.  li.  Mdntyre.) 

NO  ItEAl)  ITl'S  PRIOR  TO  18HJ. 

Poaehin^;  in  Merinfj  Se:i  liail  not  hejiun  in  Hiose  years  (from  IWiW  to  IKTtit,  and  it 
was  a  rare  tliiii<;  to  lind  a  dead  pu])  iilmnt  the  shores  or  on  the  rookeritts,  I  had 
fre<)ueiit  oeeaHion,  alter  the  eiose  of  the  hrecdinn  sea>*on,  to  \  isit  all  p.-nts  of  the 
iBland,  and  tliere  was  no  a))p<^araiiee  of  ^annt  or  starved  seals.  Occasionally  a  dead 
pup  was  found  that  had  been  crushed  to  death  by  the  bulls  in  their  encounters  with 
eadi  other.     ((Jeor^e  |{.  .Vilaiim,  lessecH'  ayent. ) 

A  dead  pu)>  was  rarely  .seen,  the  <lead  bein^  a  snuill  fraction  of  1  per  cent  to  the 
whole  number  of  pups.  I  do  imt  think  while  I  was  there  I  saw  in  any  one  season  50 
dead  pups  on  the  mokeries,  and  the  majority  of  dea<l  ]>U)is  were  along  the  shore, 
having  been  killed  by  the  surf.     (Charles  Itryant,  Treasury  agtMit.) 

There  were  not,  in  IJ^SO,  sulli'lent  dead  pui)s  scattered  ov«>r  the  rookeries  to  attract 
attention  or  to  form  a  feature  on  t'le  rookery.     (W.  11.  Dall,  naturalist.) 

I>urin<r  the  time  1  was  cui  the  islands  I  only  saw  a  very  few  dead  pups  on  the 
rookeries,  but  the  number  in  1HS4  was  slightly  more  than  in  former  years.  I  never 
noticed  or  examined  dead  pups  on  the  rookiaies  before  18SI,  the  number  being  so 
small.     (II.  .\.  (ilidilen.  Treasury  agent.) 

In  jterforming  my  ollicial  duty  I  frei|uently  visited  the  breeding  rookeries,  and 
during  my  entire  stay  on  the  island  I  never  saw  more  than  100  dead  pu)is  on  all  the 
ntokeries.     (Eoiiis  Kininwl,  Treasury  agent,  1882-Ki. ) 

I  uever  saw  but  a  few  dead  pups  on  the  rookeries  until  the  vhooners  eanie  into 
the  sea  ami  shot  the  cov.s  when  they  went  out  to  feed,  anil  toen  the  dead  pups 
b«>gan  to  increase  on  the  rookeries.     (Nicoli  Krukotf,  nati\e  chief,  St.  Paul  Islaiul.) 

I  am  informed  that  of  lute  years  thousands  of  yiuing  ]Mips  have  died  lui  the  islands 
while  the  season  was  in  progress.  Certainly  such  condition  did  not  exist  during  my 
residence  on  the  Pribilof  grou)i.  The  pu)>s  were  sometimes  tram|)led  u])on  by  the 
larger  animals,  and  dead  ones  might  be  seen  here  and  there  on  the  rookeries;  but 
the  loss  in  this  particular  was  never  enough  or  important  enough  to  «;xvite  any 
special  conuuent.     (.1.  M.  Morton,  Treasury  agent,  1877-78.) 

Never  while  I  was  (m  St.  (Jeorge  Island  did  1  see  a  dead  pup  on  the  ro(d<erieB,  and 
I  certainly  should  have  noticed  if  there  had  been  any  number  on  the  island.  (U.  F. 
Scribner,  Treasury  agent.  187!t-SO.) 

\Vhili>  I  WHS  on  the  island  I  nevt^r  saw  more  than  _.'>  dead  jiups  on  the  rookeries 
during  any  one  season.  I  have  seen  occMsionally  a  dead  one  anumg  the  bowlders 
along  the  sluuu,  wliiili  had  prolialdv  been  Killed  l>y  the  surf ;  but  these  dead  pups 
were  in  no  instance  emaciated.     ((ie<u'ge  Wardnian,  'Tri'asury  agent,  1KH1-1S8."». ) 

While  on  St.  iieorge  Island  there  were  iiractically  no  dciid  pups  on  the  rookeries. 
I  do  not  think  I  saw  during  any  luie  season  more  than  a  do/eii.  <  )n  St.  Paul  Islaiul 
I  never  saw  any  dead  pu|)s  to  amtmiit  to  an.s  thing  until  ISNl,  and  then  the  number 
was  <|uite  noticeable.     (.1,  11.  MoultiMi.  'Treasury  agent.) 

MMItEK  OK  DK.Vr-  ITPS  IN   18!>l. 


Out'  thing  which  attractetl  my  attentitm  w:m  the  immense  number  of  dead  \ouug 
seals;  another  was  tlie  prcscnor  oi  (juitea  iiiimliei  ot  \oiing  seals  on  all  the  rook- 
eries in  an  emaciated  and  apii.ireuth  very  we;ik  ciuiditiiui.  I  was  rcijuested  l»y  the 
(Jovernment  !iy:ent  to  cxaiiiim-  sdine  of  iln  carcasses  fur  tlic  puri>iise  of  determining 
the  cause  or  1  auses  of  tlwir  dc;iili.  I  visited  ami  wiilked  overall  the  ronkt-ries.  On 
all.  dead  seals  were  to  l)e  fouml  in  ^reat  numbers.  Their  number  was  more  apparent 
on  those  rooktiies,  sncli  av  Tidstol  and  Halfway  Point,  the  water  sidesof  wliicli  wero 
on  smoolli  ground,  and  the  evci-oiild  glame  over  patcln-s  of  gnmnd  hundreds  of  feet 
in  extent  which  were  lhii'kl\  strewn  with  carrasses, 

Where  the  water  side  of  flic  rookeries,  ,is  at  N(Utliwest  Point  and  the  re(>i"  (south 
of  the  village),  were  on  rock v  ground  the  immense  number  of  dead  was  not  so  ap- 
parent, but  a  closer  examination  show«'d  that  ilic  dead  were  there  in  eijually  great 
numbers  scattereil  anion;;  the  rocks.  In  some  localities  the  ground  was  so  thickly 
Strewn  with  the  tlead  that  one  hatl  to  pick  his  way  larefully  in  order  to  avoid  step- 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


77 


fpssoIh,  and 
H'.  In  1885 
le  rookeries 
VH  iipou  tiie 


X7H1,  and  it 
ios.  I  had 
tiirtK  of  the 
tally  a  d<'ad 
iinterH  with 

cent  to  the 

10  Hcamtn  50 

the  shore, 

■s  to  iittrai't 

npn  «in  the 
H.  I  never 
icr  lieiuK  so 

keries,  and 
s  on  all  the 


s  canw!  into 

dead  ])np8 

ml  Island.) 

the  islands 
during  my 
pon  by  the 
iurii'H;  but 
■xfite  any 

kirifs,  and 
id.     (M.  F. 

rookeries 

e  bowlders 

lead  )inpH 

IW."..) 

rookeries, 
ml  Island 
lie  number 


ad  voiinK 
till'  rook- 

hd  liy  the 
teniiininK 

eries.  On 
I  a])|iarent 
liitli  were 

cdN  of  feet 

eei'  (south 
not  so  ap- 
all.v  K'"'!'* 
so  tliirkly 
\  oid  step- 


I 


ping  on  the  carcasses.  The  great  mass  of  dead  in  all  easeh  was  within  a  short  dis- 
tanee  of  the  water's  edge.  The  patches  of  dva<l  would  roinnienee  at  the  water's  edge 
and  stretch  in  a  wide  swath  up  into  the  rookery,  .\uioiig  the  immense  masses  of 
dead  were  seldom  to  be  found  the  carcasses  of  full-grown  seals,  but  the  carcasses 
were  those  of  pups,  or  young  seals  boru  that  year.  1  can  give  no  idea  of  the  exact 
Quniber  of  dead,  but  1  belie>'e  that  they  could  only  be  numbered  by  the  thouaands 
on  (;acli  rookery.  Along  the  water's  edge  and  scattered  auuing  the  dead  were  ipiite 
a  number  of  live  j'up^i  wiiiili  were  in  an  emaciated  condition.  Many  had  hardly  the 
strength  to  drag  themselves  out  of  one's  way ;  thus  contrasting  strongly,  both  in 
appearance  ami  actions,  with  the  plump  conditi(Ui  and  active,  aggressive  conduct  of 
the  healthy  appearing  pups.     (.1.  C.  S.  Akerly,  .M.  I).,  resident  pliysician.) 

In  the  latter  ])art  of  July,  18!)1,  my  attention  was  called  to  a  source  of  waste,  the 
etllciency  of  which  was  most  startliugly  illustrated.  In  my  conversatiosA  with  the 
n^'Mves  1  had  learned  that  dead  pups  had  been  seen  upon  the  rookeries  in  the  ]iast 
fiM>  years  in  such  numlxM's  as  to  cause  much  concern.  In  the  ndddle  of  .inly  they 
pointed  out  to  nie  here  and  there  dead  pups  and  othtirs  so  weak  and  emaciated  that 
their  death  was  but  a  matter  of  a  few  days.  Ity  the  time  the  Hritish  commissioners 
arrived  the  dead  pups  were  in  sutlicient  abnndaute  to  attra<;t  their  attention,  and 
they  are,  I  Relieve,  under  the  impression  that  they  lirst  discovere<l  them. 

Hy  the  latter  part  of  August  «leaths  were  rare,  the  mortality  having  pra<tically 
ceased.  .\n  examination  of  ):<■  warning  lists  of  the  coml)ined  tieets  of  hritish  and 
American  >  misers  wi*'  dio  y  that  before  the  middle  <d' August  the  last  sealing 
schooner  s-as  sent  out  of  Itering  Sea.  These  vessels  had  entereil  the  sea  about  .Inly 
1  and  had  done  much  effective  work  by  .Mily  l-'i.  The  mortality  among  the  pups  and 
its  cessation  is  synchronous  with  thcseuling  fleet's  arrival  and  departure  from  Mering 
Sea. 

There  are  several  of  the  rookeries  upon  which  level  areas  are  so  disposed  as  to  be 
seen  by  the  eye  at  a  ^liince.  In  Septeudier  Dr.  Akerly  and  I  walked  directly  across 
the  rookery  of  Tolstoi,  St.  i'aul,  an<l  in  addition  to  the  dead  pups  in  sight,  they  lay 
in  groups  of  from  three  to  a  do/en  among  the  ol)a(;uring  rucks  on  the  hillside.  From 
a  (^arefK'  examination  of  every  rookery  u]i()n  the  two  islands  ma<le  liy  me  in  August 
and  SepteMdier,  I  place  the  minimum  estimate  of  the  dead  pujts  to  be  i.'i,«HK).  and  that 
some  nuiuher  bt^tweeu  that  and  HD.OOt)  would  represent  more  nearly  a  true  statement 
of  the  tacts.     (J.  Stauley-Hrown,  Treasury  agent,  18!ll-!(2. ) 

No  mention  was  ever  nuide  of  any  unusual  number  of  dead  pujis  upon  the  rookeries 
having  been  noticed  at  any  time  prior  to  my  visit  in  IK70,  but  when  I  again  visited  the 
islands  in  I81N),  I  found  it  a  subject  of  much  solicitude  by  those  interested  in  the  per- 
]>etuati()n,  and  in  1891  it  had  assnmiid  such  proportions  as  to  cause  serious  alarm. 
The  natives  making  the  drives  tirst  dis<'overed  this  trouble,  then  special  agents  took 
note,  and  later  on  1  think  almost  everyone  who  was  allowed  to  visit  the  rookeries 
could  not  close  their  eyes  or  nostrils  to  the  great  numbers  of  <lead  pups  to  be  seen  on 
all  sides.  In  company  with  Special  Agent  Murray,  Captain  Hooper,  and  I'^ngiiieer 
Brerton,  of  tin;  Corwin,  I  visited  the  Keef  and  (iarbotcli  rookeries,  St.  I'aul  Island,  ia 
/'ignst,  18!)1,  and  saw  one  of  the  most  pitiable  siglils  that  I  have  liver  witnessed. 
Thousands  of  dead  an«l  dying  pups  were  scattered  o\  er  the  rookeries,  while  the  shores 
were  lined  with  emaciated,  hungry  little  fellows,  with  their  eyes  turned  toward  the 
sea  utterinjj;  plaintive  cries  for  uieir  mothers,  which  were  destined  never  to  return. 
Nniiibcrs  ot  them  were  o))enod,  their  stomachs  examined,  and  the  fact  revealed  that 
starvatian  was  the  cause  of  death,  no  organic  (lisease  being  apparent.  (W.CCoul- 
8011,  captain,  revenue  marine. 

'flic  schooners  increased  every  year  from  the  time  I  lijst  noticed  them,  until  in  I88i 
therci  was  a  fleet  of  20  or  Hi),  and  then  I  began  to  see  more  and  more  dead  piijis  on 
the  rookeries,  until  in  18!>1  the  tieet  of  sealing  schooners  numbered  more  than  100 
and  the  rookeries  were  covered  with  dead  jiups.     (.lohn  I'ratis.) 

It  was  during  these  years  that  <load,  emaciated  pujis  were  first  noticed  on  the  rook- 
eries, and  they  in(!reP;<od  in  numbers  until  IH'.tl,  in  which  year,  in  August  and  Sep- 
toinber,  the  rookericrt  vere  covered  with  dead  pups.      (Kdward  Hughes,  emploveo  of 

lessees,  1888-1894.) 

Oil  the  null  of  August,  1891,  I  saw  the  young  pnps  lying  dead  upon  the  rookeries 
ot  St.  I'aiil,  and  I  estimated  tlieir  number  to  lie  not  less  than  30,()0<);  and  they  had 
died  fniiii  starvation,  their  mothers  having  been  killed  at  the  feeding  grounds  by 
pelagic  hunters,     (.loseidi  Murray,  Treasury  agent,  1889-1894.) 

().  Have  you  noticed  any  dead  pups  on  the  rookeries  this  jiast  season,  and  in  what 
]>roportion  to  former  years? — A.  1  have  seen  an  unusual  number  of  dead  pujis  this 
year  on  the  breeding  grounds;  I  may  sav  twice  as  many  as  formerly.  (.1.  C.  Redpath, 
lessees'  agent,  1875^1894.) 


i!M 


II- 


i  f 

mi 


m 


*li 


REAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIUII.OF    ISLANDS. 


CAUSE  OF   DEATH   OF   Fl'PS. 


condition  of  tiicir 


lUrry  \v*!i'u  iiii|iH,  uiiil  ii'oiii  iiltsciiff  ol  all  hi;;iih  ol  (ll.H(■a^«e,  ciiiiiciatea 
hollies,  aihl  al>iton<'e  of  looil  from  tlicii'  stoiiiacliN.     (.1.  C. :  .  Aliurly, 


{}.  Dill  villi  see  any  ilenil  |iii|m  on  the  rookerieH  thiHHi-aHon  '( — A.  Ves;  ni.v  nttentiiin 
waH  ralh-il  to  till-  matter  hy  ,1.  Stanle.v-Mrowii,  who  rei|iu-Hteil  mi-  to  examine  them 
with  a  view  to  ilelermiiiin}j;  the  eaiise  of  llieir  ileatli.  I  exaniineil  a  nuniher  wliieli 
IiikI  appareiitl.v  n-cently  ilieil.  Their  hoilicH  wen-  entirely  ih-Htitiite  of  fat,  anil  no 
fooil  to  lie  foiinil  ill  their  Htiimai'Im.  After  a  careful  examination  I  roiinil  nueviilence 
of  iliseaHi-. 

I}.  What  ilo  yon  aHsif^n  an  the  cause  of  their  iliath  f — A.  I  hclieve  them  to  have 
dieil  of  starvation. 

{/.   Why  iln  von  think  they  ilii-il  of  starvation f — A.   I'roni  the  fact  that  nearly  all 
theileail  un  the  rookery  were  jtii|is,  anil  from  ahseiii-r  of  all  si;;nsof  ilisease,  emaciated 
conilitii 
M.  D.) 

There  were  a  great  many  tleail  ]ni|>s  on  the  rookeries  during  iny  last  three  years  on 
St.  Paul  Islanil.  Many  of  them  wanili-nil  helplesslv  about,  away  from  the  groups 
or  jiods  where  tln-y  were  aci-iistomed  to  lie.  and  linally  starved  to  death.  We  knew 
at  the  time  what  killed  them,  for  the  vessels  and  lioats  were  several  times  jdainly  in 
sight  from  tin-  island  shooting  seals  in  water,  and  the  revenue  cutters  and  company'H 
vessels  ariiving  at  the  island  rrei|iii-ntly  re|i(irted  their  presence  in  llering  .Sea,  and 
Hometimes  the  capture  of  these  marauding:  crews.  If  all  had  heen  cjiptured  and  the 
business  broken  ii|i  the  seal  rookeries  would  he  healthy  and  prosperous  to-day,  instead 
of  belli};  di-pleti'd  and  broken  up.  I  speak  positively  about  it.  Iiecaiise  nootbi-r  cause 
can  be  assigned  for  their  depletion  upon  any  icasonable  hypothesis.  (W.  ('.  Allis, 
lessees'  agent. 

Dr.  .\ki-rly,  the  lessees'  physician  at  the  tiiiir,  made  an  auto]isy  of  some  of  the 
carcasses  and  reported  that  he  could  liiiil  no  traces  of  any  diseased  (-ondition  what- 
ever, but  there  was  an  entire  absence  of  food  or  any  signs  of  iioiirislimcnt  in  the 
Htomach.  ISefore  Dr.  Dawson  h-ft  I  called  his  attentiim  to  what  Dr.  .Vkcrly  had 
done,  bill  whether  he  saw  him  on  the  subji-ct  I  can  not  tell.  (Milton  Itarncs,  Treas- 
ury agent.) 

I  procured  a  number  of  these  |iii)is,  and  Dr.  Akerly,  at  my  request,  made  autop- 
sies, not  only  at  the  \  illage,  but  later  on  upon  the  rookeries  theiuselves.  The  lungs 
of  these  dead  jiups  lloated  in  water.  There  was  no  oi-ganic  disease  of  heart,  liver, 
lungs,  stomach,  or  alimentary  canal.  In  the  latter  there  was  but  little  and  often  no 
fecal  matter,  and  the  stomach  was  entirely  em]>ty.  I'lips  in  the  last  stage  of  emacia- 
tion were  seen  by  me  upon  the  rookeries,  and  their  condition,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
dead  ones,  h-tt  no  room  to  doubt  that  their  death  was  caused  by  starvation.  (J. 
Stanley- lirown.) 

The  ]iiips  on  the  rooki-ries  were  fat  and  healthy,  and  while  I  was  on  the  islands  no 
e))idemic  disease  ever  appeared  anioim  them,  nor  did  the  natives  have  stories  of 
an  epidemic  ever  destroying  them.     (Charles  liryant.  Treasury  agent,  1>«))>-I877.) 

I  was  inl'ornied  at  the  time  (November,  WH)  that  the  stomachs  of  dead  pups  had 
been  examined  by  the  medical  oDicers  at  the  island  and  no  traces  of  food  found 
therein.  From  ]iersoiial  observation  I  am  of  the  ojiinioii  that  fully  W  ]ter  cent  of 
them  died  of  starvation,  great  emaciation  being  apparent,  (.lolin  C.  Cantwell, 
revenue  marine.) 

I  have  never  known  of  any  sickness  or  c]dileiiiic  among  the  seals,  and  I  am  of  the 
opinion  that  the  thciisands  of  dead  pu)is  on  the  rookeries  last  year  died  of  starva- 
tion on  account  of  their  inothers  lieing  shot  and  killed  while  feeding  at  the  lishing 
banks  in  the  sea.  I  was  ]iresent  last  year  and  saw  soine  of  the  dead  jnips examined. 
Their  stomachs  were  empty,  and  they  presented  all  the  a)ipearaiiees  of  starvation. 
I  also  noticed  on  the  rookeries  a  great  many  eiiiaoiatcd  pups,  which  on  a  later  visit 
would  be  il'sid.  It  has  always  been  the  practice  ]>rior  to  IK!)|  for  the  natives  to  kill 
H,()<M)  to  4, (MX)  ]iups  in  November  for  food,  and  we  always  (ind  their  stomachs  filled 
with  milk.     (('.  L.  Fowler,  lessees' agent.) 

It  is  my  opinion  that  the  cows  an-  killed  by  the  hunters  when  they  go  out  in  the 
sea  to  feed,  and  the  pu])8  are  left  to  die  and  do  <lie  on  the  island,  (.lohn  Fratis,  native 
sealer.) 


They  were  tliin,  poor,  and  aiijieared  to  have  starved  to  death, 
sealer.) 


(Alex.  Haussen, 


It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  female  seals  leave  the  islands  and  go  great  dis- 
tances for  food,  and  it  is  clearly  )iroveii  that  many  of  them  do  not  return,  as  the 
number  of  pups  starved  to  death  on  the  rookeries  denioustrates.  (\V.  S.  Hereford, 
M.  D.) 


1 


tS 


SKAI.    LIFK    ON    TIIK    I'KIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


19 


'  < 


ntteiitinii 
iiti<>  theiii 
her  wliic'li 
It,  mill  no 
i>eviiU-nce 

III  to  have 

nearly  all 
t'liiaciated 
•  .  Akcrly, 

le  ycarH  on 
Im  <;r»mpH 
\V«  kiu'W 
plainly  in 
coiii)>aiiy'» 
y;  Sea,  anil 
«mI  anil  tlio 
iiv,  inHtuad 
itlicr  raiise 
r.  ('.  Allis, 

inie  of  the 
tion  nliat- 
iiiit  in  tho 
\ki  riy  hail 
lU'H,  i'reas- 

aile  autop- 
'i'hn  lunjj;H 

i-ait,  liver, 

III  ot'tvii  no 
ofi'niaria- 

that  of  the 
ition.     (J. 

islaiiilti  no 
Htorios  of 
it -1877.) 

|)iiIiN  had 
iDod  found 
|ior  cent  of 

Cantwell, 

am  of  the 
[of  starva- 
i\\e  lishinK 
[(■xaiiiiiK'd. 
Uarvation. 
Jlater  viHit 
IvL-H  to  kill 
lacliH  filled 

lout  111  the 
^tiH,  native 

llauHson, 

I  urcat  (lis- 
jrn,  as  the 
1  Hereford, 


I'lir  if  till'  inotlirr  miniIh  aie  iIi'Mtroyoil  tlii'ii'  yoiin^  ran  not  hut  |)rri>li;  iin  oIIiit  ilatii 
will  Hurkle  lliriii;  nor  ran  tiny  HiiliHist  until  at  leant  :<  or  I  inoiilhs  oM  without 
the  inothi-r'H  milk,  'i'lio  Iosh  of  tliLs  vaxt  iiuiiiIm-i'  of  |iu|is,  amounting  to  many  tlimi- 
samlH,  we  roulil  attrihiite  to  no  other  eaune  than  the  ileatli  of  the  mother  at  the  hainU 
of  ]ielu);ic'  seal  hnnterN.     (II.  II.  .Melntyre.) 

<.).  Mow  ilo  you  account  for  this? — A.  1  think  the  cows  were  killed  liy  the  |ntach- 
ers  while  away  from  the  rookeries,  and  as  luotlier  seals  nui'se  iioim  hut  thiii  own 
yDUii;;,  consci|ueiilly  the  pu|>s  whose  luothers  were  killed  die  from  starvation. 
(Anlone  MelovedolV,  native  chief.) 

The  seals  are  never  visited  hy  physical  dlHorders  of  any  kind,  so  far  as  I  could 
ascertain,  and  I  have  iiexerHeen  on  their  hollies  any  hlrniishes,  linmors,  or  ernptionB 


A 


i 


(lit  he  attriliiited  to  iliseaHe.     (.lolin  .M.  .Mortoii.) 


wliu'li  uiiK> 

Tliese  latter  )iu|is  I  examined,  and  they  seemed  to  lie  ver,\  iiiiich  emaciated.  In 
my  opinion,  they  died  of  starvation,  caused  hy  the  mothers  having;  Iteeii  shot  while 
ulisciit  IVoiii  the  islands  feeding;.  Another  cause  of  their  Htar\<nK  is  liecause  a  cow 
refuses  to  yive  suck  to  any  piij)  hut  her  own,  and  she  reco};ni/,es  her  ol)'sprin;r  liy 
its  cry,  distin^iuishin;;  its  voice  from  that  of  hundreds  ot  others  which  are  con- 
stantly Ideating.     (.1.  11.  .Moultou.) 

The  epidemic  theory  was  iir^ed  very  siionnly  iu  18!'l,  when  the  rookeries  were 
found  coM-red  with  dead  ]hi]is,  hut  a  caretiil  and  technical  examination  was  made 
of  several  of  the  dead  hodies  without  ilisco\erinjj  a  trace  of  oi;^anie  disease,  while 
Btavvation  was  so  ajijiarent  that  those  who  examined  them  decided  that  it  was  the 
true  cause  of  their  death.  Had  sickness  or  disease  :it*ai'ked  the  seal  herd,  it  \h  only 
rcasiiiialde  to  Huppose  a  few  j;rown  seals  would  he  found  dead  where  so  many  vomi;j 
ones  hail  died  so  suddenly,  hut  the  most  dilii^cnt  search  Inm  failtMl  to  iind  a  ^rown 
seal  dead  ii|)on  the  islands  from  iiiiknown  causes.  I'rom  the  disi'overy  of  i  he  islands 
until  the  present  time  the  llesh  of  the  fur  seal  has  lieen  the  daily  meat  ration  of  the 
natives  and  of  the  white  ]ieople,  and  yet  it  is  a  fact  that  a  tainted  ordi>ea8ed  carcass 
has  never  heen  known.     (L.  A.  Noyes,  M.  I).,  resident  physician,  lHHO-|M!tl.) 

Some  of  these  losses  were  due  to  their  perlui|)H  too  early  attempts  to  swim.  When 
the  pii|i  is  a  few  moiiths  old  the  mother  seal  eoiiducts  it  to  the  water  and  teaches  it 
to  swim  near  the  shore.  If  a  heavy  sea  is  encountered  the  weak  little  pu]i  is  liahle 
to  lie  thrown  hy  the  surf  a;;ainst  the  rocks  and  killed,  hut  under  natural  conditions, 
and  with  the  protection  to  the  rookeries  formerly  enforced  at  the  islands,  the  losses 
from  this  cause  and  all  others  comhined  (save  alone  the  authori/ed  killing)  amoiinted 
to  an  inlinitcsimiil  percenta^fe  of  the  whole  niimliers  in  the  henls.  (M.  (i.  (.ttis, 
Treasury  agent,  187'J-1X«1.) 

Another  theory,  ei|nally  untrue,  was  that  an  epidemic  had  sei/eil  the  herd;  hut 
investigations  of  the  closest  kind  have  never  revealed  the  ileatli  on  the  islands  of  a 
full-ijrowii  seal  from  unknown  causes.  Let  it  he  rememhered  that  the  llesh  of  the 
seal  is  tlie  slajde  diet  of  the  natives,  and  that  it  is  eaten  daily  hy  most  of  the  white 
employees  as  well;  and  yet  it  is  true  that  a  sij^n  of  tjiint  or  disease  Inif.  never  heen 
found  on  a  seal  carcass  in  the  memory  of  man.  It  was  not  until  so  many  thousands 
of  dead  pu)is  were  found  u|>oii  the  rookeries  that  the  prohlem  was  solved.  The  truth 
is,  that  when  the  cows  ;;o  out  to  the  feeilin<{  <;rounds  to  feed,  they  are  shot  and  killed 
hv  the  pehiy;ic  hunter,  and  the  pujis,  deprived  of  sustenance,  die  ujion  the  rookeries. 
Exceptiii}j  a  few  pups  killed  hy  the  surf  occasionally,  it  luis  heen  demonstrated  that 
all  the  ])ups  found  dead  are  |iiioraiiil  starved,  iiiiil  when  exandned  their  stonuiehs  are 
found  to  he  without  a  sijrn  of  food  of  any  sort.  The  resident  ]>hysician.  Dr.  .\kerly, 
examined  nianv  of  them,  and  found  in  everv  instance  that  starvation  was  the  cauae 
of  death.     (.1.  C.  Kedpath.) 

A  doiihle  waste  occurs  when  the  mother  seal  is  killed,  as  the  pup  will  surely  starve 
to  death.  A  mother  seal  will  ji'^'*'  sustenance  to  no  ])up  hut  her  own.  I  saw  aad 
evidences  of  this  waste  on  St.  I'aul  Island  last  season,  where  larjie  numhers  of  pn])8 
were  lyin^  ahout  the  rookeries,  where  they  had  died  of  starvation.  (Conimander 
Z. L. Tanner,  U.S.  N.) 

I  never  heard  of  any  disease  among  the  seal  herd,  nor  of  an  epidemic  of  any  sort  or 
at  any  time  in  the  history  of  the  islands.     ( Daniel  Wehster,  lessees'  iiKout,  18(>S-1894.) 

^f  the  mother  of  a  young  seal  is  killed,  the  pup  is  very  likely  to  die.  It  will  he  so 
weak  that  the  storm  will  dash  it  ashore  and  kill  it,  or  it  may  die  of  starvation.  I 
have  seen  pu|)s  hardly  larger  than  a  rat  from  lack  of  nourishment.  A  starved  or 
neglected  orphan  pup  is  lenrly  sure  to  die.  At  one  storm  the  nativim  found  over  300 
pups  wjished  ashore  in  ii  little  cove,  and  the  water  around  was  full  ot  dead  pups.  It 
is  certain  that  nearly  all  the  dead  pups  wereorpli;ins.     The  female  seal  when  suckling 


her 


"i 


(I 


young  has  to  go  out  into  the  ocean  in  search  of  fooil,  and  it  is  those  animals,  or 


lenialeson  the  way  to  the  breeding  grounds  to  give  birth  to  the  young,  that  we  kill 
in  the  Bering  Sea.    (T.  T.  Williams,  quoting  Captain  Olseu.) 


'gi 


80 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


The  f'oit'goint,'  qiiotsitions  are  from  the  attldavits  and  ropoi ts  of  men 
who,  thr(>U};h  yt'ai«  of  experience,  },^ained  ii  praetical  knowledjjfe  of  fnr- 
seal  life  in  all  its  details,  and  who  theref(»re  know  of  what  they  speak 
beyond  the  possibility  of  snccessfid  eontradietion. 

It  nniy  be  ur^eil  by  our  opponents  that  the  testiin(»ny  is  that  of  men 
who  are  neither  learned  nor  seientifie,  and  who,  bein;;  employed  by 
«ither  the  (lovernment  or  the  lessees,  had  ]>rivateand  personal  interests 
to  subserve. 

For  the  purpose  of  meetiii};  su<h  objections,  and  to  show  ln)w  the 
practical  and  8«ientiH<areajjreed  in  thisnnitter,  I  will  here  introduce  a 
pa]»er  written  by  a  well-known  naturalist,  who  has  had  nniny  years 
practical  experience  amon};  the  fur  seals  on  the  Commander  Islands, 
and  who  has  not  now,  nor  ever  ha<l,any  interest  in  the  Pribilof  Islands 
or  the  Alaskan  seal  herd. 

ills  testimony  is  therefore  the  more  valuable,  and  it  will  be  found 
that  it  conlirms  my  position  In  every  partictilar: 


DKl'OSITION   OK    NU'IIUI.AS    A, 


UHKIiMT/.KI,'    lU'SSIAN    MIMIAItV   tUIKK    OK    THK    CUM- 
MANDKK   ISI.ANII.S. 


I,  NiciioliiH  A.  (inOmitzki,  K'liHNiiin  inilitarv  rliiitf  of  the  CoiniiiuiHlor  iHlaiulH  dis- 
trict, with  tlio  riiiik  ot'  coioncl,  iiial<f  tliu  following  stati'iiieiit: 

I  have  IxM'ii  ri'Hiiliii);  <tn  the  ('i)iiiiiiaii<h'i'  iNJanilH  and  havo  diroctcd  all  scaling  oper- 
ations th<T«  for  th<^  last  llt'ttMii  years,  and  during;  this  whole  jiuriod  liave  been  absent 
from  the  islands  lint  very  little.  I  have  (;arefnll,v  observeil  seal  life,  the  condition  of 
the  rookoricH,  and  tlitunethoil  of  t:ikin<;  seals  at  all  seasons  and  nnder  all  conditions, 
with  the  ohject  of  keepin^r  the  K'nsHian  (ioverninent  tlioron^hly  informed  as  to  its 
sealing;  interests  and  tin;  proper  nianafreinent  of  the  same. 

While  I  have  never  hud  the  opportnnily  to  examine  the  I'ribilof  Islands  seals,  yet 
I  do  not  hesitate  to  exjtress  the  opinion  that  that  herd  and  the  Comnninder  Islands 
herd  are  distinct  an<l  do  nut  min;;le  at  all.  Tiiere  are  some  natives  on  the  islands 
who  are  familiar  with  both,  and  who  state  that  there  is  »  marked  ditterence  in  the 
animals  Kesides,  my  stndies  as  auatnralist  enable  nie  to  state  that  it  would  be 
0(mtrary  to  all  reason  to  snp|)ose  that  tliey  min>;le  with  one  another.  The  Com- 
mander herd  approaches  very  closely  to  the  lk(dd)en  Island  herd  in  winter,  and  yet 
it  does  not  mingle  with  it.  Of  this  I  am  sure,  for  I  have  charge  of  Koblten  Island 
as  well  as  of  the  Comnuinder  Islands,  an<l  know  the  skins  of  the  two  herds  to  be  dif- 
ferent. The  skin  of  the ('onuninder  seal  is  thicker,  has  coarser  hair,  is  of  a  lighter 
color,  and  weighs  abont  20  i)er  cent  more  than  a  kobben  skin  of  the  same  size. 

It  is  wholly  im])robable  tout  the  seals  of  the  Commander  herd  visit  any  land  other 
than  the  Conunander  Islands.  I  believe  they  regard  these  as  their  home,  these  islands 
being  ])ecnliarly  adapted  to  their  needs  at  the  period  to  bring  forth  their  young  and 
of  breeding.  The  fact  that  the  Kobben  Island  herd  still  freipients  Hobben  Island 
to  the  exclusion  of  any  other  land,  notwithstanding  it  has  been  subjected  there  to 
the  utmost  persecution,  shows  to  my  mind  conclusively  that  the  presence  of  man 
will  not  prevent  a  seal  herd  from  returning  to  the  same  land  year  after  year.  Even 
if  isolated  cases  have  occurred  (I  know  of  none)  in  which  for  various  causes  a  few 
of  the  (,'ommander  Islands  seals  reached  other  shores,  such  exceptions  wonld  not  dis- 
prove the  general  rule  above  stated.  I  can  readily  understand  that  a  female  which 
had  been  wounded  in  the  water  might  be  snbject  (sic)  to  seek  the  nearest  land  and 
there  give  birth  to  her  pup. 

Annually,  at  almost  stated  periods,  they  arrive  at  the  islands  and  imnunliatoly  pro- 
ceed to  occupy  the  same  grounds  which  Iiave  been  occupied  during  past  years  in  a 
way  wliich  makes  it  impossible  to  doubt  that  they  are  familiar  with  the  locality.  I 
believe  that  at  some  time  during  the  year  every  seal  comes  ashore.  There  is  uo  reason 
to  believe  that  a  certain  number  of  any  class  remain  swimming  .about  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  islands  all  sumynT  without  landing,  although  there  is  considerable 
dit!'ereuce  in  the  time  at  which  dilVerent  classes  arrive. 

Soon  after  landing  at  the  Commantler  Islands  those  cows  which  were  fertilized  the 
year  previous  give  birth  to  their  young.  A  cow  (loes  not,  except  in  very  rare  instances, 
give  birth  to  more  than  one  pup  in  a  season.    The  birth  of  paps  can  only  take  place 


'  No  written  evidence  having  been  prodnced  in  the  report  of  the  British  oommis- 
aioners  iu  support  of  the  various  views  attributed  to  Mr.  Grebnitzki,  the  United 
States  have  deemed  it  desirable  to  obtain  from  that  ofiicial  a  written  expression  from 
his  views  upon  seal  life  in  general. 


HKAI.    lAlK    ON    TIIK    rKIIUI.OK    ISLANDS. 


81 


of  iiten 
e  of  fur- 

■j  of  men 
oyed  by 
interests 

liow  the 
roduce  a 
jy  years 

JslillldH, 

f  Islands 
1)0  ibiuid 


TIIK   roM- 


ilaii«lH  ditt- 

^litiKopur- 
i-cn  absont 
iiiMlitionof 
■oiiilitioiiH, 
ll  IIH  to  its 

4  HcalH,  yet 

I<-r  IhIuikIs 

liu  iHlaiiila 

|nco  in  tho 

woiilil  be 

he  Com- 

and  .vet 

in  Island 

to  be  dif- 

a  lighter 

.size. 

luiul  other 
ese  iHlanda 
oiing  and 
>en  Island 
I  tlitire  to 
ce  of  man 
lar.  Even 
ses  a  few 
Id  not  dis- 
lale  which 
land  and 

ately  pro- 
years  in  a 
ality.  I 
uu  reason 
the  neigh- 
usidera^le 


)CI 


til  i  zed  the 
instances, 
take  place 


h  oommta- 
he  United 
ssion  from 


■i 


^ 


on  Nlioriv  CdWH  nisvi^r  iirrivi-  ut  tlie  iNlands  with  ih-w-Iioiii  |iii|is.  lint  tlic  inipoHHi- 
bilitt  i>r  hi  I  ill  ill  I  lie  waliT  is  Ix-hI  pinvoil  Uy  tlit-  lad  that  tiir  pup  w  hen  lirKt  Imi  ii  is 
piMi-lv  a  laixi  aiiiiiial  in  all  IIm  lialiits.  It  ilius  not  \<>liintaril>  approarli  llut  witlrr 
till  it  in  NcNttral  wi-i'Kn  iilii,  ami  tlit'ii  it  i.s  ol)li<rfii  to  learn  to  ^wini.  .\  Nnri  will  hoiiio- 
tiiiii's  wash  the  ,v<iu:iu  piip.i  oil'  tlir  roi  Km,  wlit-ii  tiny  aii' .siiir  to  Im>  di'o\viii>d.  The 
pMps  ('.'III  not  swiiM  at  hii'th,  hiii  nia.sl  h<-  laiight  hv  tht-ir  niothrrs.  A  pnp  would 
lirowii  if  thrown  into  tlir  si-a  hrioic  learning  to  Nwini. 

Copiihitioii  in  the  water  I  lii'lieNo  to  he  inipoMMihle,  tor  the  act  is  violent,  ut'  lung 
diHiition,  anil  in  ;;eneral  eliaraeter  Hiinilar  to  that  perl'ornieil  hy  lanil  aniinals. 

1  hi'lieve  that  the  mi-uU  leave  the  vicinity  ut'  the  iNlands  niainly  on  aceonnt  of  the 
severity  ut'  the  winter.  Of  coiii'Ne,  I  do  not  mean  to  say  tliat  they  wunid  reiiniin  un 
the  Hhore  all  the  year  round,  iih  niiiny  of  them  do  throiiKhunt  the  whole  of  the  hiiiii- 
iiier,  lur  they  wonlil  be  olili;ieil  tu  take  to  the  water  to  uhtain  liiod.  What  I  mean  is 
thai  they  woiilil  not  go  no  far  away  as  thev  now  <to,  init  wunhl  remain  aruiind  tlie 
iNlands,  and  tlniM  give  ailditiunal  pruof  of  the  nniineNtiuuable  fact  that  they  regard 
tlieni  IIH  their  huine.  1  Itase  this  Htateineiit  iipun  liie  tact  that  dining  mild  winters  I 
have  myself  seen  thi>in  in  large  nnniherHuti'  the  I'ommiinder  iHliinds.  'I'liey  are  uiten 
re|Mirtuil  iil>uiit  oil  miles  soiitli  of  the  wcsterniiioMt  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  and  the 
Kaiiii'hatka  (.'uast.  'i'liis  wuiild  be  in  accord  with  the  habits  of  the  seals  of  the  South- 
ern lleiniN]diere,  which,  I  am  iiifurmed,  are  funiid  in  the  same  lueality,  more  or  less, 
at  all  seasons.  The  seals  generally  leave  the  Cumiiiiiinler  Islands  by  the  middle  of 
November,  hy  which  time  it  lias  become  cold  and  sioiiiiy,  but  in  milil  winters  they 
have  been  on  the  islands  as  late  as  lieeeinber. 

I  <lu  nut  think  that  fiir  seals  sliunld  be  elasbed  w  ith  wild  aniinals  any  more  than 
sliei  p  or  cattle  when  out  un  large  pastuiing  grounds.  Seals,  unless  needlessly 
friuhteiied,  beeoine  more  or  less  acensiomed  to  the  sight  of  man  among  them  un  the 
rookeries,  and  while  un  land  are  at  all  times  under  his  complete  i-untrul.  A  few  niea 
can  ih'ive  a  lar;;e  number  uf  thttin  withuiit  dillii^nlty.  They  are  intelligent  tu  a  very 
high  licgree,  and  can  be  made  to  become  in  a  short  time  pets.  The  l)reetling  males 
or  liiills  are  alone  aguressive. 

Seals  are  polygamous,  and  the  powers  of  tertili/.ation  of  the  male  are  very  great. 
Since  the  liirtlis  are  about  eijiially  iliNlribiitetl  hctwein  males  and  females,  it  lolluws 
that  iinilcr  natural  cumlitions  there  wunhl  be  a  great  excess  of  male  life  uver  tliat 
actiiiilly  needed  for  the  propagation  of  the  species,  and  it  is,  as  in  the  case  ol'  so 
niiiny  other  animals,  fur  the.  positive  benelit  of  the  IicmI  as  a  whole  that  a  ]>ortiun  uf 
this  excess  of  male  life  he  killed  oil'  lietore  it  is  of  .■.iillicienl  age  to  go  uu  the  rook- 
erics.  If  not  killed  oil'  the  compel ition  by  the  hulls  upon  the  inukeries  lor  fcnialea 
would  he  ilestrii(;tive  of  much  lite.      I'his  competition  is  alreailx   tierce  enough. 

Iiiirini^  some  of  the  years  prior  to  the  time  ol  my  arrival  on  the  islamls  there  had 
been  considerable  indiscriniinate  killiii;;  of  seals  w  ithuiil  re^iari!  to  age  or  sex;  but 
during  the  lifteen  years  of  my  mana;:fiiient  of  the  Coiniuaniler  Islands  rookeries  all 
seiils  which  ha\e  been  killed  eunstitiited  a  poition  u\'  the  excess  uf  males  ahuve 
referreil  to,  and  known  as  hachelois,  ur  Indlnsi  hickie.  This  is  why  the  rookeries  are 
to-ilay  in  a  lunch  better  condition  than  when  1  lirst  went  tu  the  (inumaiiiler  Islands, 
notwithstanding;  that  until  the  year  Isill  a  gradually  increasing  iiiimher  of  large 
skiiiH  has  been  taken.  I'runi  iSSli  tu  IKPO  the  avi-ra^e  annual  catch  was  about  t>{),i)00, 
the  skins  all  heiiiu  large.  The  last  twu  years  I  have  reduced  the  catches,  because  I 
now  think  .')l),()Oll  skins  somewhat  in  excess  of  what  the  rookeries  !;an  yield,  ami  for 
other  causes  which  I  will  mention  later.  1  leel  very  sure  that  the  great  cause  of 
this  iliiuiniition  is  pelauic  sealing. 

'I'his  year  I  hav)^  connted  u\  er  :i,r)ll<)  skins  seized  un  puacliing  vessels,  and  have  fuiind 
!il) ))  r  cent  tu  be  skins  uf  females.  They  were  skins  taken  fruin  Coiiiniander  Island 
seals. 

As  to  skins  taken  near  I'ribilof  Islands  I  <-uuiit<Ml  the  skins  seized  in  the  Hohii  ilhen 
anil  found  two-thirds  «>f  them  were  skins  of  females.  These  were  tal'en,  as  the  log 
book  of  the  /I'ourt  Olaen  shows,  over  Wl  miles  from  shore. 

I  I  (insider  it  a  false  argnment  to  say  that  the  killing  of  a  projier  portion  of  the 
excess  of  male  life  is  bad,  iimrely  becanse  it  is  an  interference  with  the  order  «)f 
nature.  If  nut  interfered  with,  nature  will  iirodnce  an  uver|>opiilatiuii  uf  the  rouk- 
eries.  which  would,  of  course,  be  a  bad  thing.  My  the  present  mode  of  killing  a 
certain  niiiiilier  ul'  young  males,  population  is  regulated.  No  tacts  can  he  brought 
forward  to  show  that  this  uiethoil  is  not  the  right  one.  Fast  exjierience  shows  that 
it  is  right. 

The  method  is  not  proved  tu  be  bad  by  showing  that  during  some  y«Mirs  too  many 
mules  may  ha-'  ht  i»n  killed,  and  that  the  rookeries  have  tht-reby  sntlered.  When 
sni'h  inisfaktH  i...  .i  been  made  thev  can  be  corrected  by  rediuting  the  number  of 
males  to  he  killed  !>•;•  a  few  \ears;  /ur  the  must  absolute  luntrol  can  he  exercised 
over  the  hen  \' lilc  it  is  un  land.  I  claim  that  the  method  now  pursued,  when 
executed  nndc  iiri]j>'  r  regulations,  is  in  theory  and  practice  the  only  one  l>y  whiirli 
Staling  can  !..>     aiiied  on  ruminireially  wilhunt   injuring  the  vitality  of  the  herd 

S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 6 


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23  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WnSTER.N  Y.  14SS0 

(716)«72-4S03 


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■^' 


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^\> 


6^ 


82 


SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PRIlilLOP    ISLANDS. 


w 


11 


!  h 


III 


;i!ir 


and  its  ability  to  iiiaiutaiti  its  numhers  at  the  proper  limit.  It  does  not  cause  the 
BCiils  to  cLuu^e  tlieir  Iial)it8  in  any  way,  and  1  do  not  believe  tli;it  tiven  an  exce.ssive 
killing  of  ,>oiiu<r  inaleu  on  the  ibjandis  would  have  the  titleet  of  altei'^i.'t^'  the  hahitsof 
the  lei'iale  seals  with  regard  to  landing  and  cause  theui  to  remain  .luout  the  islands 
instead  of  coming  on  shore. 

Cows,  exrept,  jjerhajis,  in  rare  cases  of  accident  or  for  scientilic  purposes,  are 
never  allowed  to  lie  killed  on  the  islands,  and  the  reason  lor  this  is  that  all  cows 
are  needed  for  breeding  ]iur])oses.  To  kill,  therelore,  any  cow  except  a  barren  one 
(and  there  are  lew  barren  ones  except  amongst  the  very  old  cows)  intlicts  a  much 
greater  injury  on  the  herd  than  the  loss  of  a  single  life,  li  is  not  true  that  because 
it  is  ]iroper  to  kill  a  certain  number  of  males  it  is  also  ))ro])er  to  kill  a  certain  nuiM> 
ber  of  females.  Hut  assuming  that  it  might  at  some  time  l>ccome  «lesirable  to  kill 
some  females,  it  would  still  be  wholly  improper  to  kill  them  without  regard  to  size 
or  condition,  as  is  the  case  when  they  aie  killed  in  the  water. 

There  is  at  the  ])resent  time  upon  the  (Jouunander  Islands  an  abundance  of  male 
lifii  for  breeding  iniriioses,  and  there  is  no  tear  that  any  female  will  not  be  served 
from  lack  of  virile  males.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  there  were 
in  1892  r<  hitively  fewer  females  than  in  former  years,  and  I  attribute  this  to  two 
causes:  First,  to  killing  of  seiils  in  the  water,  and, second,  raids  upon  the  islands. 
The  hrst  of  thesis  causes  is  by  far  the  more  important. 

The  raids  have,  owing  to  the  great  amount  of  Ibggy  weather,  caken  place,  to  a  cer- 
tain extent,  notwithstandiug  the  greatest  precautiiuis  to  guard  against  them.  The 
raiilers  Kill  males,  females,  and  )iu)>s  without  discrimination;  but  however  injuri- 
ously the  rauls  have  atfected  the  rookeries  still  they  are  of  much  less  importance 
than  the  killing  of  Commamler  Islands  seals  in  the  water.  During  the  past  two  sum- 
mers, and  especially  during  the  last  one,  this  killing  iu  the  waters  has  become  so 
great  that  if  allowed  to  continue  in  future  years  the  herd  will  be  in  danger  of 
nltiinate  extinction. 

i  do  not  know  exactly  how  wasteful  this  m<.-thod  may  be,  from  the  fact  that  all  the 
animals  wounded  or  killed  are  not  captured,  though  1  am  told  that  much  loss  occurs 
iu  that  way,  and  I  know  that  under  certain  conditions  a  seal  shot  dead  will  sink  at 
once.  I  can  state  positively,  however,  from  actual  experience  and  personal  examina- 
tion, that  a  vast  proportion,  fully  9(1  per  cent,  of  the  skins  taken  by  this  method 
during  the  present  year  are  those  of  female  animals.  In  addition,  a  certain  number 
of  the  skins  so  taken  are  those  of  very  young  seals,  probably  of  both  sexes,  such  as 
are  never  killed  on  land. 

Very  few  of  the  females  killed  are  barren,  no  matter  when  or  where  they  are 
killed.  Females  taken  early  iu  the  season  are  generally  heavy  with  young,  in  which 
condition  they  travel  slowly  as  compared  with  the  other  seals.  The  killing  of  such 
a  female  involves,  of  course,  the  iunue<liHte  loss  of  two  lives.  But  even  when  the 
female  is  taken  alter  she  has  been  on  shore  and  given  birth  to  her  young  this  same 
result  tollows  eventually,  for  a  seal  will  suckle  only  her  own  pup,  and  the  pups  are 
for  the  first  three  to  tive  nmnths  dependent  altogether  on  their  mothers  for  food. 
Conse(|ueutly  when  the  mothers,  who,  after  the  birth  of  tlieir  pups,  leave  the  rookeries 
in  search  of  food  (traveling  sometimes  considerable  distances,  I  do  not  know  exactly 
how  far),  fail  to  return,  their  pups  must  necessarily  <lie. 

There  are  always  a  few  dead  ])ups  to  be  found  on  the  rookeries  whose  death  is  not 
due  to  that  of  their  mothers;  but  during  the  last  year  or  two  a  greater  number  of 
dead  pups  have  been  actually  noticed  than  heretofore,  and  have  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  all  persons  on  the  islands  who  are  at  all  familiar  with  seal  life.  It  can  not 
be  successfully  contended  that  they  all  dh-d  of  natural  causes.  There  is  no  disease 
among  the  Uoiuniander  Island  seals,  and  while  a  certain  .iuniber  of  young  pups  are 
always  exposed  to  the  danger  of  being  criiHhed  to  death  (hut  not  as  a  result  of  the 
drives  which  are  made  to  cidlect  seals  for  killing)  or  of  being  drowned  by  the  surf, 
yet  these  causes  of  death  will  not  account  for  the  greater  mortality  of  pups  which 
t  ok  place  during  the  past  summer.  Besides,  the  bodies  of  the  dead  pups  1  refer  to 
are  those  of  starved  animals,  being  greatly  emaciated. 

It  is  chiefly  during  the  next  few  years  that  the  ett'ects  of  the  recent  killing  of 
females  will  become  most  noticeable,  because  many  of  the  pups  which  in  those  years 
wouhl  have  become  bachelors  or  holluschickie  have  never  been  born  or  died  soon 
after  birth. 

With  regard  to  the  driving  of  the  seals  from  the  beaches  to  the  places  of  slaughter, 
while  it  does  not  benetit  them,  yet  I  believe  that  there  are  very  few  cases  in  which 
it  does  them  any  harm  even  if  they  are  redriven.  I  am  sure  it  iloes  not  render  them 
impotent.  It  should  be  remembered  that,  unlike  the  hair  ceals,  they  are  fairly 
adai)ted  to  movement  on  land,  as  is  provetl  by  the  fact  that  they  are  in  some  cases 
actually  driven  considt-rable  distances  over  ground  that  is  both  rough  and  steep. 

Since  the  killing  of  seals  in  the  water  is  wasteful,  and  in  every  sense  contrary  to 
the  lav.B  of  nature  (which  require  that  special  ])rotection  be  afforded  to  the  females 
and  young  of  all  auiniMls),  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  it  should  be  entirely  forbidden. 
If  it  is  only  partly  suppressed  or  prohibited  within  a  certain  distance  from  the 


I 
% 


^ 


:,!*' 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


m 


lot  cause  the 
an  excessive 
tbt;  bubitsof 
it  the  itilauds 

inrpoHcs,  are 
thiit  all  cows 
a  barren  cue 
licts  a  much 
that  because 
certain  nuin- 
irable  to  kill 
eganl  to  size 

iiDce  of  male 
lot  be  served 
at  tliere  were 
)  this  to  two 
I  the  islands. 

lace,  to  a  cer- 
b  them.  The 
wever  iujuri- 
is  importance 
last  two  sum- 
as  become  so 
in  danger  of 

;t  that  all  the 
ub  loss  occurs 
I  will  sink  at 
lual  exauiina- 
this  uietiiod 
rtaiu  number 
lexes,  such  as 

ere  they  are 

g,  in  which 

ing  of  such 

en  when  the 

ig  this  same 

le  pups  are 

lers  for  food. 

tbe  rookeries 

mow  exactly 

death  is  not 

iT  number  of 

ed  the  atten- 

It  can  not 

is  no  disease 

Dg  pups  are 

result  of  the 

by  the  surf, 

pups  which 

ps  1  refer  to 

it  killing  of 
those  years 
died  soon 


f  slaughter, 

H('S  in  which 

render  them 

are  fairly 

some  cases 

id  steep. 

contrary  to 

tbe  females 

'  forbidden. 

e  from  the 


y 


islanila,  tbe  evil  would  not  be  cured,  it,ltlioiigb  its  elVccts  niijjbt,  be  lesn  notict.>able^ 
for  tbe  killing  of  females,  many  of  tlieiii  hciivy  wit'i  yoiinir,  would  necessarily  con- 
tinue, since  all  experience  shows  that  female  animals  alwavs  (■onstitute  tbe  chief 
catch  of  tbe  open -sea  sealer, 

XlCIl<»I..\S    A.    tiUKHNITZKI,  •     . 

Dislricl  Chief  of  the  Commander  Ixhnnlii,  Dintrirt  St.  retcmhurg, 
(Counter  case,  United  States,  p.  362.) 

Here  we  have  the  testimony  of  one  wlio  is  at  once  a  scientist  and  ond 
of  the  most  practical  of  men;  a  man  wiio  lias  been  officially  interested 
in  the  fur-seal  industry  for  many  years,  and  who  iias  devoted  a  great; 
part  of  his  life  to  the  scientilic  and  i>ractical  study  of  the  species.         i 

Every  word  he  utters  shows  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the  subject 
treated,  and  his  practical  common  sense  and  scientilic  acumen,  coupled 
with  a  breadth  of  view  all  his  own,  gives  an  extraordinary  value  to 
everytliing  he  says  on  the  subject  of  fur  seals. 

True,  he  is  interested  in  the  fur-seal  industry  on  the  Commander 
Islands,  belonging  to  liussia,  and  for  that  reason  he  may  fall  under  thcJ 
ban  of  the  hypercritical  who  seem  to  suspect  the  honesty  and  th^ 
motives  of  all  who  have,  or  ever  did  have,  any  connection  with  the  fur-, 
seal  islands  on  either  side  of  Hering  Sea. 

That  the  class  of  critics  alluded  to  may  be  sileiiced  on  this  point  I 
will  introduce  the  testimony  of  leading  naturalists,  which  is  in  full 
accord  with  all  that  1  have  already  (pioted.  It  will  be  seen  that  Dr. 
Merriam  briefly  stated  the  question  at  issue  to  the  naturalists  of  Europe 
and  asked  for  their  views,  which  were  freely  given  and  which  1  take  the 
pleasure  of  quoting  in  full.  ; 

CIRCULAR  LETTER  OF  DR.  C.  HART  MERRIAM. 

Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  one  of  the  American  Bering  Sea  commission- 
ers, addressed  the  following  circular  letter  to  various  leading  naturalists 
in  ditlerent  parts  of  the  world,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  their  viewa 
as  to  the  best  method  of  preserving  the  fur  seals  of  Alaska:  , 

WAsniVGTON,  D.  C,  April  2,  1892. 
Dear  Sir:  The  Government  of  the  United  States  having  selected  me  as  a  natu- 
ralist to  investigate  and  report  upon  the  condition  of  the  fur-seal  rookeries  on  the 
Pribilof  Islands,  in  Bering  Sea,  with  sjiecial  reference  to  the  causes  of  decrease  and 
the  measures  necessary  for  the  restoration  and  permanent  preservation  of  the  seal 
herd,  I  visited  the  Fribilof  Islands  and  ma<le  an  extended  investigation  of  the  sub- 
ject, tbe  results  of  which  are  here  briefly  outlined. 

FACTS  m  THE  LIKE  HISTORY  OF  THE  NORTIIKRN  FUR  SEAL  (CALLORHINirS  t'USINrs), 

(1)  The  fur  seal  is  an  inhabitant  of  Hering  Sea  and  the  Sea  of  Okhotsk,  where  it 
breeds  on  rocky  islands.  Hut  four  breeding  colonies  are  known,  namely,  (1)  the 
Pribilof  Islands,  belonging  to  tbe  United  States;  (2)  the  Commander  Islands,  belong- 
hig  to  Russia;  (3)  Koblieu  Reef,  belonging  to  Russia;  and  (4)  the  Kurile  Islands, 
belonging  to  Japan.  The  Pribilof  and  Commander  islands  are  in  Hering  Sea; 
Kobben  Keef  in  the  Sea  of  Okhotsk,  near  the  island  of  Saghalien,  and  the  Kurile 
Islands  I  tween  Yezo  and  Kanitchatka.  The  species  is  not  known  to  breed  in  any 
other  part  of  tbe  worhl. 

(2)  In  winter  the  fur  seal  migrates  into  tbe  Xorth  Pacific  Ocean.  Tbe  herds  from 
the  Coimnander  Islands,  Robben  Reef,  and  the  Kurile  Islands  move  south  along  the 
Japan  Coast.  Tbe  Pribilof  Islands  herd  move  south  through  tbe  passes  in  tbe  Aleiu 
tiau  chain.  The  old  breeding  males  are  not  known  to  range  much  south  of  tbcsQ 
islands.    The  leinales  and  young  reach  the  American  Coast  as  far  south  as  California. 

(3)  Returning,  tbe  herds  of  females  move  northward  along  the  coast  of  California, 
Oregon,  Washington,  and  British  Columbi.-i  in  .laiiuary,  February, and  March,'  <cur- 
riiig  at  varying  distances  from  shore  Following  tbe  Alaska  coast  northward  and 
wt'stwurd  they  leave  the  North  Pacific  Ocean  in  June,  traversing  the  passes  in  the 
Aleutian  chain,  and  proceed  at  once  to  tbe  Pribilof  Islands. 

(4)  Tbe  old  (breeding)  males  reach  tbe  islands  much  earlier,  the  llrst  coming  the 
first  week  iu  April  or  early  in  May.  They  at  once  land  and  take  stands  on  the  rook- 
eries, wher*^  they  await  the  arrival  of  the  females.    Each  male  (called  a  bull)  selects 


II 


i  i 


I: 


I ''' 


\!  If    M 


€4 


SEAL    LIFE    0\    THE    PKIHILOF    Le^LANDS. 


a  laij^o  rock,  on  or  near  wliii  li  hit  riMiiaiiis,  unless  drivpu  off  by  stronjinr  bnllw,  until 
AngiKst,  never  leaving;  lor  a  single  instant,  niglit  or  day,  and  taking  neither  food  nor 
■water.  Helore  t!;.  arrival  ol' the  temalfs  (called  cows)  the  bulls  tight  savagely  among 
themselves  tor  jiositions  on  the  rookeries,  and  many  are  severely  wounded.  All  the 
bulls  are  located  liy  .)une  L'O. 

(»;  The  pregnant  cows  begin  arriving  early  in  .Inne,  and  soon  ajtjjear  in  large 
schools  or  droves,  ininiensc  numbers  taking  their  places  on  the  rookeries  each  day 
between  .June  V2  and  the  «  nd  ot  the  month,  varying  with  the  weather.  They  assem- 
ble about  the  old  l)iills  in  compact  gron]i8  called  harems.  'J'he  harems  are  complete 
early  in  July,  at  which  time  the  breeding  rookeries  attain  their  uiaxiuium  size  and 
compactness. 

(fl)  'Ihe  cows  give  birth  to  their  yonug  soon  after  taking  their  places  on  the 
harems.     The  jieriod  of  gestation  is  between  eleven  and  twelve  months. 

(7;  A  single  young  is  born  in  each  instance.  The  jonug  at  birth  are  about  eqnally 
divided  as  to  sex. 

(8)  The  act  of  nursing  is  iterfornied  on  land ;  never  in  the  water.  It  is  necessary, 
therefore,  for  the  cows  to  renniin  at  the  islands  until  the  jouug  are  weaued,  which 
is  when  they  are  4  or  5  montlis  old. 

'  (9)  The  tur  seal  is  polygamous,  and  the  male  is  at  least  three  times  as  large  as  the 
female.     Each  male  serves  15  to  25  fenutles. 

(W)  Coi»nlation  takes  pi  ce  on  lantl.  Most  of  the  cows  are  served  by  the  middle 
of  Jnly,  or  soon  alter  the  birth  .  f  their  pups.  They  then  take  to  the  water,  aud 
come  and  go  for  food  while  nursing. 

(11)  The  pups  huddle  together  in  small  gronps  called  pods,  at  some  distance  from 
the  water.  When  t!  or  8  weeks  old  they  move  (Ipwn  to  the  water's  edge  and  learn  to 
swim.  The  jmps  are  not  born  at  sea,  aud  if  soon  alter  birth  they  are  washed  into 
the  sea  they  are  drowned. 

(12)  The  cows  are  believed  to  take  the  bull  lirst  when  two  years  old,  and  deliver 
their  tirst  pup  when  3  years  old. 

(13)  bulls  tirst  take  stands  on  the  breeding  rookeries  when  6  or  7  years  old. 
Belore  this  they  are  not  powerfnl  enough  to  tight  the  older  bnlls  for  positions  on  the 
harems. 

(14)  Cows  when  nnrsiug,  and  the  non breeding  seals,  regularly  travel  long  dis- 
tances to  feed.  They  .lie  commonly  found  100  to  150  miles  from  the  islands  aud 
sometimes  at  greater  distances. 

(15)  Ihe  tood  of  the  fur  seal  consists  of  fish,  squids,  crustaceans,  aud  probably 
other  forms  of  nmriiie  life  also. 

(16)  The  great  majority  of  cows,  pnj>s,  and  such  of  the  breeding  bulls  as  have  not 
air  -ady  gone,  leave  tlm  islands  about  the  uiiddle  of  November,  the  date  varying 
considerably  with  the  season. 

(17)  The  nonbiHMiding  male  seals  (hollnsihickie),  together  with  a  few  old  bulls, 
remain  until  lanuary,  and  in  rare  instaiK^es  even  until  lobruary. 

(18)  The  lur  seal  as  a  species  is  present  at  the  I'ribilof  Islinds  eight  or  nine  months 
of  the  year,  or  Ironi  two-ihirds  to  three-tburths  of  the  time,  and  in  mild  winters 
Bonietiines  during  the  entire  year.  The  breeding  bulls  arrive  earliest  and  remain 
continuously  on  the  islands  about  four  months;  the  breeding  cows  remain  about 
six  mom  lis,  and  the  nonbreetliug  male  seals  about  eight  or  niue  mouths,  aud  some- 
times during  the  entire  year. 

SKAI.S   KILLED   ON  THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 

(19)  The  only  seals  killed  for  commercial  purposes  at  the  seal  islands  are  uou- 
breeding  males  (under  5  or  (5  years  of  age,  calle<l  lioUuschickie  .  They  come  up  on 
the  rookeries  apart  from  the  breeding  seals,  anil  large  numbers  are  present  Ly  the 
latter  iiart  of  May.  They  constantly  iniss  back  aud  forth  from  the  water  to  the 
hauling  grounds.  These  animals  are  driven  by  the  natives  (Aleuts)  from  the  haul- 
iuggroundsto  thekilling  grounds,  wher(^  they  are  divided  upiutolittlegroups.  Those 
selected  as  of  suitable  size  are  killed  with  a  club  by  a  blow  on  the  bead;  the  others 

fo  into  the  water  and  soon  reap]iear  on  the  hauling  grounds.     In  this  way  about 
00,000  young  males  have  beeu  killed  aunually  ou  the  Pribilof  Islands  for  tweuty 
years. 

(20)  In  addition  to  the  commercial  killing  above  described,  a  number  of  male  pups 
were  formerly  killed  each  year  to  furnish  food  for  the  uativos,  but  the  killing  of 
pups  is  now  prohibited  by  the  Uovornuieut. 

PUICSENT  NUMHKHS   COMPAHED   WITH   FOHMEH  ABUNDANCE. 

The  rookeries  on  both  St.  Paul  and  St.  George  islands  bear  unmistakable  evidence 
of  liuving  undergone  great  reduction  in  size  during  the  past  few  years.  This  evi- 
dence consists  (1)  in  the  uuiversal  testimony  of  all  who  saw  them  at  an  earlier  period, 
•nd  (2)  in  the  presence  upon  the  back  part  of  each  roukury  of  a  well-marked  strip 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


85 


)»]]»,  until 
I'llooil  iior 
;ely  ainoiig 
1. '  All  the 

ir  in  large 
I  each  (lay 
liey  iisHein- 
e  complete 
in  sixe  und 

ces  on  tbe 

)ut  equally 

I  necessary, 
uetl,  which 

urge  as  the 

the  middle 
water,  uud 

i«tan<e  from 
iiid  learn  to 
ivuKbed  into 

and  deliver 

J  years  old. 
tions  on  tbe 

b1  long  dis- 
islauds  and 

d  probably 

as  bave  not 
ito  varying 

w  old  bulls, 

ine  months 
ild  winters 
and  remain 
lain  about 
and  some- 


rts  are  non- 
conie  up  oQ 
sent  l.f  tbe 
ater  to  tbe 
in  tbe  liaul- 
nps.  Those 
the  others 
way  about 
for  tweuty 

f  male  pups 
killing  of 


de  evidence 
This  evi- 
rlier  period, 
larked  strip 


or  zone  (if  gra8.s-cov(>red  land,  varyinfj;  from  100  to  HOO  t'ect  in  width,  on  which  the 
stoue.s  aud  bowlders  are  llipper-worn  and  poli^hiMl  by  tlie  Ibrnicr  movements  of  the 
Bealw,  ami  thl^  i^ra^s  is  yellowish-green  in  color  and  of  a  diHerent  g(!nns  {(Uiicvria 
aii(innlata)  from  the  rank,  hi^h  grass  nsiially  growing  innnediateiy  beiiind  it  {hliimiis 
moU'm).  In  many  places  the  ground  between  the  tnssock.s  iind  hMiinno(!ks  of  grarss  is 
covered  with  a  thin  layer  of  teltin.ir,  composed  of  the  shed  hairs  of  the  seals  matted 
down  and  mi.\ed  with  excrement,  urine,  and  siirfa((!  soil.  Tlie  i  xact  year  when  this 
yello\v-gra.ss  zone  was  last  (ncupied  liy  seals  is  didicult  to  a.scertain,  but  the  bulk  of 
testimony  jioints  to  1880  or  1887.  TI.e  aggregate  size  of  the  areas  formerly  occupied 
is  at  least  four  times  as  great  as  tbac  of  the  preseiu  rookeries. 

CAUSES   WHICH    LED  TO    TIIK    DEPLETION   OF  THE   HOOKKKIES. 

The  seals  which  move  northward  along  the  coast  of  the  northwestern  I'nited 
States,  British  Columbia,  and  southeastern  Alaska  froui  .laiiuary  until  lat(!  in  .Inne 
are  chielly  pregnant  females,  and  about  !)()  \h'T  cent  of  the  seals  killed  by  ])clagi(5 
sealers 'in  the  North  Pacific  are  females  heavy  with  young.  Tor  obvious  reasons 
many  more  seals  are  wounded  than  killed  outright,  aud  many  www.  that  are  killed 
sink  before  they  can  be  reached,  and  c(»nse(inently  are  lost.  As  eiicli  of  thes(!  contains 
a  youn,:;,  it  is  evident  that  several  are  destroyed  to  every  one  se(Mired. 

I  or  s(!veral  years  tbe  pelagic  sealers  were  content  to  pursue  their  destructive  work 
ill  the  .North  Paeitic,  but  of  late  they  have  entered  Bering  S(!a,  where  th(^y  continue 
to  capture  seals  in  tbe  water  throughout  the  entire  summer.  The  i'emab^s  killed 
during  this  period  are  giving  milk  and  are  away  from  the  islands  in  search  of  food. 
Their  young  starve  to  death  on  the  rookeries.  I  saw  vast  numbers  of  such  dead 
pups  (ui  the  isliuid  of  St.  Paul  last  summer  (18!)1),  and  the  total  numb(^r  of  their 
carcasses  reinaining  on  the  Priliilof  Islands  at  the  end  of  the  season  of  1H91  has  been 
estimated  by  the  United  Stater.  Treasury  agents  at  tiot  less  than  L'O.OOO. 

The  number  of  seal  skins  i.ctually  secured  and  sold  as  a  result  of  pelagic  sealing  is 
shown  in  the  following  table: 


■r.„„-           Number 

Year. 

Ximibfir  1 
uf skins. 

(?)       ■ 

204 
12.500 
13,600 
13, 541 

^"'»'^-        i  ol  skins. 

^••'"^-        j  ..f  skins. 

1872 i         1.029 

im (0 

1S74 4.940 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1H80 

1882 17,700 

18H3 9.195 

I8H4 ■    14,000 

1885                            13  000 

1887 i         33,800 

1888 30,818 

IS89 39,563 

187.1     1,046 

1890  .       ...           51,404 

1876 ,         2,042 

1881 

1886 38,907 

1891 62,50(^ 

1                          1 

Inasmuch  ns  the  number  of  seals  annually  secured  by  pelagic  sealing  rejiresents 
but  a  fraction  of  the  total  number  killed,  a  glance  at  the  above  ligures  is  enough  to 
show  that  the  destruction  of  sccal  lif"  thus  produced  is  alone  sntlieient  toexjilain  the 
present  depleted  condition  of  the  rookeries. 

Pelagic  sealing  as  now  conducted  is  carried  ou  in  the  North  Pacitic  Ocean  from 
January  until  late  in  .June,  and  in  B(!riiig  Sea  in  .Inly,  August,  and  September. 
Some  sealing  schooners  remain  as  late  as  November,  but  they  do  so  for  the  purpose 
of  raiding  the  rookeries. 

It  has  been  alleged  that  overkilling  of  young  males  at  the  islands  is  a  principal 
cause  of  the  deplet(id  condition  of  the  rookeries. 

Ill  reiily  to  this  contention,  it  is  only  neci  ssary  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  number  of 
male  and  female  fur  seals  is  e(iiial  at  birth,  that  the  species  is  polygamous,  .and  that 
each  male  serves  on  an  average  at  least  15  to  25  females.  It  is  evident,  therelore, 
that  there  must  be  a  great  su|ieraliiindaiice  of  males,  of  which  a  large  percentage 
may  be  killed  annually  forever  without  in  the  slightest  degree  endangering  the  i»ro- 
ductivene-ss  of  the  herd.  Knrthermore,  it  Ii,is  been  shown  that  tlie  killing  of  seals 
at  the  Pribilof  Islands  is  completely  under  the  control  of  man  and  is  restricted  to 
the  su)icrtluous  males,  for  selection  as  to  sex  and'age  can  be  and  is  exorcis(id,  so  tliat 
neither  females  nor  breeding  males  are  killed.  It  is  evident  that  this  killing  of  noii- 
breediiig  males  could  in  no  way  alfcct  the  size  or  annual  product  of  the  b.ce''ing 
rookeries  unless  the  number  killed  was  so  great  that  enough  males  were  not  b  to 
mature  for  lireeding  purposes.  Then!  is  no  evidence  that  tliis  has  ever  been  the  case; 
Moreover,  all  seals  kilied  or  wounded  .are.  invariably  s(!cured  and  tluiir  skins  mar- 
keted ;  in  other  words,  there  is  neither  waste  of  tin;  seal  herd  nor  impairment  of  the 
productiv(!neHs  of  the  breeding  stock. 

Pelagic  sealing,  on  the  other  hand,  is  wasteful  in  the  extreme  and  is  directed  to 
the  fountain  head  or  source  of  supply.  Prom  the  very  nature  of  the  cas(!,  selection 
can  not  be  exeridsed,  ai  d  a  large  jierceiitago  of  seals  wounded  are  lost.  Owing  to 
the  pecuH.ir  movements  of  the  seal  herds,  it  so  happens  that  about  90  pi.r  cent  of  the 
seals  killed  in  the  North  Pacitic  are  females  heavy  with  young,  entailing  a  (b^strnc- 


■  <■ 


..-I 


1 


f 


86 


8EAL    LIFP:    on    THE    PRIMILOF    ISLANDS. 


tiou  of  two  H<>;il  liv<'s  for  evorv  adult  seal  Uill(!'l.  In  Heriiij?  Sea,  also,  large  numbers 
of  leinales  are  taken;  tbese  femaks  are  in  milk,  ami  tlieir  young  (lie  of  starvation  on 
the  roiikeries. 

)^claKif''  Healin<^  as  an  industry  is  of  recent  orijjin,  and  may  be  said  to  date  from 
187it.  The  number  of  vessels  «'nKa;;ed  has  steadily  Inereased,  as  Las  the  number  of 
seals  killeil,  until  it  .ipitears  tliat  unless  checked  by  inteniatiimal  legislation  the 
conunereial  extermination  of  the  t<«'al  is  <»nly  a  matter  of  a  lew  years.  It  seems  a 
fair  inference,  therefore,  that  the,  only  way  to  restore  the  depleted  rookeries  to  their 
former  condition  is  to  stoji  taking  sciils  at  sea,  and  not  only  in  Bering  Sea,  but  in 
the  North  I'acilic  as  well. 

Having  been  selected  by  my  (JovernmtMit  solely  as  a  naturalist,  autl  having  investi- 
gated the  faits  and  arrived  at  tlie  above,  coin]nsi(»ns  and  reconuuendations  frmn  the 
StMnd))oint  of  a  naturalist,  1  desire  to  know  if  yon  agree  or  ditl'er  with  me  in  consid- 
ering tli(!S(»  eonclnsions  and  recommendations  Justilied  and  necessitated  by  the  facts 
^u  the  case. 

I  shall  be  greatly  obliged  if  you  will  favor  me  with  a  reply. 
,  Very  truly,  yours, 

C.  H.vKT  Mkkiuam. 


REPLIES  TO   O.   lIAUr    MEUKIAM. 


HKl'IA'   Ol'    1)1!.    AMMIUNSI*:    MII.NK    KDWAItHS. 


Pa  I!  IS.  .Ipril  -20,  1S92. 

'  Sir:  i  have  read  with  great  interest  the  letter  you  addressed  me  with  reference  to 
the  fui  seals  of  Hering  Sea,  and  I  think  it  would  be  of  real  advantage  to  liave  con- 
certed international  measurcsso  a.'^  to  insure  an  eli'cctive  protect iou  to  tiiose  valuable 
animals. 

To-(hiy  the  means  of  transportation  at  the  disposal  of  the  lisliernu'n  are  so  great, 
the  jtrocesses  of  dcstrnction  whicii  they  emph)y  are  .so  improved,  thut  the  animal 
species,  tile  object  of  their  desire,  ciin  not  escajie  tlieiu.  W  e  know  that  our  migra- 
tory birds  are  during  their  travels  exjiosed  to  a  real  war  of  externiiuiition,  and  au 
Ornithological  international  c-imuiissioii  has  already  examined,  not  unprohtahly,  all 
the  questions  rt;lating  to  their  presei  vation. 

,  Would  it  not  be  i)ossible  to  i)iit  fur  seals  under  the  protection  of  the  navy  of 
pivilized  nations^ 

What  has  haiijieneil  in  the  Southern  Ocean  may  stMve  as  a  warning  to  lis. 

Less  than  a  century  ago  these  am|)hibia  existed  there  in  countless  herds.  In  1S08, 
inrheii  lanuing  visited  the  islands  of  South  (Icorgia.  one  shii*  left  those  shores  carry- 
ing away  1 1,0()()  seal  skins  belonging  to  the  species  .lyclDcephiilun  mint  rails.  He  him- 
self obtaineil  57,(XM)  of  them,  and  he  estimated  at  11:.', 000  the  number  of  these  animals 
killed  during  the  few  weeks  the  sailors  s)ient  there  that  year. 

,  In  181'2  Wedtlell  visits  these  islands,  ami  he  estimates  i^  1, '200,000  the  number  of 
skins  obtained  in  that  locality.  The  sanui  year  HJd, 0(H)  fur  seals  were  killed  in  the 
Bouth  Shetlands.  The  inevitable  couseiinenees  of  this  slaughter  were  a  rajtid 
decrease  in  the  number  of  these  animals.  So,  in  spite  of  the  measures  of  protection 
taken  during  the  last  lewye.irs  by  the  governor  of  the  Falkland  Islands,  these  seals  are 
Still  very  rare,  and  the  naturalists  of  the  I'rench  expedition  of  the  /('omfdic//*;  remained 
for  nearly  a  year  at  Tierra  del  Fnego  jind  the  Falkland  Islands  without  being  able 
to  cai)tiire  a  singlt;  sjieciinen. 

,   It  is  a  source  of  wealth  whicli  is  now  exhausted. 

,  It  will  soon  bti  thus  with  the  Cdlhirli'untH  itrniiiun  in  the  North  I'acilic  Ocean,  and 
it  is  time  to  insure  to  tliesa  animals  a  security  which  may  allow  them  regular 
reproduction. 

I  I  have  followed  with  much  attention  the  investigation  which  has  been  made  by 
the  Government  of  the  I'nited  Statics  on  this  subject.  The  rc(.:;ifs  of  the  commis- 
sioners sent  to  the  Priiiilof  Islands  have  made  known  to  naturalists  a  very  large 
number  of  facts  of  great  scientilie  interest,  and  have  ilemonslrated  that  a  regulated 
system  of  killing  may  be  safely  applied  in  the  e.asii  of  these  herds  of  seals  when 
there  is  a  siiperlluity  of  males.  What  might  be  called  a  tax  on  celibacy  wasapjilied 
in  this  way  in  the  most  satistactory  manner,  and  the  indelinite  j)reser\  ation  of  the 
sp.e'jies  would  have  been  assured  if  the  emiiAi'ants,  on  their  way  back  to  their  breed- 
ing ]il;ices,  had  nut  been  atlackeil  and  pursued  in  every  way. 

,  There  is,  then,  every  reason  to  turn  to  account  the  very  com))lete  inforiuation  which 
■jve  possess  on  the  conditions  of  fur-seal  life  in  order  to  prev(;nt  their  annihilation, 
and  an  international  commission  can  alone  dt^termine  tlx'  rules,  from  which  the  tisher- 
meu  should  not  tlepart. 

Accept,  eic,  A.  Milne  Euwarus, 

Director  of  the  Museum  of  Xatural  History, 


e  nnmlicrs 
rvatiou  on 

(late  from 
iininber  of 
latioii  the 
!t  seems  a 
es  to  tlieir 
ea,  but  in 

nsiuvesti- 

H  fri>m  the 

ill  coiisid- 

y  the  facts 


SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PIIIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


UEI'I.Y    OK    Hit.    (  AIM.OS    UKUCi.    (»l'    IIUKNOS    AYIJKS. 


8T 


Junk  4, 1892. 

Sik:  III  aiis\v«ir  to  your  circular  dated  April  1.',  and  diri-cted  to  l)r.  Ileniiaiiii  liiir- 
luci^ter,  I  rej^ret  to  let  you  know  that  isaiiio  died  siioitl.v  bclbrf  tlio  traiisiiil^sion  of 
your  circular  by  IJ.  N.  Hrrtidettc,  c.s(|. 

IIttvin<!;  been  named  director  of  the  national  nmsenni  in  the  place  of  the  deceased, 
I  have  read  with  jjreat  interest  your  report  and  conclusions  about  the  causes  ol'  tli() 
decrease  and  the  measures  nectsssary  for  the  restoration  and  perinancnt  prescrvatioa 
of  the  seal  herd  on  the  I'ribilof  Islands,  in  ISeriiiK  Sea,  and  according  to  your  wish  I 
have  the  jileaHiire  to  let  yon  know  thai  Irmn  the  stand]uiiiit  of  a  n.-itiiralist  I  per- 
fectly af;re«!  with  you  in  considering^  your  comlusions  and  nu'oinnienilationsjustilied 
and  necessitated  by  the  facts  stated  by  you  I's  a  result  of  your  special  investiyatiou 
on  the  above-named  islands. 

Very  truly,  yours,  Caulos  Hkuo. 


M 


N 


KRIUAM. 


20,  lfi92. 
L' Terence  to 
have  con- 
ic valuable 

•e  HO  j;reat, 
he  iiiiimal 
onr  inigra- 
on,  and  an 
lital)ly,  all 

le  navy  of 


In  1S08, 
res  carry- 
He  him- 
t  animals 

umber  of 

led  in  the 

a  raidd 

rotcction 

seals  are 

remained 

sing  able 


cean,  and 
regular 

made  by 
cominis- 
ery  large 
regulated 
als  when 
isapjilied 
on  of  the 
eir  breed- 
on  which 
ihilation, 
,lie  lislier- 

IJS, 

libtory. 


REl'I.V  OK    I'UOK.  DR.  ALFRRI)   NKIIRINM;,  UOYAt,   AtiUICm.TlTRAI.  COLI.KGE   i>V    ItKUMN. 

Berlin,  April  31, 189S. 
Mr.  C.  Hart  Mkrriam, 

I'ldled  Slatva  Department  of  A<iricaHurc,  H'anhhujloii,  />.  C: 

llKiiii.Y  KsTEKMKl)  SIR:  I  liave  carefully  read  and  coiisiilcred  your  elaborate 
and  very  intere.itiiig  letter  of  the  2d  instant,  which  I  received  yesterday  through 
Mr.  .lohii  Hrinkerhotf  .lackson,  secretary  of  l(>gatioii  of  the  North  American  legation 
in  this  city,  and,  in  reply,  I  send  you  a  statement  of  my  views  with  regard  to  its 
contents. 

Wliiit  you  say  coiKterning  the  mode  of  life,  and  esjiocially  the  animal  miiirations  of 
thelnrseal  (I'oUorlihiiiH  ,irniiiiis),  whose  breeding  plaies  are  the  I'ribilof  Islands,  is  so 
clear  and  c(mviiiciiig,  and  liarmoni/es  so  perfectly  with  what  has  been  oltserved  by 
other  relialile  scientists,  that  I  ful  y  agree  with  your  deductions.  1  am.  like  your- 
self, of  the  opini(Mi  th  it  the  remarkabb;  decrciise  of  fur  seals  on  the  rookeries  of  the 
I'ribilof  Island.^,  which  has,  of  late  years,  become  more  and  more  evident,  is  to  be 
attriliiited  mainly,  or  perhaps  exclusively,  to  the  unreasonable  destruction  caused 
by  the  sealers  who  ]dy  their  avo('atiou  in  the  open  sea.  The  only  rational  niothod 
of  taking  the  fur  seal,  and  the  only  one  that  is  not  likely  to  result  in  thr  exteriiiir 
nation  of  this  valuable  animal,  is  the  one  which  has  hitherto  liecn  employed  on  the 
Pribiloi'  Islands  niider  the  sujiervision  of  the  (lovernment.  Any  other  method  of 
taking  the  mu'thern  fnr  seal  should,  in  my  o|duion,  be  jirohildted  l>y  international 
agrecinent.  I  should,  at  furthest,  ajiprove  a  local  imrsuit  of  the  fur  seal,  where  it 
is  dcstnictive  of  the  tisheries  in  its  southern  winter  <iuarters.  1  regard  pelagic;  fur 
sealing  as  very  unwise;  it  must  soon  lead  to  a  decrease,  bonlering  on  extermination 
of  the  fur  seal. 

With  great  respect,  I'rof.  Dr.  Ai.krkd  Ni:hrin(!, 

Professor  of  Zooloijy  in  the  lloynl  Agricultural  Colhijcvf  livrlin. 


C.  Hart  Mkuuiam 


REPLY   OF    PROF.  COUNT  TOM.MASO   SALVADORI. 

Zoolooical  .MiJSEi  m,  Turin,  April 


IHDS. 


United  Stales  Department  of  AgrivHltnre, 

Dirision  of  ()rnHI>olo<iji,  lVaxhin<iton,  />.  C.  ' 

Dkai!  Sir:  I  have  received  your  letter  concerning  the  northern  fur  seal,  on  the 
condition  of  which  you  have  been  selected  as  naturalist  to  investigate  and  report 
by  the  (.ioverniuent  of  the  United  Stales. 

As  a  whole  I  agree  with  you  as  to  the  facts  and  conclusions  drawn  on  your  report, 
altliongli  the  increasing  number  of  seal  skins  acitnally  se(!ured  and  sold",  as  a  result 
of  polagifr  seal'iig  shown  in  your  table,  does  not  siilHcieiitly  jirove,  in  my  mind,  that 
ve  are  already  in  the  lu^riod  of  a  deciiled  diuiiniition  of  the  numlier  of  living  seals. 
Still.  I  ijuite  ailiuit  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  adopt  some  measures  for  the 
preservation  of  the  seal  herds. 

N'o  doubt  the  free  pelagic  sealinur  is  a  cause  which  will  ait  to  the  dcistriiction  of 
the  seal  herds,  and  to  that  it  must  be  ]mt  a  stop  as  ho(ui  as  jiossible.  Hut  at  tin*  same 
time  I  think  that  the  yearly  killing  of  about  1(M).0(K)  young  males  on  the  I'ribilof 
Ishiiids  iiiiist  have  some  inilnence  on  the  diuiinntioii  of  the  herds,  especially  pre- 
venting the  natural  or  sexual  selection  of  the  stronger  males,  wliich  would  follow  if 
the  ycuiiig  males  were  not  killeil  in  such  a  ureat  number.  So  that,  with  the  stop- 
ping of  the  pelagic  sealing,  I  think,  at  le.ist  for  a  few  years,  also  the  slaughter  of  so 
many  vouiig  males  in  the  I'riliilof  Islands  should  be  prohibited. 
1  remain,  very  truly,  yours, 

I'ROK.  T.  Salvadori. 


w 

M' 

t       ; 

i 

1 

9 

r  "^ 

B 

1^ 

(■■ 

J^ 

Pi 


1 


:>  ,a 


ff 


1 

,.  it 

ii 

'■'it. 

88 


SEAL    LIFE    O.N    THK    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


HKI'I.T  OK  DB.    O.    HAKTLAUH. 


liiu'.MKN,  April  i'.l,  1892. 
Mr.  C.  Haht  Mkrimam. 

Dkai!  Sik:  Your  excellent  repor*^  on  the  northern  fur  seal  1  Ii.ivo  roiul  and  rerend 
frith  iiiteiiHe  iutecHt. 

I  am  f'Mrt'roni  attributing  to  myself  a  coni])ctiMit  Judgment  regarding  thiH  matter, 
but  cuUHidLTing  all  I'actH  whicii  \i>u  have  no  elenrly  aud  Cdnviuciugly  conibinetl  and 
expreHHcd,  it  Heems  to  me  that  the  measures  you  projxise  in  onler  to  ]irohihit  the 
threatening  decay  of  the  northern  fur  seal  are  the  only  correct  ones  proniiMing  an 
ett'e«ttive  result. 

I  sincerely  regret  that  for  practical  reasouH  it  csin  not  be  thought  of  to  prohibit 
fur-Heal  hunting  for  a  lew  years  entirely,  as  this  woulu  naturally  assi.st  uumerieally 
the  meiuiced  animal. 

There  is  at  any  rate  danger  in  view,  and  it  can  not  be  toostrongly  emphasized  that 
ydur  MO  well  fonndi'il  proposals  should  be  executed  at  the  eiirliest  time  possible. 

With  sincere  th.inks  lor  the  confidence  you  have  placed  in  iny Judgment,  lam, 
dear  sir,  your  most  obiMlient, 

Dr.  (1.  IJARTLAun. 


REPLY  OK   I'ROK.   KOItMRT  CDM.ETT,  OK  TllK  ZOOI.OdK'A  F,  MUSKl!M  OF  TIIK   DNiVKRSITY 

OK   ClIKISTIANIA,  NOIUVAY. 

CURISTIANIA,  April  S2,  1S93. 

My  1>kau  Sir:  It  would  be  a  very  easy  re]dy  to  your  highly  interesting  treatise 
of  the  fur  seal,  which  you  have  been  kind  enough  to  send  us,  when  I  only  answered 
you  tliiit  I  itgree  with  you  entirely  in  all  ])oints.  No  <loubt  it  woulil  be  the  greatest 
value  for  the  rookeries  on  the  Fribilof  Islands,  as  well  as  for  the  preservation  of  the 
existence  of  the  seal,  if  it  would  be  ])ossible  to  sto])  the  sealing  :it  sea  at  all.  But 
that  will  no  doubt  be  very  dilhcult  when  so  many  nations  partake  in  the  sealing, 
aud  bow  that  is  to  go  about  I  can  not  know.  My  own  countrymen  are  killing  every 
year  nuiny  thousauds  of  seals,  Cjisto  phorw,  on  the  ice  barrier  between  Spit/.liergeu 
and  (ireenliind,  but  never  females  with  young;  either  are  the  old  ones  caught  or — 
and  that  is  the  greatest  number — the  young  seals.  But  there  is  a  close  time,  accepted 
by  the  ditferent  nations,  Jnst  to  prohibit  the  killing  of  the  females  with  y<)ung. 
Perhaps  a  similar  close  time  could  be  accepted  in  the  Bering  Sea,  but  that  is  a  ques- 
tion aiiont  which  I  can  not  liave  any  opinion. 

Many  thanks  for  the  paper. 

Yours,  very  truly,  K.  Coli.ktt. 


KKl'I.Y    OK    I.KOI'OI.D    VOX    SC'IIUENCK. 

St.  l'KTi:it.sni'K(j,  April  13/25,  1S92. 

Dear  Siit:  Having  read  with  eager  and  <;ritical  attention  the  memoir  you  have 
addressed  to  me  upon  the  condition  of  the  fur-seal  rookeries  on  the  Pril)ilof  Islands 
in  Bering  Sea,  the  causes  of  decrease  and  the  measures  necessary  for  the  restora- 
tion and  permanent  preservation  of  the  seal  herd,  I  can  not  but  com]>leti'l,v  agree 
with  yon  in  consiilering  the  conclusions  and  recommendnticms  you  arrived  at  quite 
justified  and  necessitated  by  the  facts.  I  am  also  ))ersnaded  that  the  pelagii  sealing, 
if  pursued  in  the  same  manner  in  future,  will  necessarily  end  with  the  exterininatioa 
of  the  fur  seal. 

Very  truly,  yours, 

Lkopoi.i)  vcn  Schrknck, 
Mnnhcr  of  the  Imperial  Avaitemy  of  Scieiicen,  St.  I'etemburg. 


UKI'r.Y  Oli-  DR.  HENRY    11.  OIGI.IOI.I. 

KiRKN/E,  19  VIA  KOMANA,  May  2,  1S92. 

Dear  Sir:  Years  ago,  in  November,  18fi7.  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  able  to 
visit  an  extensiv-i  rookery  of  one  of  the  South  Piicilic  eared  seals,  the  well-known 
Otaria  juhala.  It  was  during  my  voyage  round  the  world  on  the  iMayenla.  Tiie 
rookery  in  i|uestion  lies  Just,  behind  (Jape  Stokes  in  the  Gulf  of  I'tuias,  on  the  south- 
eru  coast  of  Chile,  and  is  the  (uie  seen  by  Darwin  during  his  memorable  voya;i;e  in 
the  litafile.  I  shall  never  forget  that  day,  when  inv  astonished  gaze  rested  on  liuu- 
dreds  of  these  eared  seals  lying  about  in  every  attitude  of  repose  on  the  beach  and 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


89 


lon  have 

iNlilllds 

resttira- 

I'ly  ii^ree 

at  quite 

seiiling, 

.niiiatiun 


:k, 
r»burg. 


,  1S92. 

nlilo  to 
1-knowu 
la.  I'lie 
le  soutli- 
oya^e  in 

on  liim- 
iuch  and 


rocks  of  tlie  shore,  or  <>;rarefiilly,  and  witliout  showing  tlmsIifiliteHt  fear,  performing 
the  most  acrobatic  (svoiiilioiiH  in  the  watttr  roiinil  onr  bout.  'I'liat  *lay  I  liail  my  lirHt 
expericii(!o  of  tiicHe  sin<fiilur  creatures,  and  from  tiiat  day  dates  tho  special  interest 
I  liiiv>  ver  since  taken  in  the  study  of  the  life  liistory  of  the  Otariida:,  whicii  is  one 
of  the  juost  nnirvelous  in     .oloj^y. 

In  the  sprin;;  of  1880,  while  commissioner  for  Italy  at  the  jrrand  "TisclH^rei- 
Ansstelluny;"  held  at  IJerlin,  I  tirst  ha<l  occasion  to  ailmire,  in  t'e  Unite<l  States 
exhibit,  the  bcantiful  and  spirited  drawings  of  Henry  VV.  Elliott.  I  have  since  tliea 
taken  a  keen  interest  in  the  wonderful  life  history  ol  the  North  I'acitic  fur  seal  (C'ai- 
lorliiims  iti sinus),  hh  liest  ex(-m])lilie(l  on  the  Pribilof  Ishuxls.  Later  on  I  have  care- 
fully read  and  commented  on  the  various  acitonnts  which  have  a|i])eared  in  )>riiit  on 
the  sulijcct;  thus,  in  J.  A.  Allen's  North  American  I'innipeds,  Washington,  1880  (p. 
312etse(|.),  but  more  especially  tlie  defaih'«l  and  gra|)hic  descTijytions  which  have 
been  published  by  Henry  W.  Elliott  in  his  masterly  monograph.  The  8eal  Islands  uf 
Alaska,  in  that  grand  work  by  (i.  Hrown  (iuode  and  associat(-s.  The  Fisheries  and 
Fishery  Industries  of  tho  I'nited  States  (vol.  1,  p.  75  et  soij.),  Washington,  1884,  and. 
auaiu  in  his  nmst  interesting  volunn;,  An  Arctic  Province,  Alaska  and  the  Seal 
Islands,  L(Midon,  1886. 

Alter  these  precedents  you  can  easily  imagine  how  great  an  interest  I  take  in  that 
"vexata  ((ua'stio,"  the  fur-seal  fishery  in  the  Meriiig  Sea;  with  what  ])leiisnre  I 
received  through  the  lJnit(Ml  States  Government  and  Mr.  Long,  the  I'nited  States 
consul  in  this  city,  your  c(unuiunication,  and  how  glad  I  am  of  the  o|)portunity  thus 
atfordi'd  uie  of  givijig  my  unbiased  o])inion  in  the  case  and  aiding  you  in  your  noble 
ellort  to  preserve  from  utter  <lestrin'tion  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  living  crea- 
tares,  and  to  save  at  the  same  time  a  most  valuable  source  of  human  industry  and 
protit. 

I  have  read  with  great  attention  your  condensed  but  very  complete  statement  of 
the  salient  points  regarding  the  life  history  of  the  North  I'acilic;  fur  .seal  (CaUorUinut 
urshius).  I  have  carefully  considered  the  results  of  your  investigation  u])on  the  con- 
dition of  the  fur-seal  rookeries  on  the  Piibilof  Islands,  your  conclusions  regarding 
the  cause  of  their  decrease,  and  the  measures  yon  suggest  as  necessary  for  the  resto- 
ration and  i)erruauent  ])re.servation  of  tho  seal  herd;  and  I  am  happy  to  state  that 
I  entirely  agree  with  you  (Ui  all  points. 

The  lirst  and  most  important  point  for  consideration  is  evidently  the  cause  of  the 
uui|nestioiuible  deoiease  ascertained  in  the  fur-seal  rookeries  on  the  Pribilof  Islands 
dining  the  few  past  years.  The  stringently  enft>rce<l  rules  which  strictly  limit  the 
killing  for  connnercial  purposes  to  nonbn'cding  males  or  holluschickies,  carefully 
Belecred,  which  selection  can  only  be  made  on  land,  entirely  ])reclude  to  my  mind 
the  suggestion  that  the  lamented  decrease  may  be  attributed  in  any  degree  to  the 
killing  of  too  larire  a  numbor  of  nonbn^eding  nuiles.  Such  a  decrease  might  have 
been  in  some  slight  measure  attributed  to  the  former  custom  of  killing  each  year  a 
OTtain  number  of  male  pups  to  furnish  footl  for  the  natives,  but  that  practice  has 
been  wisily  prohibited.  Therefore,  I  feel  positive  that  the  notable  decrease  in  the 
nnmber  of  i'nr  seals  resorting  to  the  rookeries  on  the  Knrile  Islands,  on  the  K'obben 
R-ef  (Saghalien),  and  more  especially  on  tlie  Commander  Islands,  as  being  in  the 
Bering  Sea. 

Having  conclusively  shown  that  the  lamented  decrease  in  the  herd  of  fur  seals 
resoiting  to  the  Piibilof  Islamls  can  in  no  way  be  accounted  for  by  the  selective 
killinsi  of  nonbreeding  males  for  commercial  purposes,  which  takes  place  on  those 
islands  under  special  rules  and  active  surveillance,  we  must  look  elsewhere  for  its 
cause,  and  I  can  see  it  nowhere  but  in  the  indiscriminate  slaughter,  principally  prac- 
ticed on  breeding  or  pregnant  females,  as  most  clearly  shown  in  your  condensed 
rejioi  t,  by  ])elagic  sealers. 

In  any  ca^e,  all  who  are  comjietent  in  the  matter  will  admit  that  uo  method  of 
capture  could  be  more  uselessly  destructive  in  the  case  of  pitinipedia  than  that  called 
I'lielagic  sealing;"  not  only  any  kind  of  selection  of  the  victims  is  impossible,  but  it 
is  admitting  much  to  assert  that  out  of  tliree  destroved  one  is  secured  and  utili/.ed, 
and  this  for  obvious  and  well-known  reasons.  In  the  case  of  the  North  Pacific  fur 
seal,  this  modt*  of  capture  ami  destruction  falls  nearly  I'xclusively  on  those— the  nurs- 
ing or  pregnant  females — whi(di  oniihton  no  account  to  be  killed.  Ii  is  greatly  to  be 
deplored  that  any  (dvilized  nation  ijossessiiig  lishery  laws  and  rej^jiilations  should 
allow  such  indiscriminate  waste  and  desti  ucti<m.  The  statistical  data  you  give  are 
painfully  elo<iuent,  and  when  we  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the 62,000  skins  secured 
l>.y  pelji^jric  .sealing  in  1891  represent  at  a  minimum  one-sixth  of  the  fur  seals  destroyed, 
viz,  ;i7r>,()00 — that  is,  calculating  one  in  thre<!  secured  and  each  of  the  three  suckling 
a  pup  or  big  witb  young — we  most  undoubtedly  need  not  look  elsewhere  to  account 
for  the  rapid  decrease  in  the  rookeries  on  the  Pribihtf  Islands;  and  I  quite  agree 
with  you  in  maintaining  that,  nnh-ssthe  malpractice  of  (lelagic  sealing  be  prevented 
or  greatly  checked,  both  in  the  North  Pacific  and  in  the  iJering  Sea,  the  ecouoinio 
extermination  of  CaUorhinus  uminua  is  merely  the  mutter  of  a  few  years. 


i    ( 


I 


ft 


III 


i  in 


m 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THK    I'lMHILOF    ISLANDS. 


11 


.  Iiitornationtil  le<;isl:itiiin  oii;;ht.  to  iiitorvLMH\  iiiid  without  tlulay,  in  tliin  oaHO  tuid 
•UKK^^^t  tlio  iiii'iiiiH  of  [Hissiiily  iircvfiitiin;-  or  at  It'iiMt  coiisiiltTiildv  limit  iii;c  tlic  pcla^iic 
ouptiiruiinil  kiiiiii<;ot' tiiH  iiorlliern  liirHoiil — a  liosliiictive  iiiid  iiltiiiiMt(d.\  tiital  IimIiih- 
try.  wliicii  f'ori'ilily  locitiis  the  woll-kiiowii  talilo  ol'  tlio  jifiiNaiit  who  idlliMl  tliu  hoii 
vrhlcli  ijiiii  till!  p>hi(^n  (!i;^s.  'I'hi'  iiiiliistvy  derived  Iroiii  the  rational  killiii<i;  of  t'lir 
seal)*,  as  )>ractie*Ml  on  tin;  rriliilof  Islands,  has  an  ecoiioini<'  value  wliieli  extends  tar 
beyond  tlie  liinits.  ihouuh  vast,  of  the  UnittMl  States;  and  it  must  Ik;  rememlx-reil 
that  the  commercial  extermination  ut  the  tnr  seal  must  al^o  put  an  end  to  those 
industries  which  areconnei^ted  witli  the  prejiaration  of  the  much  valued  seal-skin  fur. 
It  is  liotli  as  a  naturalist  and  as  an  old  (;omniissioner  of  tlsheries  that  I  Ix-;;  to  say 
once  more  that  I  most  entirely  and  m^st  emphatically  a<;ree  with  yon  in  the  conclii- 
BioiiB  and  reeonimendations  you  ctune  to  in  \'onr  report  on  the  jircsent  contlitiou 
of  tile  fur  seal  industiy  in  the  Herinj^  Sea,  with  8i)eeial  reference  to  tin-,  causes  of 
decreuHe  and  the  measures  necessary  for  the  ri!st^>ratiiui  and  jiermanent  preservatioD 
of  that  industry,  whicdi  conclusions  and  recommendations  are  lully  supported  and 
Justilied  by  the  tacts  in  the  ease. 

With  mneh  n  gard,  btdieve  me,  dear  sir,  very  truly,  yours, 

IlKMiV    II.  (iKil.lOI.I. 


UKPI.Y    OK    1>1{.  IJAI'HAKr.   HI.ANCll.XUl). 


hi 

ii 


Dr.  ('.  IIakt  Mkkkiam, 

h'urenii  of  Animal  liidiistrii, 

I'fiHirlinciil  1)/  .Igriiiiltufe,  H'oHliinfiton,  IK  ('. 

Siu  ANU  lloNOKKi)  ( '(it-i-KAfifK :  I  liave  read  with  tlio  deei)e8t  interest  the  learned 
memoir  which  you  ha\e  done  nie  the  honor  to  semi  me  concerninj;  the  liioloj;ical  his- 
tory of  the  lur  seal  {('alhirliiiinn  itrniiiiin). 

The  very  jtrceise  ol)servatious  which  yon  made  at  the  Pribilof  Islands  and  the  no 
loss  icrtnin  inroruiation  based  on  ollicial  statistics  which  you  j^ive  on  the  subject  of 
the  capture  of  tlie  females  on  the  hi;ih  sea  at  the  niomeut  when  they  an'  retui'uinjj  to 
the  I'ribilof  Islands  to  f^ive  birrli  to  their  young,  have  snjjjjested  to  you  cKUclusions 
■with  which  1  fully  anTce. 

I  will  ;;o  even  further  than  you,  for  I  tliink  it  urgent  not  only  to  rijfidly  jirohibit 
the  takin<j;  of  the  migratory  VnlUirhhins  in  the  o]Hm  sea.  but  also  to  rei;ulatoaud  linnt 
severely  tlie  hunting  on  laiul  (d 'males  still  too  young  to  have  a  harem. 

According  to  your  own  observal  iiui  the  male  does  not  pair  olf  liefore  the  age  of  6 
or  7  years,  and  the  females  give  birth  to  only  one  jiup.'it  a  time.  It  can  be  said  then 
that  the  S])e(des  iiu-rcases  slowly  and  multiplies  with  ditlicnlty.  'i'hese  are  unfavor- 
able conditions,  which  do  not  allow  it  to  repair  the  hecattunbs  which  for  several 
^eaiK  ))ast  have  been  and  are  deciuiatinj;  the  sp'icics.  ' 

Hy  reasfui  of  the  mas.sacics  of  which  it  is  the  victim  this  s])eeies  is  advancing  rap- 
idly toward  its  total  and  linal  destruction,  following  the  fatal  road  on  which  the 
lihyliiKi  HlcUivx,  the  Mniiiirhiin  IroincaUx,  and  the  Macroiliinii8  «»/;/««/ Jros/iw's  h.ave  pre- 
ceded it,  to  (dte  only  the  great  niaiuniifers  which  l)ut  recently  abounded  in  the 
American  seas. 

Now.  the  irremediable  destruction  of  an  eminently  tisefnl  animal  species,  such  aa 
this  one,  is,  to  speak  ]>lainly,  a  crime  of  which  we  are  rendering  ourselves  guilty 
toward  our  (hiscendants.  To  satisfy  our  instincts  of  cupidity  we  voluntarily  exhaust, 
iind  that  forever,  a  source  of  wealth  which,  projieily  regulated,  ought  on  the  con- 
tr.iry  to  contribute  to  the  jirosperity  of  our  own  generation  and  of  those  which  will 
Hucceed  it. 

'  When  we  live  on  our  capital  we  can  undoubtedly  lead  a  gay  and  extravagant  life: 
but  Imw  l(uig  docs  this  foolish  extravagance  last?  And  what  is  its  to-morrowf 
Inextricable  poverty.  On  the  other  hand,  in  causing  our  ca]>ital  to  be  jtroperly  pro- 
dnctivi^  we  draw  from  it  constantly  a  8i)lendid  income,  which  does  not.  perliajis,  give 
the  largo  means  dreamed  of,  luit  at  l(!ast  assures  an  honorable  comi)etency.  to  wliich 
the  wise  man  knows  how  to  iiceommodale  himself.  Hy  prudi  nt  ventures  or  by  a 
■well-regulated  eeoniuiiy  he  can  even  iucrease  |ircinressively  his  inheritance  and  leave 
to  his  children  a  greater  fortune  than  lie  had  himstdf  received  from  his  parents.  It 
is  <;vident,ly  the  same  with  the  ijuestion  which  occu^des  us.  and  it  is  for  our  gener- 
ation an  iini)erif»us  iluty  to  iirevent  the  destrntition  of  the  fur  seal,  to  regulate 
strictly  its  capture — in  a  wonl,  to  perjietuato  this  source  of  wealth  and  to  beiiueath 
it  to  our  dcHc^endauts. 

To  these  ccnisideraticms  of  an  economic  character  I  will  add  .another  of  a  nature 

ftnrely  sentimental.  It  is  not  without  profound  sadness  that  the  naturalist  sees  a 
arge  nniulier  of  aniuial  species  disappear,  the  ilestruction  of  which  this  century  will 
have  seen  accomplished.  When  our  seas  are  no  longer  inhabited  by  the  cetacea  and 
the  great  pinnipeds,  w  hen  the  air  is  no  longer  furrowed  iu  all  directions  by  little 


v>  I 


SEAL    •  MK    ON    TllH    TKIKILOF    ISLANDS. 


91 


•  Kil.IOI.I. 


Insi'i'tivovoii-:  l)ii(N,  \\\\i>  known  if  the  (<i|iiililii'inin  of  niitiirt^  will  not  he  lnokcii — an 
f>quiiil)riiiiii  to  wliicli  tlic  cri'iitiin's  on  tiic  way  to  ('xtinction  Inn  «>  ureiitiv  <'(»ntril»nt«Mlf 

With  liis  lnn'))oon8,  his  fireiinns,  anil  bis  inai'liincs  of  every  kiiitl.  man,  witii  whom 
tht'  Instlnttof  <li'.-trnctiiiu  uttiiins  its  hij-ht'st  imint,  in  tho  moHt  cruel  ent'iny  «if  nature 
anil  of  niaukiuil  itself 

liitl)|>ily,  while  yet  in  tinu",  the  Havauts  Mounil  the  ahum.  In  this  century,  when 
we  believe  in  »cieuee,  we  nmut  hope  that  their  voice  will  not  he  lost  in  thoile.sert. 

Above  all.  1  have  the  conviction  that  the  very  wine  measures  which  you  jtroposo 
with  the  view  of  jireserviiig  the  Calliirhiniis  urniniiH  from  an  imiienilin^  ilestruction 
will  be  submitteil  to  an  interuutional  conimi  ision,  which  will  ratify  them  auil  give 
tluMii  the  force  ot  a  law. 

Will  you  .iccept,  sir  autl  honored  colleague,  t'.e  expression  of  niy  most  distinguisbed 
Bentimcnts. 

Dr.  KAi'irAKi.  Hlanciiakd. 


KI'.k'I.Y   OK    OK.  WII.UKI.M    1,1  I.I.J IIllOHG. 

Stockholm,  Mtii/  U,  IS9S. 
Dr.  (  .  Mart  Mf.iuma.m. 

Dkah  Sih:  In  answer  to  your  letter  of  '2d  of  .\]»ril,  asking  oi.;- oiiinion  as  to  the 
c:iiisi8  of  the  decrease  of  the  stock  of  northern  fur  seals  {('aUorhinux  iir/^hnin)  (ui  the 
rookeries  of  the  islands  in  the  North  Tacilic  or  Mering  .'^ea,  and  concerning  the  means 
proposed  liy  >  ou  to  arrest  this  decrease,  allow  us  to  state  the  lollowing: 

Yo(ir  description  of  the  life  of  the  northern  fur  seal  corrcsjioiids  generally  with 
Biinilar  descriptions  by  former  iiuthors.  from  the  I'l'lehratcd  l)r.  Steller,  who  (1711— 12) 
visitfil  till'  Commaiidrr  Islanos  with  Vitus  IJering,  to  our  dajs.  and  also  with  our  own 
peisdiial  ex])iMicnces  of  the  animal  lile  in  the  Arctic  .-eas,  and  with  the  informations 
one  of  us  gathered  from  the  inhabitants  during  a  short  stay  in  the  Uering  .*<ea, 

Wi  do  not,  therefore,  hesitate  to  declare  that  the  facts  about  the  life  .-ind  habits  of 
the  fur  seal  staled  by  you  in  your  said  letter  under  l-L'O  shonhl  8er\e  as  a  luise  lor 
the  rc.uulaiions  necessary  to  preserve  this  gregarious  animal  from  its  threatened 
t'xtinctioii  in  a  comi)arativeIy  ^bo^t  time. 

These  regnlai  ions  may  be  di\ided  into  two  categories,  viz:  (1)  Regulations  for  the 
ki  ling.  etc..  of  the  i'ur  seals  on  the  rookeries,  i'l  order  to  jtrevent  the  gradual  dimiini- 
tioii  o|  the  stock :  (2)  regulations  for  the  pelagic  sealing,  or  for  the  hunting  of  the 
seals  swimming  in  tlie  ocean  in  large  herds  to  and  from  the  rookeries,  or  around  the 
rookeries  during  the  time  when  the  I'emales  are  suckling  the  jniits  on  land. 

As  to  the  former  iiuestioii,  the  killing  of  the  seals  on  the  rookeries,  it  seems  at 
present  regulated  in  a  suitable  manner  to  etfectnally  ])revent  the  gradual  diminution 
of  the  stock.  If  a  wider  experience  should  require  some  nioditications  in  tlicse 
reguiatious,  there  is  no  danger  but  that  such  modilications  will  be  adoi)te(l.  It  is 
eviiliiitly  lu  the  interest  of  the  owners  of  the  rookeries  to  take  care  that  this  sinirce 
of  wealtli  shoiihl  not  bo  lessened  by  excessive  exi)loitation.  Nor  will  there  be  any  ditti- 
cnlty  for  studying  the  conditions  l»ir  health  and  thriving  of  the  aidmals  during  tbe 
roi)ker\  season. 

As  to  the  pelagic  sealing,  it  is  evident  that  a  systematic  hunting  of  the  seals  in  the 
open  sea  on  tbe  way  to  and  from  or  around  the  rookeries  will  very  soon  cause  tbe 
complete  extiiictioii  of  this  valuable  and,  from  a  scientilic  ])<niit  of  view,  e.xtreinely 
interesting  and  im])ortant  animal,  especially  as  a  great  numl)er  of  the  animals  killed 
in  this  manner  are  pregnant  cows,  or  cows  tem|)orarily  sejiarated  (rom  their  pups 
■while  seeking  food  in  tlie  vicinity  of  the  rookery.  Everyone  having  some  ex|(eri- 
ence  in  seal  hunting  can  also  attest  that  only  a  relatively  sinall  jtart  of  the  seals 
killeii  or  seriously  wounded  in  tlie  open  sea  can  in  this  mannt.-r  be  <'anglit.  We  are 
tlieret'ori?  persuaded  that  a  ^irohihitiou  of  pelagic  sealing  is  a  necessary  eonditiou 
for  the  juevention  of  the  total  extermination  of  the  fur  seal. 

>  ery  truly,  yours,  \V.  Lii.i,.iKnoi{G. 


KEPI.Y   OK   mi.  A.  V.  MIDDKNDORKF. 

Mr.  \v,  Wtias. 

Sir:  My  delay  in  answering  your  letter  is  due  to  illness.  I  am  very  glad  that  tbe 
United  states  have  selected  so  com]>etent  a  ]»er8on  as  Dr.  ^lerriain  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaiulnji  tbe  causes  of  the  rapid  decrease  of  seals.  The  facts  of  tbe  ease  have 
uow  been  scientiHcally  explained,  so  that  they  may  be  readily  nuderstood  even  by 
an  utiscientiHc  person.  The  method  of  treating  these  animais  which  was  originally 
adi)])ted  by  the  Russian  American  Coiniiany  at  their  bnuie  on  the  Fribilof  Islands  is 
still  coutinnod  in  tbe  same  rational  manner,  and  has,  for  more  than  half  a  century 


I 


'1 


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99 


8KAI.    LIFE    ON    THK    PKIIULOK    ISLANDS. 


been  IouikI  to  Ixi  (excellent,  doth  on  ai'ct  init  ot'tliK  lur^e  niuiilu;!'  of  h*mi]m  taken,  nnd 
becunHe  tliey  lire  not  externiinateil.  So  lon<;  :ih  HU)ii'rlliioiiM  yiinng  nialt-s  only  ore 
killi'd,  not  only  tlie  existeiiL-e.  I)nt  even  liii-  iin'renHi-  of  the  hertl  in  iiHHni'eil, 

SealH  are,  iinfortnnatfly,  nii;;ri(torv  aniiiialh,  and  Hi-t  out  <>n  thfir  jonrney  during 
the  winter  niontlnt.  This  i»  eH|ii'i'ially  true  ol  tin-  ))re^iiant  ft-niales.  'I  licy  are  then 
linnti'il  with  tonstuntly  increasing  rui).ieity,  and  are  iiilled  in  Ilii'  ojien  sea  by  free- 
booters from  all  parts  ot  the  world.  It  is  evident  that  the  only  remedy  lor  such  a 
state  of  tliin<;s  can  he  ntt'onled  by  international  jtrotection. 

Mow  rajiidly  extermination  jirojriesHes  is  shown  by  the  disaiipt-arauees  of  millions 
of  bisons.  With  these,  however,  the  case  is  (|iiite  dill'erent,  since  their  destrnrtioa 
IB  of  no  im])ortan('e  in  an  economical  point  of  view.  Its  imnortance  is  merely  of  an 
esthetical  charncter  and  from  this  standpoint  only  doeH  moiiern  civili/jition  (leiniiud 
the  priservaiion  of  o  speiiiiien  herds,  nnmberinu  a  few  hundred  heatl  each — one 
in  Lithuania  and  tin  other  in  North  America.  Since  the  attempts  to  domesticate 
the  bisini,  and  to  ])rodiice  a  cross  between  it  and  our  domestic  cattle  have  ])roved  a 
failure,  it  is  plain  that  the  );round  where  the  bison  formerly  ^razeil  can  be  more 
a<lv:intaKcously  occupied  and  yield  milk  abundantly. 

The  case  is  i|uite  otherwise  with  the  seal.  This  animal  is  of  economical  impor- 
tance, and  was  created  for  a  domestic  animal,  as  I  ))ointed  out  many  years  a;ro.  (See 
my  Siberian  .Journey,  vol.  iv,  part  I,  p.  816.)  It  is  in  fact  the  most  nsctiil  of  all 
clouicstic  animals,  since  it  reijuires  in>  care  and  no  expense,  and  consequently  yields 
the  lariLjest  net  jn'otit  If  we  suppose  the  seal  to  have  disappeared,  what  could  take 
its  ])lace  as  c'onvt^rter  of  the  immense  su]iply  of  tish  in  the  ocean  into  chtnce  fnra  to 
stock  the  markets  of  the  world? 

Berin;i;  Island,  which  has  been  deserted  for  one  hnndred  and  tifty  years,  now 
stands  as  a  wariiin;;.  Mas  modern  pro<;re.ss  succeeded  in  any  way  in  supplyint:  the 
plac«!  of  the  seal  cow  {lihiithia  ntclhri),  that  hiine  monster  whicdi,  as  a  consumer  of 
marine  ]dants,  was  inten<led  ^o  iH)nvert  useless  sea  weed  into  savory  meat' 

If  you  will  comninnieate  (as  you  say  you  propose  to  do)  the  contents  of  tliis  letter 
to  Dr.  Merriam,  whose  address  I  <lo  not  know,  yon  will  obli<;e  ine  j^reatly. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

Dr.  A.    V.    MiDDENDORti'F. 


i 


REPLY   OK   DR.  EMIL   HOI.UB. 

Prague,  May  18,  1892. 
Dr.  C.  H.  Mkkriam,  Ksq. 

Dk.vr  Sii:  :  With  sincere  attention  I  have  perused  the  records  of  your  investigation 
of  the  habits,  the  present  decrease,  and  regarding  the  future  of  the  fnr  seal  (Cnllor- 
hiiiiis  uriiinii8  Gray).  Having  well  considered  the  matter,  I  will  pass  my  opinion 
without  any  jtrejudice  whatever. 

The  (government  of  the  United  States  may  be  congratulated  upon  the  action  taken 
in  having  sent  out  for  the  investigation  of  a  matter  which  falls  into  the  department 
of  tlie  board  of  trade  a  scientist,  and  in  this  special  case  a  man  who  has  taken  snch 
great  pains  with  the  object  of  his  researches. 

Our  age  makes  it  a  duty  for  all  civilized  nations  to  bring  trade  and  commerce  in 
a  close  contact  with  science.  This  becomes  quite  a  necessity,  like  in  the  present 
case,  in  which  commercial  customs,  even  internati(mal  agreements,  laws,  etc,  become 
insutlicient  to  secure  a  sound  decision.  Sncii  scientitie  investigations  can  supply  the 
desired  conclusions;  they  do  advice  the  measures  to  be  taken,  and  provide  the  basis 
upon  which  an  international  understanding  can  be  established. 

liegarding  the  object  of  your  researches,  I  indorse  your  opinion  that  the  decrease 
of  the  numbers  of  the  fur  seal  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  has  been  caused  by  pelagic 
sealing  in  the  North  i'acilic  and  in  the  Bering  Sea,  and  that  this  taking  of  the  seals 
at  sea  has  to  be  stopped  as  early  as  ]iossible. 

To  restore  in  time  the  niinil)crs  of  former  years,  1  take  the  liberty  to  name  the  fol- 
lowing measures  for  the  sake  of  consideration : 

A.  Concerning  certain  agreements  with  other  powers, 

(1)  A  mutual  understanding  miontbe  (piestiou  between  the  United  States,  Russia, 
and  .lajian.  These  three  States  are  concerned  priino  loco  in  this  matter  as  being  the 
proprietors  of  the  breeding  places  as  well,  like  also  of  the  fishing  grounds  of  the 
said  animals  during  their  yearly  wanderings  to  and  fro. 

(2)  For  the  sake  of  brevity  in  action  and  a  speedy  settlement,  these  three  States 
(after  having  agreed  upon  the  toregoing)  to  select  but  one  representative. 

(3)  The  United  States  having  given  impulse  to  the  matter  lo  gain  the  prestige, 
that  a  United  States  man  shall  be  selected  to  this  honor. 

(4)  A  congress  to  be  called  together,  invitations  to  be  sent  to  those  of  the  Euro- 
pean and  American  powers,  whose  subjects  indulge  in  pelagic  sealing  in  the  North 
Pacilic  and  the  Bering  Sea. 


M 


SEAL    LIHK    ON     IHK    I'UIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


98 


!<  takvii,  nnd 

It  8  only  are 

u<L 

riiey  during 

H-y  are  tlieu 

HL'ii  by  Irue- 

iy  ibr  Hueh  a 

I  of  millions 
<l«-(«trui'ti(ia 
iitTfly  of  an 
turn  (hiniiud 
«1  etu'b — one 
tlonii-»^ticate 
\'c  ]>nive<l  a 
iin  be  more 

lical  impor- 
» a^o.  (See 
use t'nl  of  ill! 
intly  yields 
t  could  take 
loice  furs  to 

years,  now 

Pl>lyinir  the 

i^oiiHunier  of 

n( 

if  this  letter 


ENDORFF. 


J8,  1892. 

veHti<;atioQ 
unl  {Cullor- 
my  opinion 

ction  taken 
leiiartment 
taken  Huch 

nimerce  in 
he  present 
te.,  bfconie 
snpply  the 
e  the  basis 

le  decrease 
by  pelajjio 
f  the  seals 

ni-  the  fol- 


'8,  Russia, 
bein^  the 
ids  of  the 

ree  States 

prestige, 

the  Eiiro- 
the  North 


lo)  In  the  Ponjirt'RS  tbo  ri>))rt>sfntative  of  tin"  three  ])o\Vfrs  to  have  six  voices, 
reNiiitiii;i  iii  two  voices  for  every  oneof  these  jiowcrs,  wlnrh  <  onccssioii  to  bo  ^liiiiteil 
upon  tlie  tactM  of  |>araj;raph  \. 

(())  I  lie  coiij»res.>*  to  deiil  with  the  stoppa;;c  of  pelajjic  sealiiij^  of  the  fur  .seal,  and 
posHJlily  to  L'oiiie  to  an  iiiHUM'Ktaiidiii<^'  upon  it  and  to  eiilorce  it, 

H.  (  (jiieeniinf^eerliiiu  lausand  preeantions  in  tlu-iJoniinioiiN  of  the  Inited  States. 

(1)  'fo  prohibit  taking  seals  at  sea  by  Inune  vessels  and  by  Nuiall  boats  alon^  the 
coast  diiriii;;  the  waiidei in^s  ot  the  .iniiiiiils.  I  think  that  a  ;:reat  many  tin  seals 
are  killed  on  their  w;iy  to  the  south  and  their  return  to  their  lirecdm;;  places  in  the 
niu'tli  liefore  ever  they  do  reach  the  neijrhborhood  of  tln^  latter.  'I'hefact  that  these 
wuiiileriuK  animals  are  ehieHy  pregnant  lemales,  which  as  ;;aine  are  protected  by 
laws  aiiioiis;  all  civili/ed  nations,  may  grant  them  safety  also  along  the  coasts  of 
Hritisli  (  (dumbia. 

('>)  To  see  that  the  »>xisting  laws  at  present  in  use  on  both  St.  Fanl  and  St.  (Jeorge 
islands  n^gardiiig  the  |irotecti(ui  of  male  pups  are  strictly  ol).served. 

(3)  To  investigate  the  nutritions  necessities  of  the  fur  seal.  1  believe  that  the 
aniiiiiils  feed,  besides  on  lisb  and  erustiieeans,  also  on  ditferent  forms  of  molliisua, 
especially  on  mussels,  and  also  on  certain  seaweeds. 

(4)  In  ascertaining  the  foregoing,  to  try  to  increase  the  (luantity  of  food  in  the 
sea  of  the  Fribilof  Islands,  especially  for  the  reason  that  females,  when  nursing, 
may  be  not  compelled  to  stray  as  far  as  100  to  1-50  miles  from  shore,  deserting  their 
pups  for  Ml  long  and  being  also  exposed  to  the  weapons  of  the  pelagic  sealers. 

(5)  In  ascertiiiniiig  the  nutritious  necessities  to  ]>ay  special  attention  to  mussels 
behiiigiiig  to  the  families  of  the  MjitUidw  and  Avkulidw  (to  the  genera  of  Mjililna, 
Modhila,  [Athortumis,  I'iinia,  and  others),  v  '•  have  thin  shells,  or  to  other  species  of 
the  North  I'acific,  which  would  promisea  goci  (irolilication  ;  further,  also,  to  certain 
seaweeds,  for  submarine  ]duntation,  the  specie^,  to  which  1  allude  containing  a  great 
deal  of  eatable  gelatinous  matter. 

(6)  These  measures,  besides  to  be  taken  from  economical  reasons  on  behalf  of 
home  commerce  and  home  trade,  to  'i  recomiiiended  also  from  a  scientilio  point 
of  view,  as  an  act  of  ]ireservatiou  ot  a  sea  manunn!  and  from  the  common  laws  of 
biinianity,  (hat  species  of  large  and  wild  living  mairinal  may  be  guarded  against 
utter  annihilation 

Mankind,  never  to  forget  that,  being  the  master  among  the  living  creatures  on 
earth,  it  has  the  power  of  recreation. 

If  tlie  pelagic  sealin'j.  of  the  fur  seal  is  carried  on  still  longer,  like  it  has  been  exe- 
cutcMl  during  the  last  years,  the  ]ielagic  sealing  as  a  business  matter  and  a  living 
will  soon  cease  by  the  lull  extermination  of  the  useful  aniinil. 

The  objections  brought  forward  by  the  friends  of  the  pelagic  sealing  against  its 
stopiia'ic,  that  the  latter  will  ruin  a  great  many  families  of  seamen  and  tishers,  can 
not  i)u  taken  as  sound  arguments.  It  is  a  well-known  and  a  common  thing  in  our 
age,  liut  a  weekly  occurrence  iliiring  the  last  years,  that  a  new  trade  springing  up 
ruins  two  other  trades,  and  hardly  in  one  case  out  of  hundreds  can  a  compensation 
be  given  or  is  asked  for. 

In  concluding'  my  note,  I  tbank  you,  my  dear  sir,  as  my  esteemed  fellow-worker  in 
another  transatlantic  si)here,  for  the  excellent  work  which  you  have  executed  during 
your  weary  investigations  in  the  Bering  Sea.  May  this  noble  and  important  work 
be  crowned  with  the  deserved  success  that  that  piratic  hunt  may  be  stopped  for- 
ever. The  opportunity  of  the  Columbian  Exhibition  in  Chicago  might  be  used  to 
call  the  congress  to  Washington,  and  then  to  give  to  the  delegates  the  treat  of  a 
visit  to  the  monstrous  exhibition. 

I  should  feel  very  happy  if  one  day  to  come  I  can  mnke  your  personal  acquaint- 
ance and  can  shake  hands  with  you,  iny  dear  sir. 

With  my  humble  respects,  I  remain,  your  most  obedient, 

Dr.  Emil  Holuh. 


V 


LETTERS  AND   STATESIENTS  OF  NATURALISTS. 
STATEMENT   BY  PROF.   T.    H.   HUXLEY. 

The  following  st.atement  by  Prof.  T.  H.  Huxley,  F.  R.  S.,  etc.,  the 
eminent  naturalist,  was  prepared  at  the  request  of  the  counsel  for  the 
United  States.  As  appears  from  the  statement  itself,  it  was  given  by 
Professor  Uuxley  as  a  scientist,  not  .is  a  retained  advocate: 

(1)  The  problem  of  the  fur-seal  fishery  appears  to  me  to  be  exactly  analogous  to 
that  which  is  presented  by  salmon  fisheries.  The  Pribilof  Islands  answer  to  the 
upper  waters  of  a  salmon  river;  the  Bering  Sea  south  of  them  and  the  waters  of  the 


iff 


■I  ll»" 


94 


SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PRIIULOF    ISLifNl>8. 


i  HiL 


i 


NortliWbHt  I'iicific  from  Culiforniuto  the  Shuiua^in  IhIhikIh  to  therestol'  tbei^uiirseot' 
the  river,  itH  estuary,  ami  adjacent  Heaeoast.  'rheaiiimala  breed  in  the  former  and  teed 
in  the  hitter,  mi^jratiny:  at  ngiihir  ])eriods  from  the  one  to  the  other.  (The  (|neBtioti 
■whether  the  far  beals  have  any  breeding  phices  on  tiie  Northwest  Coast  ontside  of 
Berihjj  Sea  may  be  left  open,  as  there  seems  to  be  no  donbt  that  the  main  boily  breeds 
at  the  l'ribib>l's.) 

(2)  An  important  difference  is  that  the  females,  bachelors,  and  yearlini;  fnr  seals 
itiMl  largely  witliin  a  radins  of  say,  oO  miles  of  the  I'ribihif  I^4lands,  wliilo  tlie  adnit 
sahnon  <io  not  teed  (sensibly,  at  any  rate)  in  the  upper  waters. 

(3)  It  is  clear  in  the  case  of  fur  seals,  as  in  that  of  the  salmon,  that  man  is  an 
agent  of  destrnetion  of  very  great  potency,  probably  (tut weighing  all  others.  It 
would  be  |iossible  in  the  case  of  a  salmon  river  to  tish  it  in  such  a  fashion  that  every 
ascending  or  descending  tish  shonld  be  caught,  and  the  fishery  be  in  this  way  surely 
and  com))letely  destroyed.  All  our  salmon-fishery  legislation  is  directed  toward  the 
end  of  ineserving  the  breeding  grounds  on  the  one  hand,  on  the  other  of  preventing 
the  lower -water  tishernieu  from  capturing  too  large  a  proportion  of  the  ascending 
fish. 

(4)  Our  fishery  regulations  are  strict  and  minute.  Every  salmon  river  has  its 
fishery  board,  composed  of  representatives  of  both  the  upper  an<l  the  lower  water 
fisheries,  w  hose  business  it  is  to  nuike  by-laws  nnder  the  acts  of  Parliament  and  to 
see  that  they  are  carried  out.  A  Government  inspector  of  fisheries  looks  after  them, 
and  holds  in(|uiries  under  the  authority  of  the  home  secretary  in  case  of  disputes. 
On  the  whole,  the  system  wtirks  well.  The  fisheries  of  rivers  which  have  been 
pretty  nearly  depopulated  have  been  restored,  and  the  yield  of  the  best  is  main' 
tained.  IJiit  the  upper-water  and  lower-water  proprietors  are  everlastingly  at  war, 
each  vowing  that  the  other  is  ruining  the  fisheries,  atid  the  inspector  has  large  oppor- 
tunities of  estimating  the  value  of  diametrically  opposite  a.ssertions  about  matters 
of  fact. 

(5)  In  the  case  of  the  fur-seal  fisheries  the  destructive  agency  of  man  is  prepotent 
on  the  Pribilof  Islands.  It  is  obvious  that  the  seals  might  be  destroyed  and  driveo 
away  ciunpletely  in  two  or  three  seasons.  Mor«M>ver,  as  the  number  of  bachelors  in 
any  given  season  is  easily  ascertained,  it  is  possible  to  keep  down  the  take  to  such 
a  percentage  as  shall  do  no  harm  to  the  stock.  The  conditions  foreflicient  regulation 
are  here  )|uite  ideal. 

(())  Hut  in  Bering  Sea  and  on  the  Northwest  coast  the  case  is  totally  altered.  In 
order  to  get  rid  of  all  comi)lications,  let  it  be  supposed  that  western  North  America, 
from  Bering  Straits  to  California,  is  in  the  possession  of  one  power,  and  that  we  have 
only  to  consider  the  questions  of  the  regulations  which  that  power  should  make  and 
enforce  in  order  to  preserve  the  fur  seal  fisheries.  Suppose,  further,  that  the  author- 
ity of  that  power  e.vtended  over  Bering  Sea  and  over  all  the  Northwest  Pacific  east 
of  a  line  drawn  from  the  Shuinagin  Islands  to  California. 

Untler  such  condition<«  I  should  say,  looking  at  nothing  but  the  preservation  of  the 
seals,  that  the  best  course  would  be  to  prohibit  the  taking  of  the  fur  seals  anywhere 
except  on  the  Pribilof  Islands,  and  to  limit  the  take  to  such  percentage  as  experi* 
ence  proved  to  be  consistent  with  the  preservation  of  a  good,  average  stock.  The 
furs  would  be  in  the  best  order,  the  waste  of  life  would  be  least,  and,  if  the  system 
were  honestly  worked,  there  cmild  be  no  datiger  of  overfishing. 

(7)  However,  since  northwest  America  does  not  belong  to  one  power,  and  since 
international  law  does  not  acknowledge  Bering  Sea  to  be  a  nnire  clausum,  nor  rec- 
ognise the  jurisdiction  of  a  Riparian  power  beyond  the  3-mile  limit,  it  is  quite  clear 
that  this  ideal  arrangement  is  impracticable. 

The  cause  of  the  fur-seal  fisheries  is,  in  fact,  even  more  difficult  than  that  of  the 
salmon  fisheries  in  such  a  river  as  the  Rhine,  where  the  upper  waters  belong  to  one 
power  and  the  lower  to  another. 

(8)  The  North  west  Pacific,  from  California  to  Shnniagin  at  any  rate,  is  open  to  al'  the 
world,  an<l,  ai^cordiug  to  the  evidence,  the  seals  keep  mainly  outside  the  3-mile  limit. 
A  convention  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  (backed  by  a  number  of 
active  cruisers)  might  restrain  the  subjects  of  both.  But  what  about  ships  under 
another  Hagf 

(9)  Moreover,  I  do  not  see  how  the  Canadians  could  be  reasonably  expected  to  give 
up  their  fishery  for  the  sake  of  preserving  the  Pribilof  fisheries,  in  which  they  have 
no  interest. 

(10)  If,  however,  it  is  admitted  that  the  Canadians  can  not  be  asked  to  give  up  their 
fisheries,  I  see  no  way  out  of  the  dilficiilty  except  (me,  an<l  I  do  not  know  that  it  is 
practicable.  It  is  that  the  Pribilof,  Bering,  and  Northwest  coast  fur-seal  llshories 
shall  be  considered  national  property  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  and  tireat 
Britiiin.  to  be  worked  by  a  joint  fisiiery  ctuuniission,  which  shall  have  power  to  make 
by-laws  under  the  terms  of  a  general  treaty,  to  which  I  suppose  other  powers  (who 
havt*  hardly  any  interest  in  the  matter)  could  be  got  to  agree. 

(11)  I  am  free  to  confess  tliat  my  experiei!ce  of  the  proceedings  of  fishery  boards 
does  not  encourage  me  to  hope  that  the  proceedings  of  such  a  commission  would  be 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    TIIK    PItlltll.OI'    ISLANDS. 


95 


lie  i!oiir8e  of 
icr  iuul  t'ee«l 
lie  (|iu'Htion 
,  outside  of 
jod.v  breeds 

ijj  fur  seals 
lo  tiM'  adult 

t  luiin  is  an 
otiiera.    It 

1  that  every 
way  surely 
toward  the 
prevfuting 

e  asceudiug 

iver  lias  its 
lowtr  water 
iiieut  and  to 

after  them, 
[)f  disputes. 

have  been 
)st  is  inaiu' 
ifjly  at  war, 
large  oppor- 
9ut  matters 

is  prepotent 
1  and  driven 
itachelors  in 
take  to  such 
t  regulation 

altered.  In 
fth  America, 
hat  we  have 
id  make  and 
the  author- 
Pacidc  east 

ation  of  the 
Is  anywhere 
e  as  experi" 
stock.  The 
the  system 

r,  and  since 

im,  uor  rec- 

quite  clear 

that  of  the 
iloug  to  one 

ten  tear  the 
-mile  limit, 
number  of 
hips  under 

eted  to  give 
they  have 

ive  up  their 
w  thiit  it  is 
al  lisheries 
and  <  J  re  at 
rer  to  make 
jwers  (who 

[lery  boards 
u  would  be 


nltojjctlicr  liiirniiinii)iis:  Imt  if  it  were  comiMiscd  of  siMisiblo  men  they  would,  sooner 
or  lirter.  strnjigie  out  into  a  umilim  vivendi,  for.  alter  all,  it  is  as  umk^Ii  the  Canadian 
inlert'st  thiit  the  rrihiiof  lislieries  siniuld  br  preserved  as  it  is  the  United  States  inter- 
est tli:it  the  seals  shi>ul<l  not  lie  e\tirpiited  in  JSering  Se.i  and  llie  Northwest  Pacific. 

(12)  In  HiK'h  a  <'as(>  as  this  1  <1()  not.  belii've  that  the  enforeeinont  of  a  elose  time, 
either  in  Hering  Seii  or  on  the  Northwest  roast,  would  lie  of  any  praetical  utility 
unless  the  lisliing  is  absolutely  ])ri>hibited  iwhi<'li  I  take  to  be  out  of  tli(«  <|uestion). 
It  must  lie  f  rinitted  while  the  seals  ar<(  in  the  sea ;  and  if  it  is  |nirniitted,  there  is 
no  limit  to  tlie  deslrueticni  which  may  be  ell'eited. 

Nunnriiiif  as  the  seals  may  be,  they  area  tritie  eomiiareil  with  heriing  Hclnxdsand 
cod  \>alls.  anil  human  agency  is  relatively  a  far  more  important  factor  in  destrmtion 
in  tlii'i)'  <'ase  than  in  that  of  herrings  and  eod.  I  p  lo  this  tinm  lisliing  has  made  no 
Beiixible  impression  on  the  great  herring  and  eoil  lisheries;  but  it  has  been  easy  to 
cxtir))ate  seal  tisheiies. 

(i;^)  I'inally,  1  venture  to  remark  that  there  are  only  two  alternative  courses 
worth  ^nirsning. 

One  is  to  let  the  fur  seals  bo  extirpated.  Mankind  will  not  sulfer  nnK^hifihA 
ladies  are  ol>lig(Ml  to  do  without  S(;al-skin  Jackets,  and  the  fra(;tion  of  the  Knglish, 
Canadian,  and  American  ])opulation  which  lives  on  the  seal  skin  industry  w  ill  be  no 
worse  otV  tlian  the  vastly  gi eater  mnltitinle  who  have  had  to  sutler  for  the  vagaries 
of  lasliicn  times  out  of  number.  Certainly,  if  the  seals  are  to  be  a  source  of  constant 
bit^kenng  between  two  nations,  the  sooner  they  are  abolished  the  better. 

The  other  course  is  to  tread  down  all  merely  personal  au<l  trade  interest  in  pursuit 
of  un  urr  ngcment  that  will  work  and  be  fair  all  round,  and  to  sink  all  the  stiipidi" 
ties  of  natiouiil  vanity  and  political  sell-seiking  along  with  them. 

There  is  a  great  deal  too  much  of  all  these  undeniable  elements  apparent  in  the 
docinnents  which  I  have  been  studying. 

T.    H.    liUXI.KY. 

Ai'Kii,  -T),  18il2. 


AI'F1I>AV1T   BY    1)U.    lUIILIP   I.UTLKY   Si:l,ATKK. 

Philip  Lntley  Selator,  I'h.  1).,  secretary  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London,  being 
duly  sworn,  (bitli  depose  and  say  that  in  his  opinion  as  a  naturalist: 

(i)  Unless  pro]ier  measures  are  taken  to  restrict  the  indiscriminate  captnro  of  the 
fur  s(^al  in  the  North  I'acilic  he  is  of  opini«m  that  the  extermination  of  this  species 
V  ill  take  place  in  a  few  years,  as  it  has  alieady  done  in  the  case  of  other  species  of 
the  same  group  in  other  parts  «»f  the  world. 

(2)  It  seems  to  him  that  the  ]iroper  way  <»f  proceeding  would  be  to  stop  the  kill- 
ing of  females  and  young  of  the  fur  seal  altogether  or  as  far  as  possible,  and  tO 
restrict  the  killing  of  the  males  to  a  certain  number  in  each  year. 

(3)  The  only  way  he  can  innigine  by  which  these  rules  could  bo  carried  ont  is  by 
the  killing  the  seals  only  in  the  islands  at  the  breeding  time  (at  which  time  ft 
a])pears  that  the  yimug  males  keep  apart  from  the  females  and  old  males)  and  by 
preventing  altogether,  as  far  as  possible,  the  destruction  of  the  fur  seals  at  all  othet 
times  and  in  other  places. 

IMlIMP  LUTLKY  SCLATKIt,  Ph.  D.,  F.  R.  8. 


City  of  Washington,  Dhtrict  of  Columbia,  ss: 

C.  II.  'fownsend,  being  duly  sworn,  de]»ose8  and  says:  ■ 

I  am  iV^  J  ears  of  age,  and  my  profession  is  that  of  a  naturalist.  I  am  attached  to 
the  United  States  Fish  Coiiimissittn  steamer  Alhatross,  with  which  Cominissioii  I  have 
been  <  <inne(^t>ed  for  nine  years.  Occupying  the  ])osi(  ion  of  resident  naturalist  on  that 
vissel,  as  I  did,  1  have  collected  constantly  during  this  period  and  have  hunted  with 
all  kinds  of  firearms  and  under  various  conditions.  I  have  made  seven  voyages  to 
Alaska. 

I  visited  the  Pribilof  Islands  for  the  lirst  time  in  1885,  spendintr  the  months  of  June 
and  .September  thereon  in  making  collections  of  natural-history  specimens,  includ- 
ing those  of  the  fur  seal,  of  which  I  brought  <lown  twenty.  In  the  year  18!U  I  again 
Tisitt'd  the  Island  of  St.  Paul,  arriving  there  .Inly  28  and  remaining  there  about  ten 
days.  'I'he  Hritisb  commissioners  were  <ni  the  island  at  that  time.  I  made  fre(|nent 
observations  as  to  the  conditions  of  the  rookeries  during  this  period.  Karly  in  the 
snnunor  of  1892  I  visited,  at  the  re(|uest  of  t\ui  I'nited  States  (lovernment,  (inade- 
lope  Island,  for  the  purpose  of  ac<piainting  myself  with  seal  life  there  and  of  obtain- 
ing skulls  of  the  liir  seals  which  formerly  frequented  those  regions.  Later  in  18S>2  1 
once  more  visited  the  Island  of  St.  I'aul,  arriving  there  .June  80.    I  was  there  on  the 


p- ;; 


i    i! 


iih 


Irt  J 


tl 


V  ,  '■  , 


w 


96 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


ialiind  ami  on  the  United  States  Keveniie  steamer  Corwin,  cmisinj;  to  the  west  of  the 
isianiis,  continuuimly  nntil  ubont  August  15,  and  wan  enga;;ed  dnrin;>;  all  ot  this 
time  in  the  Httnly  of  seal  jile,  either  on  land  or  iu  the  waters  of  Bering  Sea,  and  have 
shot  seals  from  a  snnill  boat. 

I  carefully  noted  the  fact  this  year  that  the  youug  seal  is  at  birth  attached  to  a 
larji;e  placenta,  e(|ual  parts  to  one-third  of  its  weight  and  of  a  bright  red  color.  It 
is  Monietiines  not  exjielled  nntil  an  hour  or  so  after  birth,  remaining  attached  in  the 
nieanwhile  by  the  umbilical  cord  to  the  pup.  It  fret) nently  remains  attached  to  the 
pnp  a  diiy  or  more.  After  ])arlurition  the  female  takes  an  immediate  interest  in  her 
young,  and  if  it  has  fallen  into  some  slight  rock  crevice  she  gently  draws  it  toward 
her,  taking  its  nape  in  her  teeth.  She  repeatedly  turns  to  it  with  mauifestatiou  of 
att'ectiou. 

Prior  to  July  27,  1892,  many  of  the  females  had  taken  to  water  to  feed  and  could 
thereafter  be  seen  returuing  at  all  times  to  suckle  their  young.  I  (|uote  the  follow- 
ing written  meiuorandum  made  by  me  on  St.  Paul  at  tUat  date:  "Bulls  on  rookeries 
getting  exhausted  and  <iuiet,  mostly  sleeping.  Cows  largely  at  sea.  Some  bulls  have 
hauled  out  on  sand  beaches  that  so  far  have  been  bare.  Four-tifths  of  the  seals  on 
rookeries  to-day  are  pups." 

J uly  28  I  made  the  following  note :  "Many  females  coming  from  the  water  bleating 
for  their  young." 

I  have  killed  sea  lions  at  the  following  localities,  where  they  breed  in  considerable 
nuniliers,  and  found  their  breeding  ground  impregnated  with  the  same  rank,  dis- 
agreeable smell  that  is  so  noticeable  a  feature  of  the  breeding  grounds  of  the  Pribilof 
fur  seal:  Light-house  Kock,  Alaska  Peninsula,  Farallon  Islands,  and  Monterey  Rock, 
California;  San  licnito  Islands,  Lower  California,  and  San  Luis  Islands,  in  the  (iulf  of 
California.  The  soil  and  rocks  at  these  places  is  as  foul  with  seal  excrement  as  at 
the  Pribilofs,  where  urine,  excrement,  decaying  jilacentas,  and  other  Hlih  rubbed 
and  trodden  into  the  soil  and  rock  depressions  cause  the  odors  so  characteristic  of 
this  vicinity.  The  rcxiks  at  Monterey  may  be  used  in  illustrjition :  They  lie  near 
Cypress  Point,  4()0  or  500  yards  olf  the  shore,  which  the  carriage  <lrive  i'ollows  and 
are  covered  with  hair  seals,  which  breed  there,  Tliey  are  conspicimusly  stained 
with  excrement,  and  where  the  aninnils  lie  thi<;kest  the  ground  is  smeared  and  slip- 
pery with  it.  I  collected  sea  lions  there  iu  .lanuary  of  the  present  yt^ir,  and  after 
my  shooting  had  frightened  all  the  animals  off  to  the  sea  the  rank  smell  of  the  place 
itself  drifted  across  the  (channel  into  the  nostrils  of  the  tourists  of  the  Hotel  del 
Monte,  who  witnessed  our  operations.  It  would  in<leed  be  an  extraortliniiry  occur- 
rence if  fur  seals  did  not  dc|)osit  excrement  upon  their  Ireeding  grounds  in  the  same 
way  that  all  otiuu'  aniuuils  of  this  class  do. 

As  already  stated  above,  1  was  attached  to  the  steamer  Corivhi  during  the  i>aat 
Hummer,  and  I  made  all  the  examinations  of  the  stonia'hs  of  the  seals  referred  to 
in  Ca|>tain  Hooper's  report,  covering,  in  all,  3!^  seals.  1  annex  hereto  phi)togra))hs 
of  two  of  the  seals  which  were  dis^eeteil  and  examined  by  me  on  the  deck  ol  the 
steamer  Coiirin.  These  seals  were  taken  on  the  2d  <lay  of  August,  1892,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  about  175  miles  from  the  islands.  The  photographs  exhibit  the  mammary 
glands  and  convey  a  good  idea  of  the  considerable  si/e  ot  these  glands,  which  in  all 
cases  were  tilled  with  milk.  The  inference  is  unavoidable  that  the  pup  is  a  vora- 
cious feeder,  and  this  inference  is  in  keeping  with  the  oiist^rvations  I  have  made  on 
the  rookeries,  where  I  have  repeatedly  seen  pups  suckle  for  half  an  hour  at  a  time. 
The  mammary  gland  is  very  widely  s])read  over  the  lower  surface  of  the  aninuil; 
beginning  between  the  fore  flippers,  in  fact  at  the  anterior  of  thi>  sternum,  it  extends 
well  up  under  the  armpits  and  t)ack  to  the  pnbie  bones.  The  milk  glands  are  quite 
thick  and  completely  charged  v;ith  milk.  The  ph'ttograjdis,  especuilly  the  tirstone, 
exhibit  the  milk  streaming  froi.i  the  glands  on  to  the  dei'k. 

Annexed  to  the  report  of  Captain  Hooper  is  a  table  giving  the  results  of  the  exam- 
ination of  11  seals  which  were  killed  in  Bering  Sea  in  18!)2.  It  appears  that  of  this 
number  22  were  nursing  seals.  The  photogr;iphs  hereto  annexed  show  exactly  the 
way  all  of  these  nursing  female  seals  looked  when  cut  open  on  tiie  deck  of  Xhe  Corwin. 

From  the  fact  that  among  the  teuiales  thus  taken  and  examined  there  were  found 
mostly  nursing  cows,  with  a  small  number  of  virgin  cows,  it  is  reasonable  to  con- 
clude that  there  are  ))ractically  no  barren  fenmlus  swimming  about  iu  the  sea  unat- 
tached to  the  islands,  or  that,  at  any  rate,  if  such  seals  exist  they  are  rarely,  if  ever, 
taken.  In  all  my  experience  I  have  never  seen  anything  to  lea«l  nie  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  barren  female.  In  the  case  of  the  virgin  cows,  a  care- 
ful examination  of  the  uterus  proved  them  ti>  be  too  immature  for  coiice])tion. 

In  the  stouuichs  of  many  of  the  hi  als  examined  as  above  stated  there  were  ibund 
large  ()uantities  of  lish,  m  duly  codlish.  There  is  nothiuusur)>risingin  this  (act,  that 
codlish  should  be  found  in  the  stomachs  of  surface  feeders  such  as  seals  are.  While 
taken  at  the  bottom,  the  codlish  is  not  restricted  to  deep  water.  It  is  found  from  the 
shallows  alotig  the  shore  out  to  the  banks  where  lishermen  usually  take  them.  They 
are  often  taken  at  intermediate  depths,  but  tish  taken  at  the  bottom  are,  as  a  rule, 
larger. 


1 


1.^ 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOI'    ISLANDS. 


n 


ttaclu'd  to  a 
1(1  color.  It 
H-hfil  in  tliu 
ichcil  to  the 
;*'re8t  in  her 
V8  it  toward 
il'estatiou  of 

il  and  could 
)  the  follow- 
on  rookeries 
le  bulls  have 
the  seaU  on 

iter  bleating 

BouHideruble 
e  rank,  dis- 
the  Priliilof 
iterey  Hock, 
u  the  (iulf  of 
I'unient  as  at 
tilth  rulibed 
•acteristic  of 
liey  lie  near 
follows,  and 
iisl.v  stained 
led  and  slip- 
ir,  and  after 
of  the  i)lace 
le  Hotel  del 
iniiry  occur- 
in  the  same 

\>i  the  ])ast 

icftiried  to 

)iiiitogra])hs 

leek  oi'  the 

at  a  dis- 

inaiuinary 

hit'h  in  all 

is  a  vora- 

'o  made  on 

at  a  time. 

he  aninuil ; 

it  extends 

Is  are  quite 

i(>  lirstone, 

the  exam- 
that  of  this 
exactly  the 
the  Corwtn. 
were  found 
ble  to  con- 
e  sea  unat- 
ly,  if  ever, 
conclusion 
ws,  a  care- 
tion. 

were  found 
s  fact,  that 
re.  While 
d  from  the 
em.  They 
,  as  a  rule, 


The  cod  is  a  voracious  feeder  u|)on  squid,  "vhich  abound  at  the  surface.  In  Alaskan 
•waters  I  have  taken  hundreds  with  the  din  net,  after  attracting;  them  with  the  elec- 
tric light  of  the  Albatross.  In  its  frequent  mif^ratioiis  from  bank  to  bank  the  cod 
passes  over  tracks  of  ocean  where  the  water  is  of  profound  depth.  It  is  a  regular 
feeder  upon  herring  and  many  other  tishes  which  school  at  tlie  surface,  and  in 
Alaskan  waters  fre(|uently  follows  the  tisherman's  bate  from  tiie  bottom  to  the  sur- 
face. 

As  a  result  of  my  combined  observations  ujton  land  and  water,  as  hereinbefore 
detailed,  1  have  no  hesitation  in  stating  positively  that  soon  after  a  J'emale  gives 
birth  to  -U'r  young  she  leaves  the  island  in  (juest  of  food,  that  she  travels  great  dis- 
tances in  search  of  it,  and  that  she  returns  to  the  islands  heavily  laden  with  milk. 

Wliile  hunting  in  the  Corwin's  boat  many  seals  were  tired  upon  wlien  asleep.  They 
usually  sleep  with  their  head  to  leeward  and  keep  it  moving  uneasily  from  side  to 
side,  but  with  the  nose  held  clear  of  the  water.  A  8leei»ing  seal  has  his  vital  ]>arts 
pretty  well  submerged — the  nose,  lower  Jaw,  and  tlipjiers  being  usually  held  above 
the  surface,  although  a  little  more  ap]>ears  at  times  according  to  the  condition  of  the 
sea  and  the  movements  of  the  animal. 

One  lias  to  be  very  close  to  g_>t  a  shot  at  the  head  that  will  kill  it.  Many  times 
the  animal  is  wounded  sulliciently  to  get  out  of  reach  of  the  iiunter  before  it  dies. 
I  had  very  little  dilliculty  in  approaching  sleeping  seals  close  enough  for  a  fair  shot, 
but  niiicli  in  killing  them.  Fair  shots  that  scattered  the  <'liarge  all  about  them,  hit- 
ting (lie  nippers,  I  lirmly  believe,  and  in  s(un<!  cases  drawing  plenty  of  blood,  were 
usually  witlont  result,  until  I  learned  to  tire  directly  at  the  head.  Then  thtr  shots 
began  to  prove  fatal ;  but  even  then,  unless  hit  in  a  vital  part,  the  animals  got  away, 
though  bleeding  freely.  A,"  Hrst  I  blamed  the  iiielfectnal  tiring  on  the  cartridges,  but 
the  cartridges  ]>rovt!(l  all  right  as  socmas  1  learned  to  aim  at  the  liead  and  not  at  the 
nuinial  as  a  whole. 

I  lea.!ieil  after  some  expcrinients  that  seals  which  <laslie*l  away  iipparently  unin- 
jured wt-re  usually  hurt,  aiul  utter  following  them  i»ersistently,  at  great  labor  to  the 
boat  ])iill(!rs,  found  that  they  were  bleeding. 

I  believe  that  the  majority  of  sleeping  seals  fired  at  are  struck.  The  number  killed 
at  the  islands  with  buckshot  in  tliem  bears  out  this  claim  to  a  considtu'able  extent. 
I  do  not  see  how  an  ordinary  marksman  can  shoot  .'if  so  large  a  target  as  a  seal  at 
short  range  with  a  double- barrel  gun  loaded  witli  21  buckshot  witln  ut  strikingsome 
of  the  exjiosed  portions  of  tht;  animal. 

It  is  from  the  instantly  killctl  that  seals  art!  secured;  the  wouni.ed  animal  U8t>s  its 
deatli  struggle  to  get  out  of  rt!a<'h.  What  |>ro]iortion  of  the  .;'als  reaching  the 
Pribilol's  with  shot  in  them  bear  to  those  wkicli  are  tired  at  and  esca]ie  ( wound(Ml,  as 
I  state  above)  is  not  known,  but  I  believe  that  fully  .-is  manv  perish  leaving  no  trace, 
as  recover  sutbciently  to  reach  the  islands. 

Feeding  seals  sliot  when  raising  tlieir  heads  about  tin;  boats  from  curiosity  are 
more  likely  to  be  killtMl  instantly  than  sleeping  seals,  but  they  sink  mori-  (juickly. 
A  cle:ir  sliot  at  the  head  is  alforded  which  knocks  the  life  completely  out  of  them, 
and  the  rest  of  the  body  being  under  water  at  the  tinu'  it  would  seem  that  the 
pressure  upon  the  limp  body  forceps  the  air  tVoni  it.  As  a  rule,  seals-killed  instantly, 
when  the  head  is  entirtdy  clear  of  the  water,  go  down  (|uickly,  sinking  stern  fore- 
most. Slee))ing  seals  killed  when  the  head  is  low  in  the  water  tloat  for  a  time,  the 
head  settling  into  tin'  water  first,  the  air  is  retained  in  the  bod,\  and  it  floats.  I  shot 
a  seal  oil  (Guadeloupe  Island  in  \!ay  when  it  raised  its  head  close  to  the  boat,  killing 
it  instantly.  It  sank  before  we  could  reach  it  with  the  gatf,  and  continued  sinking, 
stern  first,  as  we  could  ])lainly  see  far  Itelow  in  the  ebtar  water. 

Another  illustration  of  the  wastelnlness  of  the  jielagic  sealing  might  be  found  in 
the  number  of  cartridges  expeinied.  1  luring  the  work  of  the  Corwin  no  record  of 
this  kind  was  kept.  'I'lu!  hunter  usually  carried  two  or  three  dozen  cartridges, 
which  were,  as  a  rule,  expended  liefore  they  returned  to  the  ship.  The  number  of 
seals  lost  by  sinking,  number  wounded,  and  number  secured  were  recorded. 

Kejieated  firing  from  the  iioats  was  often  heard  on  board  shi]),  and  a  large,  number 
of  empty  sludls  woiibl  be  returned,  when  conij)ari.tively  few  seals  were  delinitely 
reported  as  secured,  lost,  or  wounded,  all  (ulnr  shots  being  supposed  to  be  misses. 
1  do  not  think  this  feature  has  received  i>roper  consideration.  'I'he  hunters  were 
certainly  average  marksmen,  and  it  is  my  belief  that  the  great  majority  ol  the 
sleeping  seals  liied  at  Were  btruck.  The  guns  used  were  10-bore  I'arkeis,  loaded 
with  21  buckshot.  Tinn^  after  time  I  have  seen  the  heavy  charge  strike  about  the, 
sleeping  seal  fully  expecting  to  see  it  killed,  when,  to  my  utter  surprise,  it  would 
dive  ,iiul  come  ilp  beyond  our  reach.  It  is  incredible  that  t\u'  great  number  of  seals 
thus  cseaiiing  were  uninjiiriMl.  How  can  one  always  find  traces  of  blood  or  signs  of 
injury  when  the  Irightened  animal  is  retieating  at  a  rate  so  rajiid  that  it  is  soon  out 
of  sight,  and  especially  as  its  course  is  mainly  under  water  and  it  only  appears  at 
the  surface  with  a  porpoise-like  leap  to  catch  its  breath  and  then  dives  again? 


I  ; 


ir 


S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1- 


C.  H.  TOWKP'^ND. 


98 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


m  I 


ADDITIONAL  TESTIMONY. 

The  foregoing  testimony  is  tliat  of  scientists  whose  knowledge  of  the 
subject  under  discussion  cau  not  well  be  (juestioned.  Speaking  for 
myself,  personally,  I  am  jdeased  to  find  my  own  conclnsions  (based  on 
a  i)ractical  knowledge  solely)  so  fully  indorsed  by  learned  and  disinter- 
ested men. 

In  addition  to  the  testimony  aheady  (piot^d,  liowever,  and  in  order 
to  sti'cngthen  the  position  taken,  1  append  to  my  r('i)ort  tiie  testimony 
of  statesmen,  Jurists,  scientists,  naturalists.  shi))masters,  sealers,  seal 
hunters,  pelagic;  sealers,  naval  otlicers  (Aim-rican  and  IJritish),  mer- 
chantmen, seamen,  Indian  hunters,  native  sealers.  Treasury  agents, 
comi)any  agc'Uts,  Hritish  and  Americuji  Bering  Sea  Connnissioners,  fur 
traders,  furrieis,  fur  experts,  customs  oHieers,  an<l  men  of  all  classes, 
native  and  foreign,  friends  and  enemies,  who  liave  liad  either  the  prac- 
tical experience,  the  general  infonnation.or  the  s(uentilic  knowledge  to 
warrant  them  in  making  sworn  statements  on  the  subject  at  issue;  and 
a  careful  reading  of  the  testimony  introduced  will  show  that  their  views 
in  general  aie  in  accord  with  mine,  and  sustain  my  position  in  every 
particular. 

The  (pu>tations  above  referred  to  aie  taken  fr»>m  the  American  case 
and  counter  case. 

UKTRoSPErvnVE   AND   KXI'LANATOK V, 

So  much  lias  already  been  said  in  contradiction  of  the  theories 
advanced  by  honest  Itut  mistaken  men  about  overdriving  of  the  young 
males  and  its  consequent  result  of  imi)otency,  of  stampedes  on  the  rook- 
eries, and  epidemics  in  the  herd,  by  which  so  many  ])ui)s  were  supi)osed 
to  be  destroyed  annually  during  the  past  deciide,  it  is  necessary  for  a 
corre(;t  undei-stamlingof  tiie  contention  that  1  go  back  a  few  years  and 
give  a  sketcli  of  the  causes  whicli  gave  rise  to  such,  until  then,  unheard 
of  theories  v,  liich  have  been  tlie  direct  cause  of  more  than  one-half  the 
troubles  growing  out  of  the  fur-seal  (juestion  in  ISering  Sea. 

As  already  siiown  by  tlu'  testimony  of  Messrs.  11.  li.  Mclntyre,  T.  F. 
Morgan,  Daniel  Webster,  J.  ('.  IJedpath,  Dr.  Noyes,  and  others  who 
were  on  the  seal  islands  for  many  years,  it  was  not  until  l.S8(i  the  first 
unmistakaltle  decrease  of  the  seal  herd  was  a[)parent,  Had  the  facts 
been  reported  imme<liately  to  the  Department  and  the  true  cause  of 
i.uch  a  sudden  shrinkage  shown,  stejts  might  have  been  taken  which 
would  have  prevented  further  jjclagic  sealing,  or  at  least  an  additiiui  to 
the  sealing  fleet;  but  unfortunately  an  overzealous  Treasury  agent 
reported  an  increase  of  nearly  2,('^*K<*'*^*  i?.ince  Elliott's  nu'asurements 
and  estimates,  sonu'  fourteer  years  earlier;  and  again,  in  1.S88,  he  tells 
the  Department: 

I  am  happy  to  lie  ahlti  to  i'ei)<)i't  that  aithuii^li  late  hiiidiiifi;  the  hreediiij;  rooke""'"" 
art"  lilled  out  to  the  liiu's  of  uieasuremeiit  lieretofore  made,  and  some  of  them  m.ic.. 
beyoiKl  those  lines,  showing;  eoiicliisively  that  seal  life  is  not  beinfj;  depleted,  but  is 
fully  np  to  the  estimates  j>;iveu  in  my  report  of  18S7.     (Report  of  (i.  R.  Tingle,  1888. ) 

When  that  report  was  written,  and  before  it  was  written,  everyone 
on  the  seal  islands  knew  there  were  indicaticuis  of  a  decrease  of  the 
seal  herd,  and  the  employees  of  the  lessees  so  reported  at  the  time  to 
the  superintendent.  Dr.  II.  H.  Mclntyre,  who  tells  us: 

I  re]teatedly  pointed  out  to  our  company  and  to  the  special  Treasury  agents  during 
the  seasons  of  1887,  1888,  and  1889  that  the  seals  were  rapidly  diminishing,  and  that 
iu  order  to  get  the  full  <|uota  allowed  by  law  we  were  obliged  to  kill,  in  increasing 
unniberH  in  each  of  those  years,  animals  that  should  have  been  allowed  to  attain 
greater  size;  and,  finally,  the  catch  of  1889  was  mostly  of  this  class.  (See  Mclntyre 
to  Jeffries,  December  15,  1890,  Appendix.) 


I 


I 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


99 


Ige  of  the 

ikiiij^'  for 

based  on 

(lisiiiter- 

in  order 
e.stiinony 
»lers,  seal 
isli),  iiier- 
y  ayoiits, 
Diievs,  fur 
11  classes, 
the  prac 
\\iedj;e  to 
ssne;  aud 
iieir  views 

ill  every 

ricaii  ease 


i  theories* 
the  young 
I  the  rook- 
sui)])osed 
sary  for  a 
years  and 
unheard 
half  the 

re,  T.  F. 
ers  who 
the  first 
le  facts 
cause  of 
n  which 
dition  to 
y  ajjent 
ureuients 
he  tells 


ti 


vooke'"''"' 
.lieiii  iiKic 
;te(l,  but  i» 

ij,'le,  1888. ) 

everyone 
,se  of  the 
le  time  to 

mid  that 
increaHing 
to  attain 
Mclutyre 


Mr.  Daniel  Webster,  the  oldest  and  one  of  the  most  reliable  and  prac- 
tical of  sealers,  tells,  under  oath: 

In  1884  iind  18xr)  I  noticed  »  dvcrvase,  iiiid  if  Itecaiiie  so  iiiaiked  in  1886  that  every- 
one on  the  islands  811  w  it.  Tliis  marked  dtv'roiiNc  in  188(5  showt-d  itself  on  all  the  rook- 
eries on  hotli  islantls.     (See  atlldavit  in  A|)|)endix.) 

And  Mr.  .1.  C  Uedpatii,  the  h)cal  aj^ent  for  tlie  lessees,  after  an  expe- 
rience of  twenty  years  on  the  ishinds,  says: 

As  the  schooners  (iiehiyic  hunters)  inereased.  the  seals  d('<'reased,  and  the  lines  of 
contraction  on  the  rookeries  were  noticed  to  draw  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  heach, 
and  the  killal)le  seals  lieranie  fewer  in  numbers  and  iiarder  to  lind.  In  188t»  the 
decrease  was  so  jdain  tiiat  the  natives  and  all  the  aj;ents  were  startled.     (Ibid.) 

Ill  1881)  the  usual  annual  (luota  of  1()0,()II0  could  not  be  found  without 
takiiij^'  .50,(100  youny-  seals  whose  skins  did  not  average  more  tlian  -4 
pounds  each. 

It  was  tlien  that  the  apparent  and  appalling  suddenness  of  the 
deciciise  aroused  in  tlie  minds  of  those  who  were  neither  practical 
sealers  nor  had  detiiiite  knowledge  of  seal  life  on  the-rooktMies  doubts 
as  to  the  true  cause  of  the  decrease,  and  of  the  actual  (Muiditions  exist- 
ing on  the  seal  islands  so  soon  alter  an  otlicial  rejiort  liad  ajtpeared 
aniniiiiig  the  fact  of  an  increase  of  over  2.000,000  seals  in  fourteen  years. 

Theories,  as  numerous  as  the  men  wlio  broached  them,  were  launched 
forth  to  a  still  doubting  world;  from  press  and  platform  «'ame  an  array, 
of  argniiient  and  statistics  as  erroneous  as  they  were  bewildering;  and 
when  the  Treasury  agent's  reports  reached  the  Department  it  was 
decided  to  send  an  extra  special  agent  to  the  islands  ro  thoroughly 
iuvestijiate  the  coiiditjons  existing  there  and  if  possible  to  find  the 
cause  of  the  sudden  decrease  of  the  fur-seal  herd;  and  Mr.  Henry  W. 
Klliott  was  selected  for  that  important  work. 

When,  in  1890,  Mr.  Elliott  reache«l  the  seal  islands  alter  an  absence 
of  fourteen  years,  and  found  only  a  s(;ant  cme  fifth  of  the  seals  that  he 
saw  there  in  187(),  he  impulsively  and  erroneously  concluded  tin  ',  the 
driving  of  the  young  males  from  the  hauling  grounds  was  injurious  to 
their  liealthy  growth  and  full  (h'velopment;  that  it  produced  impotency 
and  destroyed  their  usefulness  as  bree^'.ers  on  the  rookeries,  thus  pro- 
ducing a  dearth  of  breeding  males  and  a  surplus  of  barren  cows,  and, 
without  a  shadow  of  proof  to  sustain  him,  he  made  out  a  most  elaborate 
report  in  wlih-h  he  labored  to  show  the  truth  of  his  new  and  wonderful 
theory,  a:id  then  felt  jtersonally  hurt  and  wronged  because  the  Gov- 
ernment refused  to  indorse  or  approve  it.' 

Kvery  enemy  of  the  I'liited  States  in  both  hemispheres,  however, 
hailed  it  with  delight,  ami  quoted  from  it  against  us  with  much  appro- 
bation until,  after  years  of  patient  research  ami  scientific  investiga- 
tion on  tlie  ])art  of  the  United  States  and  of  (ireat  Britain,  it  was 
demonstrated  that  Klliott  was  in  error,  and  that  pelagic  sealing  is  the 
cause  of  the  sudden  and  rapid  destruction  of  the  American  fur  seal. 

In  his  overanxiety  to  prove  his  theory  he  persistently  continues  to 
reiterate  the  story  of  a  time  when  no  drives  were  made  from  a  number 
of  places  on  St.  Paul  Island  where  a  great  "reservoir  of  suri>lus  male 
Hfe"  was  held  in  reserve;  but  1  will  let  him  tell  his  own  story: 

In  1872-1874  wheu  no  driviug  was  niatle  from  Southwest  Point,  Zapadnie,  and  all 
English  Hay  to  the  westward  of  Neahrpahskie  K.iinnien,  from  Polaviiia,  or  anywhere 
between  it  aud  the  hauling  grounds  of  Lukannon,  then  there  were  reservoirs  of 


^i! 


I  y 


[ :' 


'  See  letter  of  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Appendix. 


■ppr 


100 


SEAL    I-IFE   ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


till 


young  male  life  which  were  not  drawn  tipon  or  disturbed,  from  which  a  steady 
stream  of  new  mal'>  Ulood  for  the  lireeding  grounds  could  and  did  How.  (Elliott's 
report  (Paris  print),  18SH),  p.  287.) 

Again,  he  says : 

Nobody,  in  1872,  ever  thought  of  such  a  thing  as  coniiiig  over  from  th^  village  to 
make  a  killiug  ut  /apadnie.     (Ibid.,  p.  246.) 

lie  continues: 

I  had  this  point  in  my  thought  during  my  studies  in  1872-1874,  but  at  that  time  no 
holluschickie  were  driven  from  Southwest  Point,  from  Zapadnie,  from  Tonkee  Mees 
or  Stony  Point,  or  from  Polaviuia — no  seals  were  driveu  from  these  places  where 
everybody  admitted  that  full  half  of  the  entire  number  belonging  to  the  islands, 
laid.     (Ibid.,  271.) 

Then  that  immense  spread  of  hauling  ground  covered  by  swarms  of  young  male 
seals,  at  /iipaduie,  at  Southwtist  Point,  at  English  Uay,  beyond  Middle  Hill,  west, 
at  Polaviuia,  and  over  all  that  8  long  miles  of  beach  and  upland  hauling  ground 
between  I>ukanuon  Hay  and  Webster's  house  at  Novastoshuah,  all  of  this  extensive 
sealing  area  was  not  visited  by  sealing  gangs,  or  spoken  of  by  them  as  necessary  to 
be  driven  from.  (Hlliott's  letter  to  the  Stxretary  of  the  Treasury,  report  of  1890, 
p.  iv.) 

In  1872-1874  I  observed  that  all  the  young  male  seals  needed  for  the  annual  quota 
of  75,000  or  90,000.  as  it  was  ordered  in  the  latter  year,  were  easily  obtained  every 
season,  be*  weeu  the  1st  of. I  une  and  the  20th  of  .1  uly  following,  from  the  hauling  grounds 
9f  Tolstoi,  Lukannon,  and  Zoltoi  Sands — from  these  hauling  grounds  adjiii'ent  to  the 
rookeriesor  breeding  grounds  of  Tolstoi,  Lukannon,  Reef,  andGarbotch.  All  of  these 
points  of  supply  being  not  more  than  II  miles  distant  from  the  St.  Paul  village  kill- 
ing grounds,  the  Zdltoi  drive  being  less  than  600  feet  away.     (Ibid.) 

Therefore,  when  attentively  studying  in  1872-1874,  the  subject  of  what  was  the 
effect  of  killing  annually  I0(i,000  young  male  seals  on  these  islands  (90,000  on  St. 
Paul  and  10,000  on  St.  (Jeor.ne),  in  view  of  the  foregoing  statement  of  fa;'t,  1  was 
unable  to  see  how  any  liarni  was  being  done  to  the  regular  sup])ly  of  fresh  blood  for 
the  breeding  rookeries,  since  those  large  reservoirs  of  surplus  male  life,  above  named, 
held  at  least  just  half  of  the  young  untie  seal  life  then  belonging  to  the  islands — 
these  large  sources  of  supply  were  never  driven  from,  never  even  visited  by  the 
sealers,  and  out  of  their  overwhelming  al>un(lau<'.e  1  thought  that  surely  enough 
fresh  male  seal  life  nnist,  did  annually  nntture  for  service  on  the  breeding  rookeries. 
(Ibid.) 

That  day  in  1879.  when  it  becanu^  necessary  to  send  a  sealing  gang  from  St.  Paul 
village  over  to  Zapadnie  to  regularly  drive  from  that  hitherto  untouched  reserve, 
was  the  day  that  danger  tirst  apjteared  in  tangible  form  since  1870 — since  1857  for 
that  matter.     (Ibid.) 

For  tlie  yood  of  tlie  public  service  the  truth  must  be  tokl;  and  that 
is  tliat  the  ollicial  i*ecor<ls  of  the  drives  and  killings  on  the  islands  of 
St.  Paul  and  St.  (Tcorge  are  in  direct  opposition  to  Mr.  Elliott.  They 
show  that,  beginning  in  1871,  there  are  no  records  of  the  daily  killings 
for  1870 — drives  were  made  regularly  from  every  hauling  ground  on  the 
islands:  and  a  close  inspection  will  reveal  the  fact  that  an  aggregate  of 
102  drives  were  made,  before  1879,  from  Zapadnie  or  Southwest  Bay, 
Polaviuia  or  Halfway  Point,  and  from  English  Bay,  during  the  very 
period  of  which  Mr.  Elliott  speaks  when  he  tells  us  "  they  were  never 
driven  from,  never  even  visited  by  the  sealers." 

For  convenience  of  reference  I  quote  from  the  oHicial  island  records 
the  daily  drives  and  killings  made  between  1870  and  1870  from  the  three 
principal  rookeries  of  which  Mr.  Elliott  speaks  so  positively;  and  1 
think  it  will  be  suflicient  to  show  every  fair-minded  man  in  the  country 
that  the  large  reservoir  of  "surplus  male  life"  so  often  spoken  of  by 
Mr.  Elliott  was  unknown  to  everyone  else  on  the  seal  islands,  and  never 
had  an  existence  outside  his  own  fertile  imagination. 


■^ 
■^ 


ti^ 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


101 


b  a  steady 
(Elliott's 


village  to 


hat  time  uo 
'onkee  Mees 
laces  where 
the  islands, 


young  male 
\  Hill,  west, 
linji  ground 
lis  extensive 
necessary  to 
)ort  of  l"8t»0. 


nuual  quota 
tainod  every 
lingf^nmnds 
jiii'ent  to  the 
All  of  these 
village  kill- 


hat  was  the 

190,000  on  St. 

fa:t,  1  was 

li  lilood  for 

)ove  named, 

le  islands — 

sited  by  the 
ely  isnough 
'  rodkeries. 


om  St.  Paul 
hed  reserve, 
nee  1857  for 


and  that 
islands  of 
)tt.  They 
ly  killings 
ind  on  the 
fjregate  of 
west  Bay, 
r  the  very 
rere  never 

id  records 
I)  tlie  three 
lly;  and  1 
lie  country 
Iken  of  by 
laud  never 


Here  are  the  drives  made  each  year  from  1871  to  1878,  both  inclusive, 
from  the  rookeries  in  question: 


Year. 


1871. 
1K72 . 
187;i . 
1874. 
1875. 
la'tl . 
1877. 
1878. 


Xapiidnio,  , 

or 

Soiithwost 

Bay. 


Polavina, 

or 

Ilail'wuv 

Point. 


Kn;;li.sh 
Hay. 


6 
U 

7 

!0 

10 

4 

5 


Total. 


9 
13 
12 
15 
18 
11 
12 
12 


Total. 


;i4 


lu 


58 


102 


(See  Senate  Ex.  Doc.  No.  107,  Fifty-second  Congress,  serontl  sessidn,  Appendix.) 

In  an  attempt  to  show  that  it  was  not  until  187!>  that  drives  were 
made  from  certain  rookeries  which  he  is  pleased  to  call  a  "large  reser- 
voir of  male  life,"  whicli  had  not  been  disturbed  or  touched  betore  1879, 
Mr.  Elliott  tpiotes  the  Island  Jtmrnal  as  follows: 

I'age  (12,  .lune  it,  187ih  Antone  Melovedov  started  with  a  gang  to  make  a  drive  at 
Halfway  Point,  Polavina.     (Elliott's  report  (I'aris  print),  158.; 

Page  !)H,  .lune  10. 187}>:  Tlie  drive  to-d<ay  (at  Polavina)  resulted  in  the  taking  of 
1,118  skins.     (H.  (i.  Otis.)     (Ibid..  !.")}».) 

Page  !W.  .Mine  11,  1879:  The  drive  from  Southwest  Hay  (Zajiadnio)  to-day,  and 
1,462  skins  taken.     (II.  (J.  Otis.)     (Ibid.,  1.50.) 

There  is  not  a  word  in  the  foregoing,  nor  is  there  a  word  in  the 
journal,  to  show  that  the  drives  mentioned  were  the  rtrst  that  were 
made  from  those  rookeries,  but  Mr.  Elliott  is  determined  to  show  that 
overdriving  is  the  jirincipal  cause  of  the  destru(;tion  of  the  seals,  and 
he  continues: 

I'roni  this  day  (June  11, 18~»)  on  to  the  close  of  that  stalling  season's  work,  .Inly 
20,  /apadnie  was  driven  often,  and  Pcdavina  also;  but  in  18M0  only  one  drive  was 
made  from  this  reservoir  at  Zapadnie,  '  *  '  and,  again  in  1881,  it  was  not  driven 
from  at  ail,  and  onlv  one  ilrive  that  vear  made  from  the  Polavina  reserve.  (Elliott's 
report  for  1800.  ji.  1.59.) 

Here  the  gentleman  is  again  in  error,  for  I  find  that  <lrives  were  made 
from  Zapadnie  or  Southwest  IJay  on  May  lUand  June  7, 1879,  only  a  few 
days  beliue  he  discovered  that  the  tir.st  drive  had  been  made  on  the  9th 
of  .June. 

And  in  ISSO  four  drives  were  made  from  Zapadnie  and  live  from 
Polavina,  and  in  1881  six  drives  were  made  from  Zapadnie  and  five 
from  Polavina,  as  the  following  table,  taken  from  the  island  records, 
will  show : 


Zajiadnie  or  Southwest  l$av 
1880. 


May  14. 
.lune  8. 

12. 

l»i. 

Total 

1881. 
.lune  7. 

15. 

28. 
.luly    6. 

14. 
Dee.    7. 


Privcj 


Polavina  or  nalf\va.y  Point; 
1X80. 

.lune  14 

21 

28 

.Inlv    5 

30 


Drivi'n. 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 


Total 

1881. 
.June  10. 
17. 
24. 


1 


.July 


Total 6  ,  Total 5 

(See  Senate  Ex.  Doc.  No.  107,  Fifty-second  Congress,  second  session.  Appendix.) 


i 


'i ' 


w 


rw 


102 


SEAL    MFK    ON    THE    I'RIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Many  iiiiiccurat'iea  are  to  be  found  in  Mr.  Elliott's  rejwrt  of  1<S!M),  due, 
perhaps,  to  the  hurried  manner  in  which  it  was  prepared,  an<l  the 
bitterness,  excitement,  and  many  disai>pointment8  attending  it  all  the 
way  through ;  nearly  all  of  which  were  of  a  i)rivate  character,  and 
wliich  can  not  well  be  made  j)ublic,  even  had  I  a  desire  to  do  so,  whicli 
]  have  not  by  any  means.    One  instance  more  and  I  am  done. 

In  his  '« field  notes"  on  the  state  of  the  rookeries  in  l.Sl>(>,  Mr.  lOIliott 
writes : 

June  1!).—N»t  ii  siiijjlo  holIiiHcliak  of  niiy  ajri'  wliatsocvf  r  on  Zoltoi  Siiiids  tliis  <liiy, 
and  there  has  not  been  a  killable  seal  thim  far  tbtsre  tbis  season.  (Elliott's  report, 
1X90  (I'aris  yrint),  pp.  '2KW2M.) 

•Ill tie ..'..'. — l-'inc  weatlKfV  for  seals  to  haul  in  eontiniios,  but  the  seals  do  not  haul; 
not  a  single  seal  on  Zoltoi  .Sands  this  niornin<r;  lias  not  been  a  bolinsebak  there  yet. 
(Ibid.,  p.  264.) 

June  :.'. — Now,  not  a  single  young  nnilo-seal  has  hauled  on  Zoltoi  thus  far  this  sea- 
son.    (.June  22,  0  a.  ni.)     (Ibid.,  ji.  265. ) 

June'i. — Not  a  s<ial  on  Zoltoi  Saiuls  this  morning,  and  not  one  since  during  the 
day.     (Ibid.,  ]».  266.) 

June  22. — Not  a  bollusebak  or  any  other  class  of  fur  seal  on  Zoltoi  Sands  this  morn- 
ing or  noon,     fibid.,  p.  274.) 

Jnnv  ,W.— Not  a  bollusebak  on  Zoltoi  .'^ands  to-day.     (Ibid.,  |i.  276.) 

JnUi  S, — Also,  not  a  bolluseiiak  has  as  vet  hauled  ujion  Zoltoi  Siinds.  (Ibid., 
P.2H4.) 

JhUi  19. — 1  observe  that  not  a  single  young  male  is  on  Zoltoi.  .Stinds  this  morning — 
not  one  has  hauled  there  thus  far  this  season.     (Ibid.,  )>.  295.) 

The  otticial  records  of  the  drives  and  killings  made  on  the  .«<eal  islands 
in  181M)  arc  on  lile  in  the  Treasury  l)e]>artment,  and  a  copy  will  be  found 
in  the  appeiulix  to  this  report.  I  quote  from  the  records  the  following 
drives  from  Z(dtoi  in  ISIM):  ••  May  !i4.  1  drive;  .Inly  1!»,  1  drive." 

According  to  Mr.  Klliott  there  was  not  a  seal  on  Zoltoi  on  the  19th  of 
July;  according  to  the  island  recoids  a  drive  was  made  from  Zoltoi  on 
that  very  same  day. 

Another  error  of  like  imp«)rtunce  are  the  two  passages  in  the  .same 
report  which  read  as  follows: 

The  importance  of  understanding  this  fact  as  to  the  readin«!8sof  the  bolluschickie 
to  haul  i)rom])tly  out  on  steadily  "swept"  ground,  provided  the  weather  is  inviting, 
is  very  great,  l»ocanse  wlien  not  umlerstood.  it  was  deemed  necessary,  even  as  late  as 
the  season  of  1H72,  to  'rest"  the  hauling  grounds  near  the  villajre  (from  which  all 
the  driving  has  been  made  since),  and  make  trips  to  tar  away  I'olavina  ami  distant 
/apadnie,  an  unnecessary  expenditure  of  human  time  ami  a  causeless  intliction  of 
])liysical  misery  upon  pboeine  backs  and  dippers.     (Elliott's  report,  1H9(),  p.  122.) 

Nobody  in  1872  ever  thought  of  such  a  tiling  as  coming  over  from  the  village  to 
make  a  killing  at  Zapadnie.     (Ibid.,  p.  246.) 

At  page  122  .Mr.  Elliott  remembered  and  acknowledged  that  drives 
were  )nade  in  1<S72  frou)  Zai)adnie  and  Polavina,  and  the  records  con- 
firm his  story. 

He  might  have  inchuletl  1871,  for  the  records  show  drives  were  made 
from  both  jdaces  in  that  year  also. 

At  page  24()  he  seems  to  have  forgotten  some  of  wlnit  he  had  already 
written,  for  he  gravely  tells  uS:  "Nobody  in  1872  ever  thought  of  such 
a  thing  as  coming  over  from  the  village  to  make  a  killing  at  Zapadnie." 

Enough  has  been  said,  I  think,  ftu-  the  purpose  of  showing  the  public 
how  it  ha])pen8,  sometimes,  that  matters  of  small  moment  in  themselves 
may  beget  (juestions  so  momentous  that  it  requires  international  arbi- 
tration to  settle  them:  and  that  the  report  of  one  overzeah^us  officer 
and  the  official  re]>ort  of  another,  made  in  anger  and  bitterness,  have 
cost  the  United  States  a  whole  fur-seal  herd,  worth,  originally,  nearlv 
$1(HLO(H>,000. 

So  numerous  and  so  pa1)>able  were  the  inaccuracies  all  through  the 


i.^' 


8KAL    UFK    OX    THK    PRIBILOF    ISI.ANDS. 


loa 


18JM),(lue, 
,  siihI  the 
>■  it  all  the 
actei',  and 

I  HO,  which 

iir.  Klliott 

kIh  tliis  (liiy, 
ott'H  n'port, 

(I  not  littul; 
ik  there  yet. 

tar  tbisseu- 

diiriii^  the 

Is  this  inoni- 

uls.  (Il»i<l., 
isinoriiiiiK — 

eal  ivslands 

II  be  found 
L'  following 
ve." 

the  lythof 

I  Zoltoi  on 

II  the  same 

lollnsibickie 

1.S  iiivitinjf, 

eii  as  late  as 

wliich  all 

11(1  distaut 

iillietioii  of 

p.  122.) 

village  to 

lat  drives 
i!ords  con- 

icre  made 

d  already 

it  of  such 

'apadnie." 

the  public 

heni  selves 

onal  arbi- 

>u8  officer 

less,  have 

ly,  nearly 

rouglj  the 


n;port  that  Mr.  Foster,  the  then  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  refused  to 
have  it  published,  and  sub.^cquently,  in  a  letter  to  the  State  Depart 
nieiit,  gave  good  rea.^^ons  for  siu'li  action.' 

Tliat  tlie  theory  of  injury  of  the  young  males  to  the  extent  of  iiiipo- 
teiity  by  <lriviiig  on  the  islands,  so  forcibly  jnescnted  by  Mr.  l']lliott, 
has  been  denied  by  naturiilists  generally  and  <lisproved  by  facts 
jiildnced  by  botli  the  scieiititic  and  the  practical  world,  has  already 
Ikhmi  amply  demonstrated;  that  Mr.  lOlliotf  liims»>lf.  in  several  very 
able  papers  sub.scquently  written,  has  a<lopted  the  views  of  every 
scientist  of  note,  from  our  own  American,  Dr.  Merriam,  to  I'rof.  T.  II. 
Iluxlcy,  is  satisfactory  evidence.  I  think,  that  the  bitter  contention  is 
pnicticaliy  ended,  and  the  <'laim  of  the  I'nitcd  States,  that  pelagic 
sealing  is  the  cause  of  the  decrease  of  the  seal  herd,  is  generally 
ackiiowledyicd. 


PHLA«iIC;   SKALINd    AND   UIPLOMACV. 

When  tlie  actual  condition  of  the  seal  herd  be(!anie  known  in  181)0-t)l, 
and  tlie  ravages  of  the  jielagic  sealer  could  no  longer  be  hidden,  it  was 
suggested  that  arbitration  be  tried  for  a  Hiial  adjnstuient  of  all  difier- 
eiices  between  the  riiited  States  and  the  iielagic  sealer.  The  .seals 
being  born  and  leared  on  I'liited  States  territory,  and  never  landing 
aiiywliere  else,  it  was  naturally  suppo.sed  they  were  the  jirojierty  of  the 
United  States,  and  until  their  skins  became  commercially  and  ex(!eed- 
ingly  valuable  no  one  (piestioned  our  absolute  ownershii)  of  the  herd. 
So  sine  were  we  of  our  uncpu^stioned  title  to  the  seals  tliat,  on  taking 
possession  of  our  newly  acquired  Territory  of  Alaska,  Congress  enacted 
laws  for  the  protection  of  Alaskan  interests  and  parti<'ularly  for  the 
l)r(»te('tioii  of  all  '"fur-bearing  animals."  A  few  .sections  of  the  statute 
law.  in  the  light  of  subsequent  events,  are  interesting: 

Si.(  .  1!M;i).  It  shall  he  unlawful  to  kill  any  fur  seal  npoii  the  islands  of  St.  I'aul 
iiiiil  St.  (iforijf,  or  ill  the  \vatei\s  adjacent  llu^'eto.  except  d«rin<i  tiie  months  of  .liine, 
.Inly.  Septenilier,  and  October  in  eacli  year:  and  it  shall  1)0  unlawriil  to  kill  such 
.seals  lit  any  time  by  the  use  of  lirearms  or  by  other  means  tentliii;;  to  drive  the  seals 
away  from  those  islands;  but  the  n.itives  of  the  islands  shall  liave  tlie  privilejje  of 
killiiij;  such  youn}i;  seals  as  may  be  necessary  for  their  own  food  and  clothing  <luring 
other  iiioiiths,  and  also  such  old  .seals  as  may  be  re(|uired  for  tlieir  own  ciotliing  aiul 
foi- the  manufacture  of  boats  for  their  own  use;  and  the  killing  in  such  cases  shall 
be  limited  and  contndled  by  such  regulations  as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  .Secretary 
of  the  Treasury. 

Ski".  l!t(il.  It  shall  be  unlawful  to  kill  any  female  seal,  or  any  seal  less  than  oue 
year  old,  at  any  season  of  the  year,  except  as  aliove  jtrovided;  and  it  shall  also  be 
unlawful  to  kill  any  seal  in  the  watt'is  .idjacent  to  the  islamls  of  St.  Paul  and  St. 
(ieorge,  or  on  the  beaches,  elitts,  oi  rocks  where  they  haul  up  from  the  sea  to  renialn; 
and  every  ]terson  wlio  violates  the  provisions  of  tliis  or  the  preceding  section  shall 
be  ]»miislied  for  cacdi  ott'ence  by  a  tine  of  not  less  than  two  hundred  dollars  nor  more 
than  one  thousand  dollars,  or  liy  iiiiprisonment  not  more  tlian  six  months,  or  by 
both  such  line  and  imprisonment;  and  all  vessels,  their  tackle,  apparel,  and  furni- 
ture, whose  crews  are  found  engaged  in  the  violation  of  either  this  or  the  jireceding 
section,  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

Skc.  l!tG2.  For  tlie  ]>eriod  of  twenty  years  frcmi  the  lirst  of  .Inly,  eighteen  liun- 
di'cil  and  seventy,  the  number  of  fur  seals  which  may  Ix;  killed  for  their  skins  upon 
the  island  of  St.  Paul  is  limited  to  seventy-five  thousand  jier  annum;  and  the  num- 
ber of  fur  seals  w  Inch  may  be  killed  for  their  skins  upon  the  island  of  St.  (Jeorge  is 
limited  to  twenty-five  thousand  per  annum;  but  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  may 
limit  the  right  of  killing  if  it  becomes  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  such  seals, 
with  such  ]iroportionate  reduction  of  the  rents  reserved  to  the  (iovernment  as  may 
be  proper;  and  every  person  who  knowingly  violates  either  of  the  jiiovisions  of  this 
section  shall  be  punished  as  ]>rovided  in  the  preceding  section. 

Skc.  li(67.  Kvery  ])erson  who  kills  any  fur  seal  on  either  of  those  islands,  or  in  the 
waters  adjacent  thereto,  without  authority  of  the  lessees  thereof,  and  every  person 

'  See  letter  in  Appendix. 


■;l] 

■'  la 

m 


5  -  !f 


i 

t  ji  I 

i  ±11 


104 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'RIUILOF    ISLANDS. 


will)  iii()l(>HtH,  (listiirljH,  or  interferes  with  the  lesHees,  or  cither  uC  them,  or  their 
ii){imi(h,  or  eiii]iloyi-cH,  in  th<t  hiwful  proKociition  of  tht'ir  hnsineHH,  under  the  provi- 
siunN  of  thJH  chapter,  Hhall  for  each  otVen(re  liepunitthcd  »h  preHtrilx'd  in  Hcction  nine- 
teen iiiindred  and  sixty  one,  and  all  veHaels,  their  ta(-kle,  a|>)iarcl,  a])pni'teQances, 
and  oar^o,  wliose  crewH  are  found  enna;j;<'d  in  any  violation  of  the  provisions  of  sec- 
tion niiiett'en  hundred  an<l  sixty-live  to  nineteen  hundred  and  sixty -ciirlit,  inclusive, 
shall  he  forfeited  to  the  Inited  States. 

Skc  lIKiS.  If  any  jicrson  or  company,  undtr  any  lease  herein  authori/e<l,  know- 
ingly kiils,  or  pernuts  to  he  killed,  any  nuiuher  of  seals  exceeding;  the  nuniher  for 
eacli  islanil  in  this  chapter  prescril>cd,  such  person  or  company  shall,  in  addition  to 
the  (lenaltics  and  forfeitures  herein  provided,  foifeit  the  whole  numl)cr  of  the  skin» 
of  seals  killc<l  in  that  ye.-ir,  or.  in  ease  the  same  have  Itcen  disposed  ol,  then  such 
person  or  company  shall  forfeit  the  value  of  the  same. 

Tims  for  a  (|iiarter  of  a  ceiitniy  did  tlu^  United  Htates  throw  every 
possible  safejiUiird  of  law  around  the  seals  and  other  fur-beariiijj;  ani- 
mals of  Alaska,  which,  under  the  fostering  tjare  of  the  (xovernmeiit, 
and  the  j^-ood  nianafiement  of  the  le.s.sees  on  the  seal  islands,  produced 
the  f>ran«l  results  of  "jirowth  and  expansion"  in  the  herd  and  on  the 
rookerie.s,  sworn  to  by  so  many  tlisinterested  witnesses  who  have  had 
o<!idar  knowledoe  of  eveiy  fact  to  which  they  testified,  while  during 
the  same  period  of  time  the  sea  otter,  which,  owing-  to  its  |»elagic  habits, 
wa8  necessarily  left  to  the  ten<ler  mercies  of  the  pelagic  hunter,  who 
knows  no  law  higher  or  iiolier  than  avarii'e  and  .selfishness,  has  been 
practically  exterminated.  Laws  were  enacted  from  time  to  time  as 
occasion  required  them;  regulations  in  accordance  with  law  were  made 
annually  for  the  proper  enforcement  of  the  statutes  and  for  the  better- 
ment of  the  natives  of  the  seal  islands  and  the  industry  upon  which 
they  depended  for  a  livelihood,  and  on  which  millions  of  civilized  |»eople 
depended  for  oneof  the  most  beautiful,  valuable,  and  useful  furs  known 
to  c(unmerce. 

Who  else,  among  the  thousands  now  claiming  an  int<'rest  in  the  seals, 
evei'  ottered  to  i»r»)tect  them  as  we  have  done? 

Where  was  the  itelagic  .sealer  in  the  days  gone  by,  when  the  Tnited 
States  were  si)ending  millions  of  money  to  protect  the  seal  islands,  and 
when  our  statutes  of  protection  to  the  female  seal  were  being  enactedf 
Echo  answers,  "  Where  1?" 

Immediately  after  the  treaty  of  cession,  and  bc^fore  we  c<mld  bring 
order  out  of  cIdios,  the  marauder  of  those  «lays  landed  on  the  seal 
islands  and  slaughtered  seals  indiscriminately,  killing  a  (piarter  of  a 
million  in  one  .season,  and  only  stopping  the  ruinous  work  when  the 
salt  was  exhausted. 

Afterwards  the  I'liited  States  statutes  w«'re  enforced  by  Government 
agents  .sent  to  the  islands  for  the  puipo.se,  and,  until  1884,  the  seals 
increased  in  numbers  and  in  value  under  the  fostering  care  of  the 
(lOvernment. 

For  a  peri(»<l  of  thirteen  years,  from  1S71  to  18S4,  inclusive,  we  had 
taken  100,(100  male  seals  annually  without  a  sign  of  decrease  or  diminu- 
tion on  the  rookeries  or  the  slightest  injury  to  the  herd,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  a  well-known  and  generally  acknowledged  growtli  antl  expan- 
sion. 

Dr.  II.  11.  Mclntyre,  general  superintendent  for  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company  at  the  seal  islands  during  the  entire  term  of  their  twenty 
years  lease,  when  writing  confidentially  to  his  conii)any  in  1889,  says: 

The  hreeding  rookeries  from  the  hefj;inning  of  the  lease  to  1882  or  188.3  were,  I 
believe,  constantly  increasing  in  area  and  population,  and  my  ohaervations  in  this 
direction  are  in  accordance  with  those  of  Mr,  Morgan,  Mr.  W('l)8ter,  and  others,  who 
have  heeu  for  nnmy  years  with  me  in  your  service,  and  of  the  latti  special  Treas- 
ury agent,  .1,  M.  Morton,  who  was  on  the  islands  from  1870  to  1880.  (See  letter  in 
Appendix.) 


:i 


a; 


^M- 


SEAL    fJKE    ON    THK    PRIIULDF    ISLANDS. 


105 


leni,  or  their 
er  the  provi- 
H«'(tion  iiine- 
imitenances, 
isioiis  <>('  8ec- 
ht,  iuclnsivu, 

»ri/e(l,  know- 
(i  iniinh<>r  for 
II  a(hliti(>ii  to 
of  the  skins 
ol,  th(MI  Hiioh 


1 1  VOW  every 
eariiij;  ani- 
jverninent, 
i,  produced 
and  oil  the 
r>  have  had 
lile  during 
tjiic  habita, 
nil  tor,  who 
I,  has  been 
:o  time  as 
were  made 
the  better- 
ipou  wiiich 
i/ed  p<'oi)le 
urs  known 

I  tlie  seals, 

he  Tnited 
lauds,  and 
f  enacted t 

mhl  bring 
1  the  seal 
arter  of  a 
when  the 

)veniuient 

the  seals 

ire  ol"  the 

we  had 
>r  diniinu- 
iit,  on  the 
ud  expau- 

1.  Conuuer- 
3ir  twenty 
.S89,  says : 

1883  were,  I 
iouB  in  this 
others,  who 
cial  Treas- 
5ee  letter  in 


In  1884  an  increased  Meet  of  pelajiic  sealeis  appear  upon  the  seeue, 
and  with  vessels  specially  desi{;ued  and  fully  equipped  for  the  work, 
they  follow  the  seals  from  year's  end  to  year's  end,  shooting,  spearing, 
and  ripi»iug  up  all  they  overtake,  without  a  thought  or  care  for  age, 
sex,  or  condition;  ami  immediately  the  rookeries  show  signs  of  dinunu- 
tiou  to  those  who,  like  Morgan  and  Webster,  had  the  experience  and 
the  oiiportunity  to  observe  it. 

Dr.  Mclntyre,  in  the  letter  already  <|Uoted,  continues: 

'I'he  contriist  hotweeii  thi'  |)i'esent  condition  oi'  Heiil  lifV  and  that  of  tlio  lirst  dei*- 
udc  of  tlic  leuHO  iM  HO  iiiai'kod  tliat  tho  most  inexjiert  can  not  fail  to  notice  it.  .Iimt 
when  the  chan<;e  conuiD'iK'cd  I  am  unable  from  peisonal  oliHcrvalion  to  Hay,  for,  an 
you  will  renieinlter,  I  was  in  ill  licallli,  and  mial)lc  to  visit  the  iHlandn  in  \XKi,  1881, 
and  ISS"),  1  left  tlie  rookeries  in  18H'J  in  tlicir  fiiili'st  and  best  condition,  and  found 
thciii  in  18X(i  already  showing  a  slij^lit  fallinji  oil',  anil  cxpcilt^nced  that  ycir  for  the 
lirst  time  some  ditliciilty  in  Hecnriiijj  Just  the  class  of  animiils  in  every  case  that  we 
desired.     '     *  Kor  the  caiiHc  of  the  present  diniiniition  of  seal    life  we  have 

not  tar  to  look.  It  is  directly  traieah  e  to  the  illicit  killlnj;  of  steals  of  every  ajjo 
and  Hex  diirinj;  the  last  few  years  in  the  waters  of  the  Nortli  racilic  and  Heriiij;  Sea. 
We  are  in  no  way  respoiiHihlt^  for  it.  l)nriii<j[  the  tirst  thirteen  years  of  the  lease 
conii>aratively  lew  seals  were  killed  by  marauders,  and  we  were  tlicn  able,  *  '  * 
under  our  careful  niana^^ement,  to  produce  a  decided  expansion  of  the  breeding 
rookeries. 

Dr.  Mclntyre's  letter  was  written  in  1881>,  when  the  elVects  of  pelagic 
sealing  tirst  startled  the  civili/ed  world,  and  his  statements  were  met 
witli  doubt  or  open  denitil  from  all  who  were  ignorant  of  the  situation, 
and  with  the  (iliarge,  from  pelagic  sealers  and  their  apologists,  that  the 
Americans  had  destroyed  the  seals  by  oveidriving  on  land. 

Tiie  absurdity  and  the  injustice  of  this  idle  charge  have  been  sliowii 
in  many  ways  <luring  the  discussion  of  the  seal  iiuestioii,  but  it  is  reit- 
erated again  and  again  by  those  who  liave  established  what  they  are 
pleased  to  call  an  "■industry,'' the  chief  corner  stone  of  which  is  the 
killing  of  the  female  seals  at  sea — of  seals  about  to  be<M)me  mothers, 
fioiii  whose  suddeidy  rinpetl  bellies  the  unborii  young  are  cut,  or  toi'ii 
out  alive  and  thrown  into  the  ocean — of  mothers  whose  young  have 
been  left  niton  the  rookeries  during  theii' absence  on  the  feeding  grounds, 
left  to  die  of  slow  starvation  where,  as  Captain  Couls-m  truly  says, 
"the  shores  are  lined  with  emaciated,  hungry  little  fellows,  with  their 
eyes  turned  toward  the  sea,  uttering  plaintive  cries  for  tiieir  mothers, 
which  were  destined  never  to  return." 

And.  hard  as  it  may  seem,  and  dilticidt  to  believe  though  it  may  be, 
it  was  witli  this  same  pelagic  sealer,  or  for  his  sake  at  least,  we  were 
asked  to  arbitrate  the  question  of  our  exci..  ive  right  of  proi)ertj'  in 
the  seal  herd,  and  of  <mr  right  tojtrotect  themoiitsicle  of  the  onUnary, 
"3  miles,"  limit  from  the  land  upon  which  they  were  born  ami  which 
they  made  their  home. 

Even  .Mr.  Elliott  was  induced  to  lend  his  iiiHuence  to  the  scheme  for 
arbitration,  and,  after  his  return  from  the  seal  islands  in  ISDO,  we  find 
him  addressing  Mr.  Blaine,  who  was  then  Secretary  of  State,  as  foUowa: 

Let  nio  again.  Just  before  I  leave,  earnestly  nrjie  that  yon  do  not  hesitate  to  invite 
an  Knjriish  commiRsion  to  meet  lis,  and  jointly  visit  and  view  the  TriUilof  seal  rook- 
eries next  sninmer  at  the  hei^fht  of  the  breeding  season  in  .Inly.  That  wreck  and 
ruin  thereon,  which  I  saw  last  summer,  will  be  there,  and  still  more  ])ronoiinced 
on  the  same  ground  next  year  (1891) ;  it  will  not  fail  to  arouse  the  interest  and  sym- 
pathy of  the  Hritish  agents,  and  the  sight  of  these  dwindling;  herds  will  be  a  most 
eloquent  and  satisfactory  proof  of  the  correctness  of  your  position  taken  in  your 
leading  letter  of  .lannary  2J,  1890,  and  upon  the  truth  of  which  your  whole  argument 
in  the  Bering  Sea  ([uestion  rests.  It  U  not  quite  fair  to  ask  .John  Bull  to  believe  me 
now,  *  *  *  but  I  assure  you  that  if  he  gets  up  there  he  will  soon  see  enough  to 
make  him  respect  me,  and  lie  our  sworn  friind  in  cooperating  to  save  the  fur  seal 
from  impending  extermination.  Indeed,  he  should  be  allowed  to  see  for  himself  now ; 
it  is  oiilv  manly  and  fair  in  us  to  allow  him  to  do  so  under  the  circumstances. 
(P:iliott  to  Blaine,  December  19,  189<).) 


i 

i 


w« 


10f> 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    TFIK    IMillllLOF    ISLANDS. 


The  I'iiiglJHh  roiiniiisHioii  was  invited  a.s  su;;^'estiMl  '),v  Mr.  Klliott;  tlu> 
4;oiiiiiiissi()iicrs  arrived  at  tlie  seal  islands  in  the  latter  part  of  .Inly,  1891 ; 
tliey  visited  tlie.  rookeries  and  saw  tlie  »'\vre»'k  and  ruin  thereon;"  th«>y 
luited  the  "dwindling  lu'ids,''  and  they  saw  new  jjrass  {;rowinjj  on  acres 
of  j^round  where,  a  lew  years  earli»'r,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  seals 
swarmed  in  season  and  l>rou;;ht  forth  theiryoun^r.  Thecotnndssioners 
I'ound  acres  of  ({round  eovered  with  dea<l  pup  seals  as  thick  as  they 
<!ould  lie — "«'nia('iate<l  little  fellows" — whoso  mothers  had  jjone  ont  to 
the  feetliiif;  banks,  and  were  raptured  by  the  jielajiie  sealers. 

Whether  the  visit   induced  them  to  believe  or  respect  Mr.  Klliott 
remains  to  be  seen,  but  it  certainly  di<l  n()t  ''ai'ouse  their  interest  or 
sympathy''  for  the  seals,  or  for  the  nation  that  <'laim»'d  the  rijjht  to  pro 
tect  them.     Nor  did  it  make  them  "our  sworn  friends  in  cooperating  to 
save  the  fur  seal  Crom  impendinju'  externdnation." 

On  the  c<uitrary,  though,  they  adopte<l  Mr.  lOlliott's  own  exploded 
theories  of  overdriving;',  impotency.  deai'th  of  bulls,  lack  of  yoniij;-  male 
blood,  redriv  inji',  scrapinjt'  tlu'  rookeries,  stami)edinjf,  and  added  two  or 
three  nnu'e  of  their  own,  almost  as  absurd  and  nonsensical;  and  they 
wound  U))  their  sympathetic  and  impartial  laboi- in  behalf  of  prot<H-tion 
for  fur  seals  by  the  following  refiidaticms  suj;j;ested  by  the  HritLsh 
Berinjf  Sea  commissioners: 

(H)  Si'KCIKIC    SCHKMK    Of    UKIIC  I  ATIONS    KlCCOMM  KM>KI>. 

155.  In  vi<-\s'  of  the  iirtiiiil  «'oiiiIition  of  sttiil  lifo  its  it  pi'cHctits  itH(<lf  to  iis  at  th«« 
presDiit  time,  wo  believe  that  the  recpiisite  (leK'"*'e  of  protoetioii  woiihl  he  atVonh'd  hy 
the  a|>]>lieatioii  of  the  followin;;  specific;  liiiiitatioim  at  Hhoi'<-  anil  at  sea: 

(a)  The  iiiiixiiiiiiui  niiiiiher  of  seals  to  hu  taken  on  the  I'rihilof  Islamls  to  he  lixeil 
at  5(),(K)0. 

(b)  A  zone  of  jirotectod  watorH  to  he  eHtahlished.  cxtuntliniv  to  a  distance  of  'JO 
nantical  miles  from  the  islands. 

(c)  A  close  season  to  he  |irovided,  extending  from  the  15th  of  .Se|>temhei'  to  the  1st 
of  May  in  each  yi'ar,  diirinfi;  which  all  killing  of  seals  shall  he  i)rohihite(i,  with  the 
additional  provision  that  no  sealing  vessel  shall  enter  Bering  Sea  liefore  the  1st  of 
Jnly  in  each  year. 

15(5.  IJespecling  the  coini)eu  atory  feature  of  such  specilic  regulations,  it  is  believed 
that  a, just  scale  of  eiiiiivalency  .-is  between  shore  iiud  sea  sealing  would  be  found, 
and  a  com)>lete  check  established  against  any  iindiie  diminution  of  seals,  hy  ado|iting 
the  following  as  a  unit  of  compensatory  regnlatiim: 

For  each  decrease  of  1(>,(M)0  in  the  number  fixed  for  killing  on  the  islands,  an 
increase  of  10  nautical  miles  to  be  given  to  the  width  of  protected  waters  about  the 
islands,  'i'he  niiniinnm  number  to  be  fixed  for  killing  on  the  ishinds  to  be  10,0(K), 
corres]ion<ling  to  a  inaNimiim  width  of  proteitted  waters  of  <iO  nautical  miles. 

157.  The  above  regulntions  represent  measures  at  sea  ami  ashore  sutticiently  ecjiiiv- 
alent  for  all  i)ractical  purposes,  and  probably  embody  or  provide  for  regulations  as 
applied  to  sealing  on  the  liigh  seas  as  stringent  as  would  he  ailinitted  by  any  mari- 
time power,  whether  directly  or  only  potentially  interested. 

158.  As  an  alternative  method  of  ett'ectiug  a  compensatory  adjustment  of  the  strin- 
gency of  measures  of  jtrotection,  it  is  possilde  that  some  advantages  might  be  found 
in  the  adoption  of  a  sliding  scale  of  length  for  the  season  of  sealing  at  sea,  with  a 
fixed  width  of  zone  of  ])rote('tion  about  the  islands. 

In  this  case  it  is  believed  that,  in  correspondence  with  a  dei-rease  of  l(»,(X)0  seals 
killed  upon  the  breeding  islands,  the  length  of  the  sealing  season  at  sea  might  be 
curtailed  by  seven  days,  such  curtailment  to  be  applied  cither  to  the  opening  or  clos- 
ing time  of  the  sealing  season. 

159.  It  may  be  objected  to  the  principle  involved  in  any  correlative  regulation  of 
shore  and  sea  sealing  that  it  would  be  impossible  in  any  particular  year  to  make 
known  the  nnmher  tixed  for  killing  on  the  islands  in  time  to  secure  a  corresponding 
regulation  of  pelagic  sealing.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  if  the  condition  of  the 
breeding  rookeries  called  for  any  change,  it  should  be  possible  to  fix  this  number 
with  sufficient  precision  a  year  in  advance,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  general 
effect  would  be  almost  equally  advantageous  if  the  number  killed  on  the  islands  in 
any  one  year  were  employed  as  the  factor  of  regulation  for  pelagic  sealing  in  the  fol- 
lowing year. 


■  k 


SHAL    I.IIK    ON    THI-;    PRIIULOl-    ISLANDS. 


107 


li'id.   W'liilt 


of  iU'dN'ctioii   liiiM  IxMiii  Hpokcii  'A'  as  tlic  Ix'st   iiD'lhixI  ol"  milV'Iy 


s  to  1)(!  lixed 
stance  of  20 


inliii;;  tlie  vicinity  of  liic  lirceiliii;;  i^^liindH,  it  is  lo  l)i'  liornc  in  niinil  tliat  hiuIi  tin 
iiriM  Miijiiit  lit'  (It'tiiiml  for  prarticitl  iinrposcH  us  a  rtM'tan;:iil!iiarca  bounili-tl  by  cTtain 
liiii'H  of  latitii)!*'  an<l  loii;ritii<ic.  I'.vcn  in  ili-nst!  i\t)i,  anil  tlit-icfori'  i'iiin|iar:itivcly 
I'liiin  wratiitM',  an  ancHttMl  \cssi'l  coiilil  \u\  anclniri'il  witli  a  lu'iluc  and  \var|i  r.ntil  tlie 
weatii"  T  clrared.  ai'i'(irdiii<r  to  fr«)(|nrnt  cnstoni.  'I'ho  Hpccial  advanta;i('s  of  ii  conccii- 
irir  /M\w  ajipcar  lo  lie  that  it  is  more  directly  in  conformity  wiili  tlm  (ihjcrt  in  view, 
anil  that  in  lino  wtiathcr  the  \  isihility  or  oiherwisit  of  tiie  islands  theniselves  might 
serve  as  a  roMy;li  j;uide  to  sealer*. 

liil.  Tlie  reNti'ii'tion  of  the  niiniher  of  seals  killed  on  the  lireediii^  islands,  apjiro- 
jiriale  safe;:iiarilH  lieinj.;  provided,  admitr*  of  ver;  coiisideralile  proeision  and  rei|nireH 
nil  Mpeeial  <iN|ilanation.  'I'hat  the  restriction  of  the  nnmlier  taken  at  sea  may  he 
aiu'oiiiidisheil  ]iracrii'ully  and  with  ail  necessary  certainty.  an<l  that  tho  means  of  con- 
trol availalile  in  the  ratie  of  tliis  hraneli  of  ihe  sealin<;'  industry  are  snllicicut,  ia 
I'lnirly  shown  li\  tli«)  Miiciessfiil  application  of  measures  snch  as  these  here  pro|iosed, 
to  the  .lan-.Mayt^n  and  .Newfoundland  hair-seal  llslieries,  us  well  as  of  those  liimed  on 
like  )irincipleH,  which  are  irenerally  em]il()ye«l  in  prutocling  lish  and  ;(aiiii'. 

((')   .MkTIIOKS  ok   (ilVI.Nli    Kl  I'KCT  TO    Reuii.ations. 

I'iL'.  'I"he  meaiiH  suited  to  st^ciirc  the  practical  enicioncy  of  reoiilatiotis  at  H«a  are 
<:eiierally  indicated  l»y  those  adopted  in  the  instances  Jnst  cited.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  tiirniiilate  these  here  in  full  detail.  Iiiit  the  followin^j;  sii<r(rcsiionH  arc  otfered  tin 
|iiiintinu  out  those  methodH  likely  to  pro\e  most  iiseiiil  in  tlu^  particiihir  caHc  nmlcr 
coiisiderariiin : 

i1<  Statutory  provisions  should  ho  ina<le,  declaring;  it  iiiilawfnl  to  hunt  or  takn 
fur  seal  diirin;;  the  close  season  hy  snltjects  or  vessels  of  the  resjieetivc  powpiH. 

iLM  I'lic  time  of  connuencemi'iit  of  the  sealiiiv;  season  should  lio  further  re^rnhited 
li,v  the  date  of  issuance  of  s))ccial  customs  <'lcaranci's  and  of  licen.ses  f;)r  sealing;,  and 

jircferaldy  by  the  issiiaiu f  such  clearances  or  licenses  fiom  certain  specilied  ports 

only. 

(Hi  As  elsewhere  explaiiiod,  the  re^nlation  of  the  time  of  opening;  ol'  the  sealing 
Reason  is  the  moHt  important,  and  the  closinii of  the  seasnn  in  pv;ctically  liroii;;ht 
aliiiiit  by  the  onset  of  ri>n;;h  weather  in  the  early  autumn.  If,  liowever,  it  be  i-on- 
sidi  rid  desirable  to  (ix  a  precise  date  fo;  .he  close  of  se.a  sealiiii;  in  each  year,  this 
can  lie  done,  as  in  the  case  of  the  date  ot  sealing;  under  the  .lan-M;iyen  convention. 

il)  The  liability  for  breach  of  rei;nlatiiins.  of  wliatev«-r  kind,  hIihuIiI  lie  nnido  to 
ap]ily  to  the  owner,  totho  master,  or  per.son  in  charjje  of  any  vessel,  and  in  the  hunt- 
ers enf;aH;cd  on  the  \esscl. 

:.'<  Ihe  penalty  iuiposi'd  should  be  a  line  (of  which  one  half  shonlil  \i<>  to  the 
infiiriiiMnt),  with  (lossibly,  in  aiiyrav.'ited  casett  or  .seconil  olfeiisi'S,  the  forieitiire  of 
the  catch  anil  of  the  \essel  itself. 

\t>)  To  facilitate  the  supervision  of  the  seal  rtshery  and  the  execntiim  of  the  re;ru- 
lafiiins.  all  sculers  mi;;ht.  in  addition,  be  reiiiiired  to  lly  a  distinctive  lla^,  whiclj 
nii^'lit  Weil  be  identical  with  or  some  <'iilor  modiliciition  of  that  alreaily  adoiited  for 
tlic  same  purpose  by  tile  .liipaiu-se  (Jovernment. 

(1)1    Al.TKKNAriVK    MkTIIODJS   OK   KKdl'I.ATJO.V. 

HiM.  Altliou>;h  the  y;eneral  scheme  of  measures  above  described  a]»pcars  to  us,  all 
tliiniis  considered,  to  lie  the  most  ai)prii])riate  to  the  actual  (drcnmstaiices,  measures 
•if  other  kinils  have  8Ui;;;este<l  lhem>elves.  .Some  of  theso,  thoiijjh  perhatis  less  per- 
Icclly  ada)>tcd  to  secure  tin;  fullest  advaiitancs.  recoinmend  theniselves  from  tlieir 
very  simplicity  and  the  ease  with  which  they  mi^ht  liea]i|died.  <  )f  such  alternative 
methods  of  ie)j;ulalions.  three  may  be  specially  referred  to: 

(1)  Kniin  prnliiliitiiiii  of  hiHinn  on  oiiv  of  tlir  hro'diiifi  ishiiKh.  with  nuiliihJe  ronvumnt 

rennlaliniiH  at  lea. 

Iti4.  The  entire  reservation  and  protection  of  <nie  of  tb-j  two  lar<rer  islands  of  the 
Pribilof  group,  either  St.  I'aul  or  St.  (ieovjie  Isl.ind,  miv;ht  be  assured;  such  island 
to  be  niainlaiued  as  an  i^ndistnrbed  breedini;  place,  n])on  which  no  seals  shall  be 
killed  for  any  purpose.  On  the  remaining  island  the  number  of  seals  killeil  for  com- 
niercial  ))ur])oses  wmild  remain  wholly  under  the  control  of  the  Governnn!nt  of  the 
I'liited  States. 

lu  cousideratioi  of  the  gnaranteed  preservation  of  a  breeding  island  with  the  pur- 
l»ise  of  insuring  the  eontiniiance  of  the  seal  stock  in  the  common  interest,  a  zone  of 
protected  waters  might  be  established  about  the  I'ribilof  Islands,  and  pelagic  seal- 
ing might  be  f  Tther  controlled  and  restricted  by  means  of  a  close  season,  including 
the  early  si)rin  tnontlis,  or  by  a  protected  area  to  the  south  of  the  Aleutian  Islands, 
delined  by  para  els  of  latitude,  snch  provisions  at  sea  to  have,  as  far  as  possible, 
qnantivalent  r  .ation  to  those  established  on  the  breeding  islands. 


i^ 


k 


■  'f; 


II 


K 


108 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


(2)  Kecnrrent  ptrioih  of  re»i. 

1(55.  This  implies  the  provision  of  a  jieriod  of  rest  or  t>x<>in])tioii  of  all  seals  from 
killing,  both  at  sea  ami  on  shore,  to  extend  over  a  complete  ye.ir  at  such  recurrent 
intervals  as  may  he  deemed  necessary. 

Siicli  a  i)eriod  of  rest  might  he  lixed  in  advance  l"(>r  every  fifth,  or  possihly  as  <  •fteu 
as  every  fourth  year,  iind  he  made  to  form  a  part  of  w  f^eneral  schema  im]iosing 
limitation  of  number  of  seals  killed  on  the  Islands  in  intervening  years,  to<retlier 
witli  restriction  by  time  or  by  area  of  pehigic  sealing. 

While  proxinuitely  equal  in  eliecton  both  shore  and  sea  killing  a  i)eriod  of  icst  of 
this  kind  would,  in  other  respects,  t-aiise  sonn*  inconvenience,  by  its  interruption  of 
the  several  industries,  and  this,  though  minimixetl  by  the  fact  that  the  date  tif  occur- 
rence of  tlie  year  of  rest  would  be  known  in  advance,  would  m>t  be  wholly  obviated 
by  this  circumstance. 

(3)    Total  prohibiiion  »/  killivfi  on  the  lirecdiny  iiilainln,  iritli  concuirent  ntrict  rcifiilation 

of  iwliiijic  Kialitio. 

Kit).  While  the  circiunstance  that  long  usage  nniy  in  a  measure  be  considere<l  as 
justifying  the  custom  of  killing  fur  seals  on  the  breinling  ishiuds,  many  facts  now 
Known  respecting  the  life  history  of  the  animal  itself,  with  valid  inferences  drawn 
from  the  results  of  the  disturhanci;  of  other  animals  u])ou  their  Itreeding  places,  as 
well  as  those  made  obvious  by  {\\^^  new  conditions  which  have  arisen  in  consequence 
of  the  development  of  pelagic  sealing,  point  to  tho  <-oncliisioii  that  the  breeding 
islands  should,  if  possible,  remain  undisturbed  and  inviolate. 

167.  If  this  view  should  be  adniitteil,  and  jiariicularly  if  the  United  States  and 
Russia,  as  the  owners  of  the  ]>riucipal  breeding  islands  of  the  North  I'acilic,  should 
agree  to  coopbratc  in  entirely  pridiibiting  all  killing  of  seals  on  these  islands,  and 
in  guarding  auvl  protecting  the  bre<Mling  jdaces  upon  them,  it  should  he  possible  to 
obtain,  in  consideration  of  such  care  exercised  in  the  connu(n)  interest,  an  inter- 
national assent  t<>  nn-asures  regulating  sea  sealing  of  any  required  degre«>  of  strin- 
gency, including  certain  special  rights  of  supervision  by  the  ]>owers  mentioned. 

1(58.  It  might,  for  example,  nmh'r  such  cinMinistanct^s,  be  i)rovided — 

(1)  That  all  sealing  vessels  should  be  nigistered,  and  should  take  out  special 
licenses  at  one  or  otlier  of  certain  specilietl  ])orls,  .-is,  for  instance,  \'i<'toria,  I'ort 
Townsend,  Honolulu,  Hakodate,  and  N'ladivostock. 

{'!)  That  such  annual  clearances  or  licenses  be  not  issued  before  a  given  date  (say 
1st  of  May),  and  that  certain  license  fees  be  exacted.  Such  license  fees  to  be  col- 
lected by  the  customs  authorities  of  the  licensing  (fovernmant,  and  to  be  eventually 
transferred,  in  whole  or  in  i)art,  proportionately,  to  the  (iovernments  inotecting  the 
hreeding  islands,  to  go  toward  meeting  the  cost  of  this  in'otcction. 

(3)  That  no  vessel  should  seal  in  leering  Sea  befori'  some  tixed  date  (say  1st  of 
■Inly)  in  each  year,  and  that  vessels  intending  to  seal  in  Heiing  Sea  should  report 
either  to  the  I'nited  States  <tr  to  the  h'ussian  authorities  on  or  after  that  date  at 
named  ])f)rtK,  siii'h  as  I'ualaska  or  I'etropavlovsk. 

(1)  That  all  duly  licensed  sealing  vessels  should  he  required  to  tly  a  distinctive 
flag,  and  that  any  nnliciuised  vessel  foiinil  engaged  in  sealing  should  he  subject  to 
certain  penalties. 

(5)  That  a  /one  of  protected  waters  should  be  estal)li8hed  almut  the  breeding 
islands,  within  which  no  si'aling  should  under  any  circninstanc(«s  be  permitted. 


(E)    INTKUNATIONAI.   AcTION. 

16(1.  In  the  foregoing  remarks  on  the  measures  available  for  the  protection  and 
prcHorvatioii  of  tho  fur  seal  of  the  -North  I'acilic,  reference  is  made  throughout  espe- 
cially to  the  eastern  part  of  that  oce.in,  including  more  pjirtieiilarly  the  area  com- 
prised in  the  range  of  those  fur  sealsof  which  the  summer  haunts  and  hreeding  places 
are  about  or  on  the  Friliilof  Islands,  and  of  which  tint  winter  home  is  found  espe- 
cially otf  the  coast  of  British  Columbia.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  the  same 
remarks  and  reconnnendations  a]ipiy  eijiialiy  to  those  fur  seals  which  in  siinnner 
center  about  the  (Commander  Islands  and  in  winter  frequent  the  seas  olV  the  coast  of 
.lapan. 

170.  It  may  lie  stated,  further,  that  no  system  of  control  can  be  considered  as 
ahsolntely  complete  and  ellective  which  <hies  not  include  under  eominon  regulations 
all  parts  of  th<*  North  Tacific,  and  that  the  facility  of  execution  of  measures  and 
their  ellieiency  would,  under  any  system  of  regulations,  he  much  increased  by  the 
concurrent  action  of  (ireat  Itritain,  the  United  States,  Russia,  and , lapan,  as  indicated 
in  the  message  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  in  IXSlt.  Apart  from  the  fact 
that  vessels  prevented  from  sealing  at  given  dates  in  certain  areas  might  at  these 
times  frequent  other  waters  in  increased  numbers,  the  circumstance  that  there  is  a 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


109 


nil  seals  t'roin 
ucii  recurrent 

jsibly  its  <  Iteu 
)ii'>a  iin]H>biii<; 
cars,  toj!;etlier 

riod  of  lest  of 
it<'irii|»tion  of 
ilato  of  occiir- 
lollv  obviated 


riit  ifi/iilatiuH 


colisidcrod  ;iH 
iiiv  fiifts  now 
reiices  drawn 
in;;  pIiiccH,  as 
I  eoiisotiiiencc 
the  breeding 

id  States  and 
acilic,  slionld 
I  islands,  and 
le  ]>os.sibIe  to 
est,  an  inter- 
j;ree  of  strin- 
entioned. 

n  out  special 
lictoria,  I'ort 

en  diite  (say 

s  to  be  col- 

)o  eventually 

otectin^tlie 

e  (say  I  at.  of 
hould  report 
tbat  date  at 

a  distinctive 
lie  subject  to 

'lie  breeding 
•niitt('d. 


)tei'tion  and 

ijit'hont  espe- 

le  area  comi- 

I'dinK  places 

found  espe- 

t  the  same 

in  siinnner 

the  4'oast  of 

nsidered  as 
regulutioua 
Basnres  and 
awed  by  the 
IS  indicated 
oni  the  fact 
(lit  at  these 
t  there  is  a 


■5 


,: 


certain  though  not  fully  known  interrelation  and  interchange  of  seals  between  the 
eastern  and  western  breeding  islands  of  Hering  Sea  points  very  clearly  to  the  advis- 
ability of  such  cooperation  in  ]>rotectiou.  (Keportof  British  Itering  Sea  Coinniis- 
siouers,  p.  25.) 

The  most  casual  observer  will  see  at  a  jilaiice  that  the  <'oniini.ssion- 
ers'  suggestions  are  all  in  favor  of  the  nelagic  sealer  and  his  "industry," 
ami  against  the  I'nited  States  and  the  seals.  That  the  i»nblic  at  large 
may  see  this  as  I  see  it,  I  will  briefly  review  a  lew  of  the  most  proinin^^nt 
points  suggested. 

The  connnissioners  say: 

The  uiaxiniuni  number  of  seals  to  be  taken  on  the  I'ribilof  Islands  to  be  lixed  at 
50,000. 

That  is  t(t  say.  the  Tnited  States  must  agree  to  re<lut'e  theii-  eateh  on 
laiid  one  half,  to  begin  with,  an«l  the  suggestion,  renu'inber,  was  made 
long  after  it  was  known  that  the  jjelagie  sealers  iiad  captured  78,000 
seals  in  1891. 

They  continue: 

A  /one  of  protecte«l  waters  to  be  establislied,  extending  to  a  distance  of  L'O  nautical 
miles  from  the  islands. 

As  the  largest  catches  are  n»ade  at  distances  of  from  80  to  L'OO  miles 
from  the  islands,  and  as  the  (commissioners  wen^  well  aware  «)f  that  fact 
when  they  nmde  the  suggestion,  its  worthlessness  may  be  understood 
so  far  as  the  protection  and  safety  of  the  seals  go. 

Again,  they  suggest: 

A  dose  season  to  be  provided,  extending  from  tlie  l."»th  of  Septeml»er  to  the  tst  of 
May  iu  eacli  year,  during  which  all  killing  of  seals  sliall  l>e  prohibited,  with  the 
iul(liti()M;il  provision  tiiat  no  scaling  vessel  sliall  enter  Bering  Sea  Ix'fove  the  1st  of 
,liily  ill  ciH'li  year. 

As  the  killing  sea.son  never  did  open  on  the  islands  till  flnne,  and 
always  closed  on  or  before  August  10  (excejiting  the  few  seals  killed 
from  time  to  time  for  mitive.s'  food),  and  as  it  is  from  May  to  October  that 
protection  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  tiie  seal  herd; 
and  as  the  pelagic  sealer  hardly  ever  cmter;!  IJering  Sea  before  .Inly  it 
is  dillicult  to  see  how  the  "suggestion'' conid  benefit  the  I'nited  States 
or  save  the  seals. 

The  next  "suggestion''  deserves  careful  attention,  for  it  is  the  key- 
note of  the  whole  su[>er8tructure  raised  by  the  ccunnussioners,  who  say: 

Hosjiecting  the  compensatory  feature  of  such  specilic  regulations,  it  is  believed 
that  a  just  scale  of  e(|uivalency  as  between  shore  and  sea  sealing  would  be  found, 
and  aroiiijilcte  cheek  established  against  any  undue  diminution  of  seals,  by  adopt- 
ing ti.e  following  as  a  unit  of  cominMisatiuy  regulation:  For  each  decrease  of  10,000 
in  the  number  lixed  for  killing  (ui  the  islands,  an  increase  of  10  nautical  miles  to  be 
given  to  the  width  of  protected  wat<>rs  abont  the  islands.  The  minimum  niunberto 
be  lixed  for  killing  on  the  islands  to  be  10,000,  corresponding  to  a  maximum  width 
of  juotected  waters  of  OO  nauti<^al  miles. 

Here  they  nnike  the  pelagic  sealer  the  seni(>r  i)artner  in  the  fur  seal 
** industry,"  and  the  repressive  part  of  the  "suggestion"  is  intended 
for  the  Hinted  States  only. 

The  siiiiation  at  the  start  is  to  be  something  like  this:  The  United 
Slides  are  to  kill  not  to  exceed  r)0,000  seals,  and  the  pelagic  sealer  is 
not  to  approach  the  breeding  islands  nearcir  than  L'O  nautical  miles. 
Then  for  every  additional  \0  miles  we  w<)uld  retnove  the  jielagic  sealer 
we  must  reduce  (uir  catch  on  shore  by  10,000,  so  that  by  the  time  he  is 
«iO  miles  away  our  maximum  catch  is  to  be  10,000, 

The  iiT.it  thought  that  suggests  itself  here  is.  What  would  happen 
were  we  to  ask  him  for  a  protected  zone  of  70  nnles  froiii  the  seal 


It 


w 


no 


SEAL   LIFK   ON   THK   PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


?-!S 


islauds?  Logioally,  we  would  have  to  stop  killing  or  the  islands  alto- 
gether and  turn  theni  into  bree<ling  grounds  for  the  use  of  a  class  of 
sportsuien  who  are  fond  of  the  manly  art  of  hunting  gravid  female 
seals  and  cutting  out  their  nnborn  young. 

Turning  to  the  "alternative  metiiods  of  regulation"  suggested  by 
the  commissioners  we  llnd  that  tiiey,  too,  were  possessed  of  the  same 
tliougiit,  for  they  "suggest :" 

Kiitiii.'  ]irohibiti<)n  of  killing  on  one  of  tlie  bn-eding  islainls,  with  Buitalile  i;ou- 
curreiit  ri'j;uliitions  iit  sea.  The  entire  reservation  iinti  protection  of  one  of  the  two 
larger  i.slan<l8  of  tlie  l'ri))ih)f  gron]!,  either  St.  I'aiil  or  St.  <ieorge  Islaud,  might  be 
assurei!;  Miieb  island  to  be  niaintiiined  as  an  nndistnrbed  brce<ling  phice,  n])on  which 
uo  Heals  NJiall  he  killed  for  any  purjMise.  On  tin-  reinaininu'  islands  tli(^  nn  in  her  of 
seals  killed  for  eoinniercial  j)nrp(i8es  wouhl  remain  wholly  under  the  control  of  the 
Government  of  the  I'nited  States. 

In  consideration  of  the  guaranteed  preserv.'itinn  of  a  bn-ediiig  island,  with  the 
]»urpo.s<'  of  insuring  the  eontiniianet  of  the  seal  stock  in  the  common  interest,  a  zone 
of  protected  waters  might  be  estal)lished  aliodt  the  I'riliilof  Islands,     '  "     such 

jM'ovisions  at  sea  fohave,  as  far  as  possilile,  i|nantiviil<  lit  relation  to  those  established 
on  the  breeding  islands.     (See  section  Kit.) 

(irowing  bolder  and  bolder  as  tJM'y  jiroceed  tiiey  liiially  come  for- 
ward with  a  suggestion,  widcli,  for  downright  coolness,  may  well  claim 
"first  place'"  among  all  the  cool  jn-opositions  made  in  any  age  or  coun- 
try; it  is  nothing  lesi^thiin  the  "total  prohibition  of  killing  on  the  breed- 
ing islan<ls,  with  concurr'.nt  strict  regidation  of  pelagic  sealing." 

ilere,  at  last,  the  mask  is  thrown  off  and  the  ('(unmissioners  stand 
fortii  in  their  true  character  of  " advocates '*  f«)r  the  pelagic;  sealer  and 
apologists  for  his  horrible  methods. 

It  does  not  take  long  to  net  at  the  meaning  of  the  "suggestions" 
ottered,  Ibr  a  careful  rt'ading  shows  at  once  the  wliok^  animus  of  the 
thing  is  to  i)revent  tlie  i<illing  of  .seals  on  tiie  seal  islands,  and  to  turn 
the  whole  iierd  over  to  the  pelagic  sealer. 

Had  the  most  heartless  of  all  the  pelagic  sealers  been  given  carte 
blanche  to  write  suggestions,  the  adoption  of  wliicrh  would  inure  to  his 
own  benefit,  he  could  n(»t  improve  on  those  of  the  British  liering  Sea 
comitus.sioners. 

This  may  seem  to  be  a  hard  saying,  but,  from  the  testimony  given  by 
the  pelagic  sealers  themselves,  it  is  well  known  that  the  killing  of 
female  .seals  anywhere  is  sure  destruction  to  the  herd;  and  the  Ilritish 
commissioners  have  admitted  it  to  be  on  more  than  one  occasion. 

Speaking  of  the  indiscrimimite  killing  of  the  seals  at  sea,  they  say: 

But  it  is  niifortimalidy  the  ease  that  at  etirtain  seasons  considerable  numbers  of 
gravid  females  are  thus  killed,  and  this  killing  is  tUiprecated  by  the  better  classes 
of  the  pel  a  ail'  sealers  themstdvcjs,  not  alone  on  grounds  of  humanity,  Imt  because 
they  see  clearly  that  it  is  unduly  destructive  to  the  industry  in  which  their  fortunes 
are  embarked.     (Keport  of  Mritish  Bering  .Sea  commissioners,  section  1)33,  p.  109.^ 

And  yet  the  gentleme!i  who  >-.ay  .so  are  the  same  men  who  have 
"snggi'sted"  the  "total  prohibition  of  killingon  the  breeding  islands" 
and  the  turning  over  of  the  .seals  to  indiscriminate  slaughter. 

The  commissioners  were  instructed  to  ascertain: 

First.  The  actual  fe.cts  as  regard.)  the  alleged  serious  diminution  of  seal  life  on  the 
Pribilof  Islands,  the  date  at  which  such  diminution  began,  the  rate  of  its  progress, 
and  any  previous  instance  of  a  sinular  occurrence. 

Second.  The  causes  of  such  diminution;  whether,  and  to  what  extent,  it  is 
attributable — 

(a)  To  a  nngration  of  the  seals  to  other  rookeries. 

(h)  To  ti.e  method  of  killing  pursued  on  the  islands  themselves. 

(c)  To  the  increase  of  sealing  u]>on  the  high  seas,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
pursued. 


ii 


M 


r.  I 


SEAL    LIFE    0\    THK    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


Ill 


lands  alto- 

a  class  of 

/id  female 

gested  by 
f  tbe  same 


iuital>lo  (jou- 
le  of  the  two 
1(1,  iiiifilit  be 
,  u])ou  which 
ic  iinmber  of 
1)11  trol  of  the 

in<l,  witli  tiie 

torest,  a  zone 

"     such 

e  established 


{  come  tor- 
•  well  cliiiin 
{le  or  couu- 
1  the  breed 
ling." 

)ners  stand 
!  seiiler  and 

iggestions" 
iinus  of  tbe 
iind  to  turn 

i-iveii  carte 
mrc  to  bis 
Jering  Sea 

given  by 

killing  of 

e  Uritisb 

sion. 

they  say : 


I 


nuinbers  of 
'tter  cluHses 
lint  because 
leir  fortunes 
W,  i>.  109.  ■) 

who  bave 
ig  islands" 


il  life  on  the 
its  progress, 

extent,  it  is 


n  which  it  is 


And  tben  they  were  admonisbed  as  follows: 

I  need  scarcely  ri'iiiiiid  you  that  your  iiivestij;ation  should  be  carried  on  with  strict 
impartiality,  that  you  should  nej^lect  no  sources  of  information  which  may  Ite  likely 
to  assist  you  in  arriviiifj  at  a  sound  conclusion,  and  that  great  care  should  be  taken 
to  sift  the  evidence  that  is  lirought  before  you. 

It  is  e(|ually  to  the  inierestof  all  the  (iovernnients  concerned  in  the  sealing  industry 
that  it  should  be  protected  friun  all  serious  risk  of  cxtimtion  in  consequence  of  the 
use  of  wasteful  and  injudicious  methods.  (Hritisli  Herinj;'  Sea  Conimissioncr.H' report, 
p.  2.) 

To  ivliicb  they  replied  as  follows: 

To  the  <,>Hfe>i's  Muxl  I'h-alh'iit  MajeHltj: 

May  it  idoase  Vour  Majesty,  we.  Your  M.-i.jcsty's commissioners,  ajipointed  to  under- 
take an  iminiry  into  the  condition  of  seal  lile  and  the  precautions  necessary  for  pre- 
venting the  exterminatiiiu  of  the  fur-.seal  species  in  Hevinij  Sea  and  other  parts  of 
the  Noith  I'acilic  Ocean,  l)eg  to  submit  the  following  report.     * 

Wherefore,  in  carrying  out  the  terms  of  our  commission,  it  has  been  our  object  to 
ac(|nire  and  record  tlie  most  complete  information  available,  in  order  to  promote,  in 


•f  all 


b!( 


il,  and 


isfii 


crests 
tory  ailjustment  of  tbe  t|uestionH  at  issue,    i  British  Hei-iiigSeaCommissioners'  leport, 

P.:i.)  ■ 

Wlieii  Mr.  Elliott  was  nrging  the  appoiiitiiient  of  ajoint  commission, 
as  tiic  remedy  for  all  «mr  tronbles  on  tbe  seid  islands,  lie  addressed  tbe 
Scnetiii-y  of  State  as  follows: 

NOVK.MUKU  1'2,  1890. 

.My  Kkak  .Mk.  lit,.\iNK:  '  *  '  We  must  take  some  of  *be  best  British  rejire- 
sentiilion  u;>  to  the  islands  and  let  it  St'e  the  wr<'ck  and  ruin  cliereon. 

I  have  no  fear  of  tbe  result;  these  Kn;ilishm<'n  will  return  our  frien<ls,  and  .vork 
in  harmony  with  us  in  tbe  labor  of  saving  tiiese  aiKunalons  interests  from  their 
impciuliiig  ruin. 

1  believe  tiiat  subsecjiient  events  bave  shown  iiim  that  bis  fiiith  was 
misplaced,  to  say  tbe  least,  nnless  we  can  fnlly  appreciate  the  kindness 
witli  which  they  propose  to  prohibit  ail  killing  on  the  islands  and  assnme 
the  whole  bnrden  themselves. 

Had  they  snggeste<l  the  prohibition  of  all  pelagic  sealing  and  an  even 
division  between  tiie  nations  interested  of  tlic  hardens,  exjienses,  and 
proceeds  resnlting  from  a  strict  and  constant  i)rotection  of  tbe  breeding 
islands  there  would  be  some  seml)]ance  of  Jnstice  and  right  as  well  as  a 
desire  to  perpetinite  the  .seals  indelinitely;  but  the  suggestion  that  tbe 
United  States  shall  be  forbidden  to  kill  seals  ashore  and  that  the  islands 
nnist  be  turned  into  breeding  grounds  bn-  tiie  sake  of  tbe  pelagic  sealer 
is  so  icpugnant  to  common  sense  and  decency  tiiat  were  not  tiic  com- 
nnssjoiuMs' rei)ortat  my  hand  I  siionld  not  believe  they  could  have  been 
guilty  of  making  sueb  a  suggestion  untb'r  any  circumstances,  but 
csi)ecial]y  under  tlie  jdea  ot  protecting  and  peri)etuating  the  fur  seals. 

Had  they  attennited  to  ]U'ove  the  wastefulness  of  jirescnt  methods, 
or  had  they  <pn)te(l  tlie  testimony  of  one  luuiest  and  <lisinterested  per- 
son to  sliow  that  American  nninagement  of  the  seals  on  the  islands  bad 
ever  been  inimical  to  their  increase  and  improveinent,  tlicre  would  be 
.some  excuse  for  the  suggestions  otl'ered,  but  it  was  licyond  tiieir  power 
to  produce  testimony  of  that  sort. 

Therefore,  I  deem  tbe  remarks  of  tbe  American  counsel  at  Paris  on 
this  jioint  as  most  Just  and  opportune,  and  as  they  express  my  own  views 
much  better  than  my  own  feeble  words  can  possibly  do  it  I  quote  them 
as  follows: 

We  are  reluctant  to  make  any  reference  to  motives;  but  where  opinions  are,  as  in 
this  case,  made  evidence,  the  question  of  g(M)d  faith  is  necessarily  relevant.  Why  is 
it  that  these  commissioners  have  chosen  to  disregard  the  plain  dictates  of  reason 
and  natural  laws  which  they  were  bound  to  accept,  and  to  recommend  some  cheap 
devices  ill  their  place,  when  they  so  clearly  perceived  those  dictates  f  We  are  not 
permitted  to  think  that  this  was  in  conscious  violation  of  duty,  if  any  other  explana- 


Ivi 


112 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


tion  is  po88iI)le.  Tho  only  apology  we  can  liud  toiuos  from  the  fact,  clearly  appar- 
«nt  upon  nearly  every  jiage  of  their  report,  that  the  predominating  interest  which 
thej'  conceived  themselves  bound  to  regard  was  not  the  preservation  of  the  seals, 
but  the  protraction  of  the  Canadian  sealers.  This  explanation  at  once  accounts  for 
all  their  extraordinary  recommendations,  and  all  tlieir  varying  inconsistencies. 
Hence,  every  degree  of  restraint  upon  pelagic  sealing  is  reluctantly  conceded,  and 
yielded  only  when  it  is  compensated  for,  and  more  than  compensated  for,  by  nn 
added  restriction  of  the  supply  furnished  to  the?  market  from  the  breeding  islands. 
As  the  wurlt  of  the  pelagi<;  sealers  is  on  the  one  Iiund  restricted  in  time  or  place,  and 
thus  discoiiriiged,  it  is  on  the  other  stimulated  by  the  certainty  of  a  better  market 
and  a  richer  reward.  So  persistently  and  exclusively  have  they  kept  this  policy 
before  them  as  their  main  object,  that  an  ideal  has  been  formed  in  their  minds  which 
they  openly  avow,  and  to  attain  which  is  their  constant  effort.  This  ideal  is  that 
all  taking  of  seals  on  lan'd  should  be  prohibited,  and  pelagic  sealing  be  made  the 
only  lawful  mode  of  capture. 

They  thus  express  themselves:  "It  has  been  pointed  out.  and  we  believe  it  to  be 
probable,  that  if  all  killing  of  so.ils  were  prohiiiited  on  the  brtieding  islands,  and 
these  were  strictly  prote<'t('d  and  safe-guardiMl  against  encroachment  of  any  kind, 
eealiiig  at  sea  might  be  indefinitely  continued  without  any  notable  diminution,  in 
consetiucnce  of  the  self  regulative  tendency  of  this  industry." 

And  suggesting,  as  the  only  objection  to  this  policy  which  occurs  to  them,  that  it 
might  be  too  much  to  expect  of  the  United  States  to  thus  guard  the  islands  and  sup- 

gort  a  native  population  of  'MO  at  its  own  expense,  they  co!itinne :  ''  It  may  bo  noted, 
owever,  that  some  such  arrangement  would  offer,  perhajw,  the  best  and  simplest 
solution  of  tlio  present  conflict  of  interests,  for  the  citizens  of  the  United  States 
would  still  have  ecjual  rights  with  all  others  to  take  seals  at  sea,  and  in  c<)nsei|iience 
of  the  ])roximity  of  their  territory  to  the  sealing  grounds  they  would  probably 
become  tlie  principal  benetioiaries.'' 

And  they  finally  come  to  the  conclusion  that  any  taking  of  seals  at  the  breeding 
places  is  an  error  for  which  there  is  no  defense  except  long  Jisage.  and  even  that 
they  regard  as  a  doubtful  a])ologv.     They  say: 

"While  the  circumstance  that  long  usage  may,  in  a  measure,  be  considered  as 
justifying  the  custom  of  killing  fur  seals  on  the  breeding  islaiuls,  many  facts  now 
known  respecting  the  life  history  of  the  animal  itself,  with  valid  inferences  «Uawn 
from  the  re  Milts  of  the  disturbance  of  other  animals  ui»on  their  breeding  i)lai'es,  as 
well  as  those  made  ol)vioiis  by  the  new  conditions  which  have  arisen  in  consequence 
of  the  develoi)nu»nt  of  jielagie,  sealing,  poiiix,  to  the,  conclusion  that  tho  breeding 
islands  should,  if  jtossible,  riMiiain  umlisturlied  and  inviolate." 

'f  liese  rel'ereiices  to  the  opinions  expressed  in  the  report  of  tho  comniissionors  of 
Great  Mritain,  when  taken  together  with  tho  scheme  recommended  by  them,  leave 
no  room  for  duubt  that  the  defeiiso  of  the  Canadian  sealers  was  from  tirst  to  last, 
their  predoiuinating  motive,  and  enable  us  to  make  for  ;,heiu  the  apologs  that  they 
conceived  that  this  was  the  duty  with  which  they  were  especially  charged.  If  this 
be  the  fact,  it  is  easy  to  perceive  how  all  their  reasonings  and  reciuumendations 
should  receive  a  color  and  characcer.  VV^e  f(iel  obliged  to  say  that  we  can  perceive 
n3  other  groinid  upon  which  their  action  may  be  made  consistent  with  good  faith. 
(Argument  of  the  United  States,  p.  209.) 

The  real  conflict  between  the  report  of  the  Hritish  commissioners  and  th<^  case  of 
the  United  States  seems  to  bo  as  to  the  number  of  cows  in  a  harem.  The  British 
commissioners  assert  that  the  number  is  unduly  large  of  cows  served  by  one  bull; 
the  United  States  ]>roduce  credible  and  ex))erien(red  witnesses  to  show  that,  on  the 
contrary,  the  number  of  females  is  decreasing.  A  com)>arison  is  invited  betweeu 
the  two  statenuuits  and  the  ([iiality  of  jtroof  adduced  in  favor  of  each.  It  is  plain 
that  tho  British  connuissionors  could  not  admit  tlio  diminution  in  number  of  female 
seals  without  admitting  that  decrease  to  lie  wholly  due  to  pelagic  slaughter.  They 
are  therefore  reduced  to  tho  necessity  of  insisting  that  there  is  a  retlundauoy  of 
females  and  a  deficit  of  males  on  the  islands.  They  are  kind  enough  to  admit,  how- 
ever, that  "the  sparing  of  females  in  a  degree  prevented,  for  the  tinie  being,  the 
actual  depletion  of  se.ils  on  the  islands"  (section  58).  It  is  not  probable  that  any 
reasonabh!  i)erson  will  take  issue  with  them  on  that  i)oint.  Tho  intelligence!  and 
legislation  of  the  civilized  world,  not  to  speak  of  humanity  in  its  broad  sense,  have 
concurred  that  to  spare  the  female  was  not  tho  best  but  the  only  effective  method  of 
preventing  depletimi  and  eventual  oxtisrminatiou. 

Even  if  we  should  concede,  for  the  sake  of  tho  argument  and  in  direct  disregard 
of  the  fact,  that  the  diminution  is  due  to  tho  smaller  number  of  males,  we  would 
venttire  to  reiutiul  this  high  tribunal,  if  such  a  reminder  were  needed,  that  the 
pirates  or  poachers  who  pursue  and  slaughter  the  pregnant  and  nursing  females  are 
Killing,  by  starvation  in  the  one  case,  by  the  nn)ther'8  death  in  the  other,  a  large 
number  of  males.     Even,  according  to  their  own  showing,  the  British  commissioners 


'4: 


♦  I- 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


113 


•learly  appar- 
iterent  which 
1  of  the  seals, 
)  accouuts  for 
consistencies, 
iouceded,  and 
jd  for,  by  an 
3(iin^  islands. 
or  place,  and 
tetter  market 
>t  this  policy 
r  minds  which 
ideal  is  that 
;  be  made  the 

ilieve  it  to  be 
r  island!^,  and 
;  of  any  kind, 
Liniiniition,  in 

them,  that  it 
i\nds  and  sup- 
may  bo  noted, 

and  simplest 
LJniti'd  States 
1  c()nsei|uenc() 
Mild  probably 


coMsidert'd  as 
iny  facts  now 
irciH'es  drawn 
ill!?  i)la('t's,  as 
I  consequence 
the  l)iceding 

iniissionors  ot" 
tb(^m,  leave 
first  to  btst, 
?v  that  they 
red.  If  this 
imniendations 
•ail  perceive 
]|foo(l  faith. 


d  tht^  case  of 
The  liritish 
by  one  bull; 
that,  on  the 
ted  between 
It  is  plain 
[)er  of  female 
wliter.  They 
dnuflancy  of 
admit,  how- 
le  being,  the 
ible  that  any 
elligcncc-  and 
il  sensi',  have 
ve  method  of 

)ct  disregard 
es,  we  would 
ed,  that  the 
r  females  are 
ther,  a  large 
immissioners 


mu.st  realize  that  pelagic  sealing  is  res]>ousible,  to  some  extent  at  least,  for  the 
decrease  in  the  number  of  males,  as  well  as  of  females.  They  may  speak  oi'  this 
"industry,"  as  they  term  it,  and  glorify  it  as  re<iuiriiig  all  the  courage  and  skill 
which  can  be  brought  to  bear  on  it  (whatever  that  nuiy  mean).  (Section  609.) 
They  may  contrast  its  "sportsmanlike  "  character  witli  the  " butchery  "  conmiitted 
on  the  islands  (section  610);  but  tliey  can  not  fail  to  perceive  that  the  mode  of 
destruction,  which  principally  deals  with  gravid  females,  necessarily  strikes  at  the 
very  foundation  of  life,  and  must  eventually  extinguish  the  race,  because,  as  they 
mildly  state  it,  it  is  unduly  destructive  (section  (538). 

Tlie  pelagic  sealer  not  only  kills  or  attemjits  t()  kill  the  males  that  he  happens  to 
meet,  but  prevents  the  birth  of  males  to  take  their  place.  He  often  kills  three  with, 
one  discharge  of  his  rifle,  vi/,  the  mother,  the  unborn  young,  and  the  jiiip  at  home; 
but  lie  does  it  in  a  "s|iort8maiilike"  manner,  and  he  gives  the  sleejiiiig  animal  a  "  fair 
sporting  chance  for  its  life."  (Section  (ilO.)  In  many  cases  he  either  misses  hia 
object  or  wounds  it  and  loses  it.  So  that  there  is  by  this  m;inly  process  an  utterly 
useless  waste  of  life,  in  many  cases  a  waste  iiioie  or  less  ap]ialliiig  as  the  "  siiortsman" 
is  more  or  less  skillful.  How  destructive  in  reality  this  jiroeess  is  proven  to  lie  may 
be  seen  from  tiie  Ibilish  coiiiniissioners"  ie]>ort  under  the  head  of  "  Projiortion  of 
seals  lost"  (p.  101,  section  (KW).  It  iimst  b»'  a  consolation  to  those  disposed  to  extol 
this  kind  of  si>ort  that  while  nearly  "all  the  pcligic  sealers  concur  in  the  opinion 
that  the  fur  seal  is  annually  bicoming  more  shy  and  wary  at  sea,"  it  is  certain  that 
"the  dexterity  of  the  hnntcrs  has  been  increased  pari  [lassii  with  the  wariness  of 
th(!  seals."     (liritisli  commissioners'  rejiort,  section  101.) 

That  the  nninber  of  the  seals  has  been  diininislioil  in  recent  years  at  a  ciininlative 
rate  ;iii(l  that  siichdimiinitioii  is  the  conseciiience  of  destruction  by  man  is  certified  by 
the  Jiiiiit  report  of  all  the  <'oiimii.-isii)ners.  That  this  human  agency  is  pelagic  sealing 
exclusively,  and  not  the  mode,  nianuer,  or  extent  of  cajitiire  upon  tlie  breeding 
islanils.  is  ahiindantlv  clear. 

This  follows  necessarily  from  adiiiitte<l  facts.  The  fur  seals  being  iiolygamons, 
and  each  male  siitlicicnt  for  frmii  30  to  oO  females,  and  being  able  to  sei-iire  to  himself 
that  iiiiiiiber,  it  follows  that  there  must  I>e  at  all  times  a  larger  number  of  super- 
fluous males,  and  the  killing  of  them  produces  no  permanent  dinrnntion  of  the 
numlier  of  the  lieril.  On  the  other  hand,  the  killing  of  a  single  breeding  female 
necessarily  reduces  ))ro  tanto  the  normal  numbers. 

All  excessive  killing  of  males  might  indeed  tend  toward  a  decrease  if  carried  to 
such  an  extent  as  not  to  leave  enough  for  the  puri»ose  of  effectual  impregnation  of 
all  the  hiecdiiig  females,  'i  he  taking  from  these  herds  of  100,000  males  would  not, 
if  that  were  the  only  draft  allowed,  be  excessive.  I'liis  is  evident  from  many  con- 
siderations. 

(a)  Those  who,  like  the  British  commissioners,  propose  to  allow  jiclagic  sealing  to 
such  an  extent  as  would  involve  the  annual  slaughter  of  at  least  .'>0,0(»0  females  in 
addition  to  a  slaughter  of  50,000  young  males  on  the  breeding  islands  can  not  cer- 
tainly with  the  least  consistency  assert  that  the  capture  limited  to  100,000  males 
would  be  excessive.  Xor  could  they  consistently  assert  this,  even  though  the  pelagic 
slaughter  should  be  restricted  (by  some  means  which  no  one  has  yet  suggested)  to 
10,000  females.  It  re(|nires  no  argiiment  to  show  that  the  destruction  of  even  that 
number  would  be  rapidly  disastrous  to  the  herds 

(fi)  Ami  when  we  turn  to  the  jiroofs,  they  are  conclusive  that  prior  to  the  practice 
ujion  any  considerable  scale  of  pelagic  sealing  the  annual  draft  of  100,000  young 
males  did  not  tend  to  a  diminution  of  numbers. 

(e)  Of  course,  it  is  easily  iiossible  tbat  the  indiserimimite  slaughter  effected  by 
pelagic  sealing  may  soon  so  far  reduce  tlio  birth  rate  as  to  make  it  difticiilt  to  obtain 
the  annual  draft  of  100,000  young  males.  This  draft,  under  such  circumstances, 
would  necessarily  at  once  diminisli  the  birth  rate,  for,  the  number  of  females  being 
less,  a  less  number  of  males  would  be  re(|uired.  The  number  of  the  whole  herd 
might  he  rapidly  diminished  by  the  slaughter  of  females  and  the  conseiinent  diminu- 
tion of  the  birtli  rate  and  still  100,000  males  continue  to  be  taken  fm'  a  time  without 
damage.  How  soon  a  pidnt  would  be  reached  at  which  so  large  a  draft  of  males 
from  a  constantly  diminishing  number  of  births  would  operate  to  produce  an  insuf- 
ficiency of  males  is  a  problem  which  from  want  of  precise  knowledge  of  tlie  relative 
numbers  of  the  sexes  it  would  be  diibeult  to  solve. 

The  liritish  commissioners'  report  upon  this  subject  is  as  follows: 

"The  systenuitic  and  persistent  hunting  and  slaughter  of  the  fur  seal  of  the  North 
Pacific,  both  on  the  shore  and  at  sea,  has  naturally  and  inevitably  given  rise  to  cer- 
tain changes  in  the  habits  and  mode  of  life  of  that  animal,  which  are  of  importance 
not  only  in  themselves,  l)ut  as  indicafing  the  effects  of  such  pursuit  and  in  show- 
ing in  what  particular  this  is  injurious  to  seal  life  as  a  whole.  Such  changes  doubt- 
less began  more  than  a  century  ago,  and  some  of  them  may  be  traced  in  the  histor- 
ical jirecis  elsewhere  given  (section  782  et  seq.).  It  is  unfortunately  true,  however, 
that  the  disturbance  to  the  normal  course  of  seal  life  has  become  even  more  serious 

S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 8 


v-  I 


'  ■ 


114 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


iu  recent  years,  and  that  there  is  therefore  no  lack  of  material  from  which  to  study 
its  character  and  effect  even  at  the  present  time." 

In  the  zeal  of  their  advocacy  on  belialf  of  pelagic  sealing  and  their  denunciation 
of  the  methods  in  use  on  the  islands  the  commissioners  have  experienced  much  and 
evident  difficulty  in  framing  their  theory.  If  they  admitted,  in  unqualified  terms,  u 
decrease  in  number,  the  obvious  deduction  from  the  concession  would  be  that  the 
unlimited  slaughter  of  females  must  bi^ar  the  blame  and  bur<len  of  such  a  result.  If, 
on  the  other  hand,  they  sliould  assert  that  the  number  actually  increased,  this  would 
only  lie  consistent  witli  an  ai>proval  of  tlie  methods  in  use  on  tlie  land.  Ketweeu 
thisS(!ylla  and  this  Charybdis  a.  wayof  escape  must  be  found,  and  it  was  fountl.  The 
ingenuity  heredisjilayed  deserves  full  notice  an<l  aclinowledgnient.  The  joint  report 
contains  tliis  statement: 

"  We  tinil  that  since  the  Alaska  i»ureliase  a  marked  diminution  in  the  number  of 
seals  on  and  lialtituall.y  resorting  to  the  I'ribilof  Islands  has  takt^n  place,  that  it  has 
been  cumulative  in  eH'eet,  and  that  it  is  f  lie  result  of  excessive  killing  by  man." 

Mearing  in  mind  tliat  tlie  fur  seals  forinin/;  the  object  of  this  controversy  have  no 
otherhonie  on  lanil  than  the  Tribildf  Islands,  and  that  the  Hritish  commissioners  them- 
selves concede  that  they,  for  the  most  i»art,  breed  on  those  islands;  bearing  in  mind, 
too,  that  these  gentlemen  have  not  yet  discovered  any  other  summer  habitat  for  the 
seals,  it  would  seem  that  this  declaration  is  e<iuivalent.  in  its  fair  sense  and  meaning, 
to  a  statement  that  the  fur  seals  that  frequent  the  American  coast  and  the  Hering 
Sea  have  sulfere<l  a  marked  decrease 

Perhajys  it  was  so  intended  by  the  Hritish,  as  it  was  by  the  I'nited  States  commis- 
sioners; but  if  so,  tlie  former  gentlemen  have  lost  sight  of  their  original  intention 
and  have  been  led  to  nice  distinctions,  which  we  shall  ni>\v  examine. 

That  the  seal,  although  "essentially  ]ielagic"  (section  26),  hits  not  yet  learned  to 
breed  at  sea  is  not  denied,  altliough  to  the  vision  of  the  commissioners  the  prospect 
of  such  a  transformation  or  evolution  is  evidently  not  very  remote.  We  must,  in 
justice  to  tiiem,  (juote  one  single  ))assa;ie,  whicii  admirably  illustrates  the  compla- 
cency and  self-conlidence  with  which  they  wnsst  to  their  own  imrposes  with  unhesi- 
tating violence  the  laws  of  nature  and  the  mysteries  of  ulterior  evolution.  If  this 
quotation  does  not  give  a  just  idea  of  the  imaginative  powers  of  these  otticials 
nothing  but  a  perusal  of  the  whole  of  their  work  will  do  them  justice; 

"The  changes  in  the  habits  and  mode  of  life  of  the  seals  naturally  divide  them- 
selves into  two  classes,  which  may  be  considered  separately.  The  lirst  and  most 
direct  and  palpable  of  these  is  that  shown  in  the  increased  shyness  and  wariness  of 
the  animal,  which,  though  always  pelagic  in  its  nature,  has  been  forced  by  circum- 
stances to  shun  the  land  more  than  Itefore,  so  that  but  for  the  necessity  imposed  upon 
it  of  seeking  the  shore  at  the  season  of  liirth  of  the  young  it  might  probably  ere 
this  have  become  entirely  jielagic." 

An  animal  "always  pelagic,' forced  by  circumstances  to  shun  the  land  more  than 
before,  and  which  would  become  entirely  pelagic  long  before  this  if  it  were  not 
obliged  to  seek  the  shore  for  so  trilling  an  object  as  giving  birth  to  its  young,  deserves 
to  be  classed  among  theciirinsitiesof  nature.  The  difference  between  animals  (now) 
always  pelagic  and  those  (in  the  future)  entirely  pelagic  may  not  readily  be  under- 
stood without  explanation  not  vouchsafed.  How  can  they  be  always  pelagic  if  they 
are  obliged  to  seek  the  land  or  ])erish,  and  why  is  it  reasonable  to  talk  of  the  prob- 
ability of  their  becoming  something  different  from  what  they  are  when  that  con- 
jecture is  based  upon  nothing  but  reckless  and  grotesque  assumption  t  Of  course, 
this  and  other  specimens  of  affront  to  common  sense  are  merely  gratuitous  and 
pointless  vagaries.  Hut  the  thesis  must  be  sustaineil,  viz,  that  the  seals  are  not 
even  amphibious  animals;  their  resort  to  land  is  a  merely  accidental  necessity,  and 
therefore  the  I'nited  States  can  no  more  claim  a  right  to  or  possession  in  them  than 
in  other  "essentially  i)elagic  animals,"  such  as  the  whale,  the  codfish,  or  tlie  turhot. 

If  anything  more  were  iieede<l  to  emphasize  the  absurdity  of  this  defiance  of  well- 
known  facts  and  settled  distinctions  in  the  animal  world  we  might  still  further  cite 
the  Hritish  commissioners  on  the  subject  of  the  seal  jielage  or  slie<lding  of  hair.  It 
seems  that  these  pelagic  animals  were  not  endowed  by  nature  with  the  proper  skin 
to  perform  this  function  in  their  native  element.  Unless  they  can  find  a  suitable 
place  out  of  water  they  retain  the  old  hair  and  disregard  the  laws  which  would  compel 
an  annual  shedding.  Ijcst  this  seem  an  exaggeration,  read  tlieir  report  citing  Mr. 
Grebnitsky:  "During  the  'stagey'  or  shedding  season  their  pc^lage  becomes  too  thin 
to  afford  a  suitable  protection  from  the  water.'     (See  section  202;  also  281,  (>31,632.) 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  this  theory,  so  gravely  and  seriously  advanced, 
that  the  seal  is  naturally  and  essentially  a  pelagic  animal,  is  utterly  unsustained  by 
evidence,  is  refuted  by  the  language  of  the  commissioners  themselves,  and  disputet' 
by  elementary  writers.  It  is  only  necessary  to  ascertain  how  naturalists  define 
pelagic  animals  and  then  compare  such  definition  with  the  known  characteristics 
and  rudimentary  elements  of  seal  life  (see  especially  for  this  the  books  of  .Jolins  Hop- 
kins Univeraity).     Hesides,  the  unanimous  and  unquestioned  testimony  of  the  agents 


.;! 


■■n 


i,  I 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS, 


115 


lirb  to  study 

lenunciatioa 
ed  nmch  and 
Hied  terms,  u 
be  that  the 
a  result.  If, 
d,  this  would 

d.  Between 
1  fonnd.  The 
B  joint  report 

le  number  of 

e,  that  it  has 
y  Hiau." 
Tsy  have  no 
siouers  theni- 
pjng  in  mind, 
ibitat  for  the 
tnd  meaning, 
d  the  Bering 

ates  romniis- 
nal  intention 

et learned  to 
1  tlie  prospert 
We  must,  in 
i  tlie  compla- 
with  nnhesi- 
tion.  If  this 
ibese  otticials 

divide  tliem- 
rst  and  most 
d  wariness  of 
id  by  circum- 
mposed  upon 

jirobably  ere 

id  more  than 
it  were  not 
ng,  deserves 
inala  (now) 
be  under- 
igic  if  they 
f  the  prob- 
en  that  con- 
Of  course, 
itnitous  and 
als  are  not 
Bcessity,  and 
n  them  than 
the  turbot. 
nee  of  well- 
further  cite 
of  hair.  It 
proper  skin 
I  suitable 
ould  compel 
citing  Mr. 
les  too  thin 
81,631.632.) 
y  advanced, 
ustained  by 
nd  disputet' 
ilists  define 
aracteristics 
Johns  Hop- 
f  the  agents 


ily 


d 


•t 


for  the  Government  and  tho  lessee.s  sliows  that  the  fur  seals  spend  at  least  four 
months  of  the  year  on  tb<)  ''.iliijof  IslaudH. 

Having  found,  with  the  American  coinmissioners,  a  marked  diminution  in  thenum- 
ht'T  of  seals  on  aiul  habitually  resorting  to  the  l'ribih>f  Islands,  the  Britisli  commis- 
sioners proceed  to  show  that  the  seals  are  more  numerous  tlian  ever.  They  have, 
no  doubt,  demonstrated  this  to  their  entire  satisfaction  on  jiages  72  and  73  of  their 
report.  Captain  Warren  they  (|uote  as  saying  that  he  noticed  no  diminution  in  the 
numl)er  of  seals  during  the  twenty  years  that  he  had  been  in  tliat  business,  and,  if 
any  change  at  all,  an  increase  (sei  tioii  403 j.  To  the  siime  effect  t'ajjtain  Leary,  who 
Huys  that  in  Bering  Sea  they  were  more  nuuu'rous  than  he  had  ever  seen  them  (sec- 
tion 403),  while  Mr.  Milne,  collector  of  customs  at  Nictoria,  reports,  what  others 
have  said  to  him,  tiiat  owners  and  mastt^rs  do  not  eiitertiiiu  tlie  slightest  idea  that 
the  seals  are  scarce  (section  403).  What  a  tribute  this  must  lie  to  the  management  of 
the  Pribiiof  Islands  if,  notwithstanding  the  conceited  destruction  of  gravid  and  nurs- 
ing females,  these  statements  should  l)e  true.  Cajit.  W.  Cox  took  1. 000  seals  in  four 
days  100  iinles  to  the  westward  of  the  I'riliilof  Islands  (section  IOr>).  lie  found  the 
seals  much  more]>lentitul  in  Bering  Sea  than  he  had  ever  seen  them  before.  It  would 
have  ailded  much  to  the  interest  of  Caittain  Cox's  statement  if  he  had  told  us  how 
niiuiy  of  these  seals  gave  evi-leiice  of  having  left  their  i)ups  at  ho'Jie. 

Tlie  British  ciunmissioners  multiply  the  evidence  to  sliow  that  the  general  ex]>eri- 
ence  as  stated  to  them  has  bteu  that  seiils  were  ei|ually  or  more  .-ibiiudant  at  sea  at 
tlie  time  of  their  extermination  than  tliey  liiid  been  in  former  years.  It  is  ditiiciilt 
to  treat  this  with  the  respect  tint  a  report  emanating  from  g<'iitleiiien  of  character 
and  high  othcial  jiositioii  should  meet.  Kitlier  the  stattMiieiit  in  the  Joint  repcu't  ia 
true  anil  the  assiimptimi  of  an  increase  is  untriii-,  or  vice  versa.  In  view  of  the  evi- 
dence that  tiu'se  seals  have  no  other  liome  tliaii  the  I'riliilof  Islainls,  it  is  iilaiii, 
licyonil  the  necessity  of  demonstralioii,  that  all  the  seals  killed  by  Cajitain  (,'ox  and 
others  in  the  Bering  Sea  were  inhabitants  of  those  islands,  and  the  testimony  only 
goes  to  show  that  the  mothers  do  yo  out  to  sea  a  hundred  miles  or  more,  as  is  sworn 
to  by  the  witnesstis  for  the  United  States,  and  that  it  is  while  they  are  on  the  feeding 
grounds,  or  searching  abroad  for  food,  that  they  are  cai)tureil  by  the  Canadian  poach- 
ers. If  this  is  not  so,  then  let  the  commissioners  or  these  aclvocating  their  views 
tell  us  where  these  seals  slaughtered  by  Captain  Cox  and  others  found  their  "sum- 
mer habitat." 

Any  pretense  that  the  seals  are  dec^reasing  at  home — i.  e.,  where  they  live  through 
the  summer,  and  breed,  and  nurse,  and  shed  their  hair — and  at  the  sanm  time  are 
increasing  in  the  sea  is  simply  an  absurdity.  It  would  have  addt'd  much  to  the  value 
of  the  testimony  of  all  these  masters  if  they  had  not  sedulously  avoided  stating  the 
sex  of  the  animals  that  they  killed. 

There  is  one,  and  one  exjilanation  only,  of  this,  and  that  explanation  makes  tlie 
atories  above  ijiioteil  plausible.  The  pelagic  sealers  were  engaged  in  hunting  nurs- 
ing mothers  on  the  feeding  grounds,  where  those  animals  are  found  in  large  numbers. 
The  decrease  proved,  and  indeed  admitted  to  exist  (see  joint  report),  hail  not  yet 
been  so  great  as  to  be  manifest  to  those  sealers  who  were  so  fortunate  as  to  fall  in 
with  a  number  of  females  either  intent  upon  finding  the  food  necessary  to  produce  a 
flow  of  milk  or  slee])ing  on  the  surfaie  of  the  water  after  feeding. 

And  here  we  may  note  another  illustration  of  the  thesis  and  its  advocacy.  Having 
satistied  themselves  that  pelagic  sealing  riither  ojieratecl  to  increase  the  supi)ly  of 
seals  they  remembered  that  th(!  killing  of  young  males  was  objectionable  ami  likely 
to  result  in  extermination,  and  thereuiioii  discovered  the  fnct  that  "  a  meeting  of 
natives  wns  held  "'  at  which  the  aborigines  iMianimously  expressed  the  o]>iiiion  that 
the  seals  had  diminished  and  would  continue  to  diminish  from  year  to  year  (an 
opinion,  too  plain,  we  think,  for  argunienl),  but  they  at  once  assign  the  reason,  which 
is  not  the  killing  of  many  females,  but  the  extraordinary  fact  that  "  all  the  male  seals 
hail  been  slaughtered  without  allowing  any  to  come  to  maturity  ujion  the  breeding 
griHUids."     (Section  438.) 

Iliiviiig  thus  ]»roved  that  the  seiils  were  in  a  flourishing  condition  of  increase,  and 
that  they  were  decreasing  in  an  alarming  decree,  the  conclusion  is  reached  that  the 
<iecre;ise  is  on  the  land  and  the  increase  in  the  water: 

"The  general  effect  of  these  changes  in  the  habits  of  the  seals  is  to  minimi/e  tl;e 
niinilier  to  he  seen  at  any  one  time  on  the  breeding  islands,  while  the  average  num- 
ber to  lie  found  at  sea,  at  least  jiroportionately,  though  perhajis  in  face  of  a  general 
decrease  in  \ he  uumb(!r  of  seals,  not  absolutely  increased."  (Section  44.'>  of  British 
Conimissionei's'  Ifejiort. ) 

Would  it  be  irrelevant  to  imiuire  what  was  the  "summer  habitat"  of  the  numer- 
ous seals  slaughtered  by  Captain  Warren,  Captain  Leary,  and  Captain  Cox  f  Were 
they  not  all  of  the  Pribilof  family  ?  Did  not  the  commissioners,  who  quoted  Captain 
Cox  to  the  efiect  that  he  had,  no  doubt  in  true  8])ortsnuinlike  fashion,  with  a  shot- 
gun, killeil  250  seals  a  day  for  four  days,  know  that  the  enormous  majority  of  these 
were  nursing  mothers  whoso  pups  were  starving  at  home?  (Argument  of  the  Ignited 
States,  p.  288.) 


I 


If|«'^ 


v'  1 


III 


f  1 


116 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE    PRIBILOP   ISLANDS. 


II- 


PKLAGIC  SEALING,  CLOSE   SEASON,  ETO. 

That  many  lioiiest  and  patriotic  men  have  (littered  in  tlieir  opinions 
about  the  true  cause  of  the  destrnctiiui  and  tiireatened  total  extinction 
of  the  Alaskan  fur  seal  is  not  to  be  denied;  for,  unfortunately,  the  rival 
interests  have  been  so  many  and  so  diverse,  and  the  seal  islaiula  are  so 
far  beyond  the  reach  and  ken  of  the  public,  that  it  has  been  very  diih- 
cult  to  get  at  tiie  plain  truth  ot  the  matter  as  it  really  exists.  Above 
all  the  theories  advanced,  however,  there  are  two  facts  which  are  most 
intinuitely  connected  with  the  discussion,  which  never  should  be  lost 
sight  of  if  we  would  understand  the  luiitter  thoroughly. 

First.  That  from  1835,  when  the  IJussians  first  prohibited  the  further 
killing  of  the  female  seals,  to  1884,  when  the  pelagic  sealers  became 
numerous  and  i)owerful,  the  seal  herds  grew  and  nourished  and  tlie 
rookeries  expanded  notwithstanding  long  drives  and  other  barbarous 
metiiods  continued  until  the  United  States  i)urchased  Alaska;  and  that 
from  18(58  to  188(!  an  average  annual  killing  of  1(K),(K>0  young  males  was 
made  before  a  sign  of  decrease  or  diminution  ai)i)eared  on  the  islands. 

Second.  In  spite  of  all  that  has  been  said  and  reiterate«l  against  the 
lessees'  management  of  tiie  islands  and  the  methods  imrsued  tor  so 
many  years  in  caring  for  the  rookeries  and  the  seals,  in  driving  and 
killing,  and  tiie  waste  of  seal  life  resulting  therefrom,  it  must  be 
admitted  that  under  this  same  management  (whicit  has  been  the  same, 
practically  for  twenty-five  years),  the  seals  increased  steadily  fron»  18G8 
to  1884,  or  until  the  pelagic  sealers  api)eared  in  force  in  Bering  Sea. 

Tliese  are  facts  tliat  have  been  proved  beyond  the  possibility  of  a 
doubt,  and  although  interested  or  meddlesome  parties  may  and  often 
do  make  wild  cluirges  and  unreliable  statements  about  bad  manage- 
ment, bad  methods,  and  barbarity  in  the  driving  and  killing  of  the  seals, 
there  is  not  a  shadow  of  truth  in  the  stories,  nor  has  any  honest  man 
who  ever  lived  on  the  seal  islands  ever  said  or  thought  of  anything  of 
the  sort. 

The  word  "  monopoly  "  is  often  used  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  odium 
on  the  seal  question  when  facts  are  lacking,  but  the  truth  is  that,  despite 
all  the  wicked  and  idle  insinuations  thrown  out  in  that  way,  the  leasing 
of  the  seal  islands  to  a  responsible  comjiany  was  the  best  as  well  as  the 
most  prudent  thing  the  Government  could  have  done  under  the  circum- 
stances, as  the  result  showed  before  the  pelagic  sealer  appeared  to  inter- 
fere with  the  prosperity  of  the  rookeries  which  had  been  fostered  and 
built  up  by  the  wise  management  of  the  lessees. 

As  an  answer  to  the  fault-tinder  who  proclaims  the  destruction  of  the 
seals  through  the  mismanagement  of  a  monopoly,  I  will  quote  from  the 
island  records  the  number  of  seals  actually  killed  for  their  skins  on 
the  islands  during  the  twenty  years'  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company,  and  also  the  number  of  skins  which  were  rejected  or  lost 
out  of  all  that  were  killed. 

I  Senate  Ex.  Doc.  No.  107,  Fifty-second  Congress,  second  session,  appendix.] 

Total  number  of  seals  killed  for  their  skins  by  the  lessees  from  1870  to  1S8D,  both  inclusive. 

S     Paul 1,463,907 

St.  George 318,120 

Total 1,782,027 

Total  number  of  skins  rejected  from  same. 

St.  Paul 2,480 

St.  George 628 

Total 3,108 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


117 


oth  inclusive. 


In  other  words,  for  every  1,000  seals  killed  by  the  lessees,  during 
their  twenty  years'  lease,  there  was  a  loss  of  1^  skins. 

As  these  figures  were  compiled  by  me,  originally,  from  the  books 
kept  on  both  of  the  seal  islands,  I  know  they  can  not  be  denied  or  suc- 
cessfully contradicted,  and  I  respectfully  submit  them,  and  the  lesson 
til'  y  teach,  to  the  most  careful  consideration  of  the  Department. 

Lest  some  critic;  may  say  I  have  not  (juoted  all  the  figures,  let  me  add 
right  here  that  I  am  si»eakiMg  of  the  large  young  males  which  were 
actnally  killed  for  their  skins  to  make  up  the  lessees,  annual  (piota,  and 
of  those  only. 

That  the  natives  killed,  for  food,  99,(i84  j'oting  male  seals  during  the 
same  twenty  years  (in  addition  to  pups),  and  that  27.0'.tO  of  the  skins 
were  rejected,  is  true;  but  the  lessees  are  notblamable  for  that,  for  they 
had  notliing  whatever  to  do  with  it,  and  f'onsequently  1  have  counted 
only  the  skins  of  the  seals  killed  during  the  regular  sealing  season  and 
before  the  seals  became  "stagy.'" 

Most  of  the  seals  killed  for  natives'  food  were  taken  during  the 
"stagy"  season,  hence  the  rejection  of  so  many  of  the  skins. 

This  is  why  I  have  rejjeatedly  advised  in  this  and  former  reports 
that  no  killing  for  any  purpose  siiould  be  permitted  during  the  "stagy" 
season. 

The  management  of  the  seal  islands,  and  the  care  bestowed  on  the 
seals  by  the  lessees  and  their  agents,  are  matters  of  history  into  which 
it  is  not  necessary  to  enter,  because  the  above  figures  show  far  more 
ekxiuently  and  conclusively  than  words  of  mine  could  tliat  that  must 
of  ne(;essity  be  a  well  managed  business  which  can  make  such  a  show- 
ing at  the  end  of  twenty  years. 

Only  7  rejected  skins  out  of  every  4.000  seals  killed  is  a  record  for 
good  and  careful  management  that  the  lessees  may  very  well  be  pnmd 
of.  and  it  is  a  withering  rejdy  to  all  the  idle  story-tellers  who  have 
attempted  from  time  to  tinie  to  make  the  world  believe  that  careless- 
ness and  brutality  united  in  driving  the  seals  hurriedly  to  the  killing 
grounds,  leaving  hundreds  dead  on  the  road,  and  that  bad  manage- 
ment, corruption,  and  dishonesty  reigned  supreme  on  the  seal  islands. 

In  another  part  of  this  report  I  have  given  a  table  showing  the  num- 
ber of  seal  skins  actually  recorded  as  sold  as  a  result  of  pelagic  sealing 
from  18(18  to  1804,  bo'Ji  inclusive,  which  shows  the  gradual  increase  of 
the  catch  from  year  to  year  as  the  sealing  fleet  increased  in  numbers 
and  efficiency,  until  the  4,.'iG7  skins  taken  in  18(»8  have  grown  into 
llil,143  in  1804. 

To  further  illustrate  the  growth  of  pelagic  sealing  and  the  havoc  it 
has  wrought  on  the  seal  herd  I  will  now  insert  another  table  comparing 
the  numbers  taken  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  with  those  taken  on  the  open 
sea  from  1890  to  1804,  both  inclusive. 


OHiviiil. 

Pribilof  If 

liiiuU. 


Otlicial.  ]>»•■ 

Ingic  ditrli,  Ascorrerted 
iiH  ciittMiil  in       l>y  tnulp 
riiitrt!  States  stiloH.  iidtling 

niiil  Virtiiria  .skins shipped 

(Itritisli  Co  vlaSiiPZ 

luiiiliia)  cim-  Ciilial. 

tomhoiisi's. 


20,  »95 

i;!,  4H2 

7,  5411 

7,  500 

18, 031 

65, 557 


61,H14 

60,  788 

71),  :i»4 

78, 08;t 

121,14;t 

394, 222 


aeo.ooo 

fl-.^OOO 
a  8,5,000 
10!),  669 
142, 000 

471,660 


;( 


118 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


f 


Those  taken  on  the  ishnulH,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say,  were  young 
males — the  sarjihis  males  of  the  herd,  those  taken  at  sea  were  taken 
indiscriminately,  without  repird  to  sex,  and  were  nmstly  gravid  females 
or  nursing  mothers  whose  young  perished  too. 

The  otlicial  figures  for  the  I'ribilof  Islands  catch  are  taken  from  the 
Treasury  agents'  annual  reports  on  tile  in  the  Department.  The  otlicial 
figures  of  the  pelagic  catch  are  based  on  the  reports  of  the  collectors  of 
customs  at  Han  Francisco,  Astoria,  Port  Townsend,  and  other  p(uts 
in  the  Tnited  States,  and  at  Victoria,  Hritish  Columbia,  and,  for  some 
of  the  years,  from  the  London  trade  sales  of  pelagic  skins. 

There  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  real  number  of  pelagic  skins 
taken  during  tlie  live  years  last  named  aggregate  .'»(M>,(MK),  and  if  we 
consider  the  1(»S8  sustained  by  the  wounding  and  sinking  of  seals  that 
are  never  secured,  the  numbers  would  run  up  to  threetiuarters  of  a 
million  destroyed,  lost  to  the  Tnited  States,  in  five  years. 

But  let  us  take  only  what  are  given  otii(;ially  as  entered  in  United 
States  and  Victoria  (British  Columbia)  custom  lumses,  '.i*M,22'2,  and 
allow  that  only  oO  per  cent  of  thenj  were  females,  or,  say,  2()0,0(M> 
mothers,  one-half  of  whose  pups  were  "cutout  aJive"  and  thrown  over- 
board at  sea,  and  the  other  half  of  whose  pups  starved  to  death  on  the 
rookeries,  then  the  account  would  run  thus: 

Male  seals  killed 194, 222 

Gravid  females 100, 000 

Pujts  "cut out  of  same " 100, 000 

Mothers  iu  milk 100, 000 

Pups  starved  on  rookeries 1(X),  000 

Total 594, 222 

But  coming  back  once  more  to  the  bare  ofttcial  figures  as  given  by 
the  collectors  of  customs,  what  do  they  teach  us? 

They  show  on  their  face  that  the  pelagic  sealers  are  reaping  the 
wealth  of  the  seal  herd  while  the  United  States  are  paying  all  the 
expenses;  that  during  the  existence  of  the  modus  vivendi,  when  it  was 
agreed  that  all  [parties  should  cease  killing  seals  until  an  impartial 
inquiry  and  investigation  could  be  made,  the  United  States  lived  up  to 
the  agreement,  and  the  pelagic  sealer  increased  his  fleet  and  killed  more 
seals  than  he  ever  killed  before. 

In  18U0,  on  the  discovery  of  the  decrease  on  the  rookeries,  we  imme- 
diately reduced  our  catch  from  the  legular  annual  quota  of  10(),(>00  to 
20,99r>,  but  the  pelagic  sealer  continued  on  his  cruise  and  captured  in 
the  whole  North  Pacific  Ocean  and  Bering  Sea  .51,iS14  skins. 

In  1891  our  catch  amounted  to  13,482;  the  pelagic  sealer,  in  spite  of 
pledge,  promise,  law,  and  two  armed  fleets,  captured  nearly  70,000. 

In  1892,  witli  the  modus  vivendi  thoroughly  understood  by  our  agents 
on  the  islands,  we  took  7,o4!)  seals  to  feed  the  natives  of  the  seal  islands 
as  per  agreement  with  Great  Britain,  aiul  the  pelagic  sealer,  in  defiance 
of  all  law,  took  7.'i,394. 

In  1893,  still  abiding  by  the  terms  of  the  modus  vivendi,  we  took 
7,500,  and  the  pelagic  sealer  took  109,000.  (These  figures  include  seals 
killed  on  the  Asiatic  side  of  the  North  Pacific  Ocean.) 

It  was  in  1893  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration  met  at  Paris,  and,  after 
carefully  reviewing  the  whole  situation  and  the  (piestions  at  issue,  a 
decision  was  rendered  and  regulations  suggested  for  the  settlement  of 
the  Bering  Sea  question  and  for  the  protection  of  the  fur  seals. 

The  full  text  of  tJie  award  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 

With  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration,  and  the  questions  of  national  and 


;  I 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


119 


re  young 
re  taken 
I  females 

from  the 
le  otlicial 
ectors  of 
ler  ports 
for  some 

^ic  skins 
11(1  if  we 
eiiLs  that 
ters  of  a 

I  United 
22L»,  and 
,  2()0,(M)() 
•\vn  over- 
th  on  the 


..  194,222 

..  100,000 

..  100,000 

,..  100,000 

...  100,000 

...  594,222 

given  by 

ping  the 
all  the 
en  it  was 

mpartial 
'ed  up  to 

ed  more 

ve  imme- 
[)(),(>00  to 
tured  in 

spite  of 
,000. 
ir  agents 

ivslands 
detiance 

we  took 
ide  seals 

id,  after 
issue,  a 
praent  of 


)nal  and 


international  law  decided  by  it,  I  have  nothing  to  do;  but  with  all  that 
appertains  to  the  practical  side  of  the  seal  question  and  the  measures 
which  should  be  adopted  for  the  absolute  protection  of  the  seals,  1  have 
to  do,  and  I  say,  without  the  least  hesitation,  tliat  tlie  regulations 
adopted  for  that  express  i)urpose  by  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration  are  a 
failure. 

That  the  two  great  nations  directly  interested  in  the  questions  laid 
before  tlie  tribunal  were  honestly  an.\ious  to  have  adetinite  and  mutually 
satisfactory  settlement  is  not  to  be  doubted;  that  the  (luestions  at  issue 
were  fully  and  ably  presented  by  counsel  on  both  sides  can  not  be  dis- 
puted; that  our  own  representatives  were  in  full  possession  of  all  the 
facts  and  testimony,  and  that  they  had  a  thorough  kiu>wledge  and  grasp 
of  the  actual  situation  is  shown  by  the  able  nuuiner  in  which  they  pre- 
sented their  case  and  met  the  arguments  of  opposing  counsel,  and  yet 
notwithstanding  all  this,  regulations  have  been  made  professedly  for 
the  protection  of  the  seals  but  practically  for  the  benetit  of  the  pelagic 
sealer. 

No  l)etter  proof  of  this  c(mld  be  given  tl.an  theoflhtial  figures  already 
quoted  for  18!>4 — a  total  pelagic  catch  in  tue  Ninth  Pacific  Ocean  and 
Bering  Sea,  t'tom  shore  to  shore,  of  142,000  seals,  while  only  10,031  were 
killed  on  the  Tribilof  Islands  from  Auyust,  IHO.'J,  to  August,  l.SS>4. 

Let  it  be  remembered,  too,  that  out  of  a  total  of  05  vessels  employed 
in  pelagic  sealing  only  37  entered  Hering  Sea  in  1894,  and  yet,  in  about 
five  weeks,  these  37  vessels  killed  over  7,000  seals  more  than  were  taken 
by  the  J».')  vessels  on  the  American  side  of  the  North  Pacific  Ocean, 
exclusiveof  Bering  Sea.  in  four  months,  from  January  to  April,  inclusive. 

That  the  regulations  have  already  accomplished  much  good  in  the 
Pacific!  Ocean  outside  of  Bering  Sea  is  freely  admitted;  but  so  long  as 
they  allow  the  same  seals  to  be  killed  in  August  in  Bering  Sea  which 
they  protected  in  May,  June,  and  July  iu  the  Pacific  Ocean  they  can 
not  be  of  permanent  benetit  to  the  herd  as  a  whole.  The  fault  is  not 
the  fault  of  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration  nor  of  any  of  the  American 
gentlemen  in  any  way  connected  with  it,  fo''  they  very  clearly  showed 
that  extermination  would  be  the  result  of  pelagic  sealing  in  Bering  Sea 
at  any  time  from  May  to  September,  as  the  following  extracts  from 
argument  of  American  counsel  will  show: 

PKLAfcIC   SEALING. 

The  Hritisb  coniinisaionera,  in  their  report  (section  132),  say  the coiist  catch  is  made 
from  February  to  .Iinie,  iuclnsive,  five  luonthtt,  while  the  BerinR  Sea  catch  is  taken 
during  July,  August,  and  part  of  September,  or  two  mouths  and  a  half. 

For  each  of  the  96  vessels  engaged  in  tlie  coast  sealing,  the  average  per  month  is 
113,  wliile  the  monthly  average  for  each  of  tiie  8(5  vessels  entering  Kering  Sea  is  290. 

It  is  at  oute  apparent  that  sealing  in  bering  Sea  is  over  twice;  as  damaging  to  the 
seiil  herd  as  sealing  in  the  North  I'acilic,  and  tliatin  three  years  8,000  more  seals  were 
tul;en  in  Ikriug  Sea  than  along  the  coast  in  half  the  time  by  a  Heet  numbering  ton 
vessels  less  than  the  coast  tieet. 

Certain  witnesses  examined  by  the  United  States  give  sutticient  data  to  show  the 
time  occupied  in  sealing  along  tlie  coast  and  that  occupied  in  Mering  Sea,  also  the 
catclics  made  in  each  place,  respectively,  and  in  many  instances  the  distance  from  the 
islands  at  which  seals  were  taken.  These  Lave  all  been  collated  and  arranged  in 
the  form  of  a  table,  an  examincition  of  which  will  show  that  they  fnlly  corroborate 
the  statement  that  pelagic  sealing  is  mncli  i  lore  damaging  in  Bering  Sea  than  in  the 
North  Paciific.  The  <irst  fonr  witnesses  were  examined  at  Victoria.  The  page  refer- 
ences are  to  the  United  States  case,  Appendix,  Vol.  II. 

Such  data  as  these  appearing  in  the  above  table  can  not  be  found  in  the  dei)08i- 
tions  appearing  in  the  British  counter  case.  It  is  unfortunate  that  this  important 
matter  should  have  been  left  out  of  the  British  testimony. 

This  testimony  further  corroborates  the  statement  of  the  British  commissionerH 
that  the  Bering  Sea  is  not  entered  until  about  the  Ist  of  July. 


I 


I  i 


i 


'f  I 


t 
*  I! 


V'  f 

11 


I 


i 


■  '■■■  i 


w 


120 


SEAL   LIFE    ON   THE    PRIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


Of  till!  iioliiKic  H«iil«rH«xainine(l  by  th«  Unlteil  States  (I 'iiited  Stiiton  niin\  Appendix, 
Vol.  II,  i»p.  ItlH-aOT,  tiioliiHivo)  7H  give  tustiinony  an  to  tlio  tiinit  tlusy  «'iitere<l  Ht^ring 
8eu.  Ol  tills  iiumlier  US  ciitored  the  sen  utter  .lune  2(»  and  HI  entmod  between  .Inly  1 
and  .Inly  15. 

Of  till!  ;{|ti  ilepoHltiimH  tiikeu  by  (treat  Hritaiu  and  printed  In  tlie  HritiHh  innntor 
cane  (A)i|nMiilix,  Vol.  II)  but  5  givi!  thi!  time  of  I'liteiinjj  llering  S»>a.  One  of  those 
(Minitr,  p.  lilt)  giveH  the  time  hh  "the  latter  jmrt  of  .lime;"  2  (llnrtiviMi,  p.  112,  and 
Fi^nera,  p.  P-Ti)  "early  in  July;"  and  the  2  otliera  (({iiudiii,  p.  HI,  iiiid  LntJeuH,  p. 
121),  ".Inly  20." 

From  the  teHtiiiiony  Htiited  above,  it  is  oviilcnt  why  (Jreat  liritain  failed  to  examine 
witiiestsos  on  thJH  ]ioint,Hiiii'e  the  liritish  eoiiinilHsionerHiiroiioHed  aHii  reHtrictixe  reg- 
nlation  that  Heriiii;  Sea  should  not  be  entered  before  the  Ittt  of  .Inly,  and  the  Kritish 
counsel,  in  iiresenting  a  sdieine  for  reiriiliitions  to  tlii^  trilinnal,  incorporated  the  Hiime 
suggestion  therein.  It  He,irc«'ly  seenm  possible,  in  face  of  the  evidemo  that  sealing 
does  not  usually  begin  in  Heriii^  Sea  until  .Inly,  tli.it  (ire:it  Itritain's  advisers  can 
really  believe  that  itwoiihi  restrict  pelajjie  sealiiiji  to  ]irobiliit  the  sealers  fronidoing 
what  they  have  never  done,  do  not  do.  and  never  would  do. 

Of  the  sealers  examined  by  the  United  i^tates  and  Oreat  Mritain,  2it  suggest  a  defi- 
nite piM'iod  for  II  close  time.  'I'liey  are  arraii^Mid  below  in  the  form  of  a  table, show- 
in;;'  tlie  months  ill  which  they  think  jx-laKic  sealiiij:  should  be  ]iriihibited.  The  lirst 
7  Were  exiimiiieil  by  (ireat  Itritaiii,  and  their  de)iositiiiiis  are  included  in  the  MritisL 
counter  case.  (Appendix,  Vol.  II.)  'I'lie  remainder  were  examined  by  the  I'nited 
States,  and  their  statements  appear  in  the  I'liitcd  i^tates  case.     (Ajtpeiidix,  \'ol.  11). 

These  men,  l>eing  jielagic  sealers,  know  what  nioiitlis  sealing  is  injurious  to  the 
seal  herd.  If,  therefore,  the  advice  of  all  these  witnesses  were  lollowed,  every 
month  in  the  year  would  be  closed  to  i)ela]u;ic  sealing. 

Tabulation  of  oi>uii<>iin  (if  inl(iiiic  Hculern,  nhowiiifi  <liirhi;i  what  niinitlix  iirolictioii  h  needed 

ill  III  fill  (J  Sia. 


I    4    i: 


■=    ►;    -4 


J^    = 


I — 


9 

i 


UIhIi  )w 

O'l.f.'rv 

E.  P.  .iliiicr. 
Gen.  Scott   .. 

LlllJcILS 

Coiinors 

Mureaii 

Alllll-I'HOII   . .. 

Aliilririiig... 

ISall 

Henri  Brown 

lireniiaii 

ClaiiHcii 

(duller 

Frnnlilyii  ... 

Funclio 

Oriffln 

Uitnium 

UailllH)!!! 

HarriHon 

Hansen 

Holt'mnn 

JoluiHon 

Kiernau 

Lawaon 

Lenard 

A.  McLean.. 
D.  McLean.. 
Sundwall  ... 


.Inly. 

.liily-AiijliiHt. 

.Iiiiin  ir.v  .Iiilir. 

■Iiilv  .Sc|(ti'iii"lH'r. 

.Iiily-I)iMt^ii)l«T. 

.Iiily-Sept»'nili<>r. 

.Tilly  .St')(t('tiil)er, 

A|i?il-.\iijjii.sl. 

.liiiMiary-Aiimint  15. 

.liily-Si'|(triiib(M'. 

.\|iril-I)c(eiiilier. 

Aiiril-Aiijiust. 

.Iuly-()ctol)i!r. 

A|iril-Noveml)er  15. 

Miiy-Septeniber. 

Jiily-Si'|)tenil)rr  15. 

A|(i-iI-.\uf{u.Ht. 

Miiy-Si-ptember  15. 

.Iiiiie  ]5-l)e'enil)er. 

JanuiO'v-Jiilv  15. 

.Tiily-N'oviimoer. 

June- 1  Illy. 

.Inly-Deconibcr. 

Mai'ch-Sei)tcniber. 

April-dctober. 

Marcli-OclolxT. 

Jiily-Aiijtiixt. 

.luiie  l.^-Oetober. 

Jilly-OctobtT. 


An  examination  of  the  foregoing  table  shows  that  .as  to  some  months  all  are  sub- 
stantially agreed  that  sealing  should  be  prohibited  if  the  seals  are  to  be  preserved. 
These  months  are  July  and  August,  the  principal  sealing  months  in  Hering  Sea. 

All  the  29  include  July,  except  one,  who  thinks  the  close  season  should  end  on 
July  15. 

Twenty-four,  or  four-fifths  of  the  witnesses,  include  August,  and  17  include  Sep- 
tember in  their  proposed  close  season. 


SKAL    lAVE    ON    THE    I'RIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


121 


On  till-  f'uctH  aliiiM'  Ntiitcil  tlic  rnittHl  Stiitcrt  claiin  that  the  fuUowing  propoHitioim 
lijivc  \utvu  ilHinoiiHtriiti'il  hcvonil  rct'iitatioii : 

(1)  That  ffiiiiile  Hcals  2  yi^ni'H  olil  anil  ovor  are  pregnant  at  all  times  when  I'onnd  in 
the  waters  of  Iterinji  Sea. 

{■2}  That  tlie  niirHiny;  U des  are  the  only  chiHs  of  Heals  whieh  feed  to  any  extent 

while  iielanie  Keiilin;;  Ih  ciirried  on  in  Meriiiii;  Sea. 

i'ii)  That  the  niirHing  fenialeH  are  taken  in  lar^re  nnnihers  over  50  niileH  from  the 
iMlantlH. 

(I)  That  the  Real  ]H\]m  arc  not  weaned  ni>ti]  after  the  Healing  seaHon  IwtH  elosod  in 
Herinj;  Sea. 

['))  That  the  Idlling  of  a  nursing  female  in  Hering  Sea  destroys  at  least  two  lives, 
nnnu'ly.  tlie  female  and  the  fetus;  anil  it  is  an  irresistible  eonclnsion  that  the  j)np 
left  11,  on  the  islands  by  the  female  killed  also  perishes  (see  i>ai)er  directed  partien- 
iarly  to  tliat  sulijeet). 

till  Tliat  in  )u)int  of  niimlicrs  ah)ne  sealing  in  Horing  Sea  is  over  twiee  as  destrnc- 
tive  to  seal  life  as  sealing  in  tlie  Nortli  I'aeilie. 

(7)  That  the  sealing  season  in  Itering  Sea  eomprises  only  the  months  of  .luly, 
August,  and  a  piirt  of  Sei)ti'mher. 

(H)  Tliat  all  the  sealers  examined  l>y  the  I'uited  States  and  (ireat  Mritain  as  to  the 
nioiitlis  when  sealing  sliould  he  |ir<ihiliited  iiielnde  .Inly  in  the  elose  season  ])rop()sed, 
and  nearly  all  include  August. 

(!•)  I'liat  to  open  lUuing  Se;i  during  the  mouths  of  .Fulv  and  August,  with  a  pro- 
tective/one  of  20  miles  ahoiit  the  I'rihilof  Islands,  ;is  (troposcd  bv  (ireat  Mritain, 
would  iiieaii  tlic  extermiiiatioii  of  the  seal  herd. 

(1(1)  That  alisoliit''  ])roliibiti(iu  of  pelagic  sealing  at  all  times  in  the  wliole  Mering 
Sea  eiist  of  the  ISO  degrees  nieriilian  fnun  (lieeiiwicli  is  necessary  to  preserve  the 
Alaskan  seals.     (Notes  for  I'liitcd  States  counsel,  ]i.  10.) 


it. 

-Jy. 

'inliiT. 

iImt. 

l)cr. 

lier, 

\M. 

lifllKt  15. 

ibcr. 
ilier. 

UHt. 


RKliULATIONS. 
[Kxtnict  from  Senator  MorKan's  opinion.] 

I  will  now  state,  as  I  gather  from  all  the  evidence  before  us,  what  is  the  evil  that 
these  (iovernments  have  found  to  be  so  threatening  to  seal  life  in  the  Alaskan  herd 
as  to  draw  them  into  an  agreement  tliat  it  should  bo  repressed  by  their  concurrent 
action. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  examine  .'igain  the  details  of  the  evidence  so  thoroughly  jire- 
sented  and  with  such .jiidici.il  impartiiility  by  Mr.  .Inst ice  Harlan.  I  can  tinil  no  tiawor 
omission  in  his  careful  statements  of  the  evidence,  or  in  the  conclusions  that  he  drew 
from  it  as  to  matters  of  fact.  I  believe  that  ho  stated  the  exact  truth  of  the  situa- 
tion, iiuil  I  fully  concnr  in  his  treatment  of  the  subject  and  in  the  eoiKdusioiis  that 
he  has  reached. 

The  ]iresent  situation,  as  I  understand  it,  is  as  follows,  as  shown  by  a  comparison 
of  the  Pribilof  and  jielagic  catches : ' 


Yi'iir. 
1890 

rribilof 
Isliiiiils. 

1 

2i,'j;u 

Total 
pi'Iiiuic 
catcli. 

5 1 ,  fliVi 

1801 

1'.'.  (171 

ri8,  iiuu 

1802 

i8g:t 

T.r.do 

7  "lUO 

7n,  ;i!u 

a8i).  UOU 

Total  . . 

48, 305 

273, 040 

a  Kstiiiiateil. 

In  1889  the  Pribilof  catch  w.-is  102,(517,  which  fell  oft"  to  21,234  in  1890,  and  this  was 
all  that  the  islands  would  yield  of  killable  seals,  leaving  a  deticit  as  compared  with 
the  previous  year  of  81, .379  seals  nixm  the  islands.  If  thi-.  contrast  in  the  number  of 
seals  that  could  be  taken  on  the  islands  in  1889  and  1890  was  due  to  the  overkilling 
of  males  on  the  islands  and  not  to  pelagic  sealing,  the  falling  off  of  numbers  wonld 
have  been  indicated  in  each  of  the  six  years  prior  to  1889.  No  one  has  asserted  such 
a  fact,  and  we  know  that  a  male  seal  must  be  of  6  years  old  before  he  is  able  to  take 
up  and  uiaintaiii  a  harem  on  the  rookeries.  So  that  this  falling  ott'  between  1889  and 
1890,  if  it  was  due  to  an  excessive  killing  of  males,  must  have  occurred  at  least  as 
early  as  1882.  This  is  not  true,  and  no  one  pretends  that  it  is.  The  killing  of  ;"l,655 
seals  that  the  pelagic  hunters  got,  and  at  least  three-fold  that  number,  inciudiug 

'  These  figures,  cited  by  Senator  Morgan,  include  seals  taken  off  the  Asiatic  coast 
of  the  North  Pacific  Ocean. 


1 


'i.'i 


L«i  ' 


'^•w^m 


122 


SEAL    LIFE   ON    THE   PUIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


those  tliat  were  lt)Ht,  must  have  reacbi-d  80(),()0()  seals  that  wi-re  destioyeiL  Of  this 
niiiiiber  threo-fdurtliH  were  females,  that  are  nut  kilhible  seals  ou  the  islands  and  are 
not  cuinitcd  in  the  I'rihilof  catch. 

The  vorilication  of  this  calculation  is  almost  perfect  in  1M92,  when  the  itclafjic 
sealers  took  73,0(M)  seals,  and  in  IX'.tl,  when  tlu  y  took  (W,()(K).  The  dose  appiuxima- 
tion  of  these  hjrnres  shows  that  the  toss  of  the  seals  on  the  islands  was  ilne  to  pelagic 
sealiiifi;  and  not  to  the  want  of  virility  in  the  hulls  <iu  the  breeding  grounds  or  to  any 
other  cause. 

That  the  process  which  has  actually  depleted  the  seal  herd  in  four  years  to  the 
extent  of  r)6!t,()(i5  (273,()0()  of  which  were  females)  is  an  evil  that  reejuiresto  be  reme- 
died, for  the  sake  of  the  protection  and  preservation  of  seal  life,  no  one  can  doubt, 
as  it  seems  to  me.  This  progressive  depletion  of  this  herd  of  .seals  can  not  fail  to 
destroy  them  very  soon,  and,  in  the  meantime,  to  deprive  tlie  I'nited  States  of  all 
possible  advantage  and  coni])ensation  derived  from  its  ett'orts  to  save  the  species. 
What  the  I'nited  States  has  done,  or  omitted  to  <lo.  to  deserve  treatuu-nt  at  the  hands 
of  this  tribunal  that  will  expose  its  lawful  indust^'ies  to  ruin,  its  revenues  to  deple- 
tion, ami  its  wards  on  the  I'rivilof  Islands  to  the  loss  of  their  only  valuable  industry 
will  be  an  iui|uiry  that  will  seriously  challenge  the  Justice  of  such  an  award,  in  the 
estinuite  of  the  civilized  world. 

The  evil  to  be  provided  against  by  this  tribunal  is,  clearly,  pelagic  sealing  with 
firearms. 

If  there  is,  or  has  been,  any  detriment  to  the  seal  herd  from  the  treatment  of  the 
United  (States,  on  the  islands,  the  facts  on  this  subject  were  not  unknown  to  Great 
Britain  when  thi;  treiity  was  made  and  before  ratilicatious  were  exchanged.  This 
subject  was  not  referred  to  in  any  t)f  the  correspondeuee  between  the  (iovernments, 
and  the  treaty  is  silent  as  to  this  supposed  mismanagement. 

Will  the  tribunal,  in  such  acase,  makean  oltjection  to  ]>rotcctingand  ))resei  vingthe 
fur  seals  on  the  water  because  (ireat  Itritain  lias  not  thought  it  ]>roper  <u-  necessary 
to  call  the  methods  intoiiuestion,  or  the  I'nited  States  into  account  for  its  maimer  of 
dealing  with  that  subject  o\\  landf  True,  if  it  can  be  shown  that  the  tlcpletion  of 
the  lienl  is  due  to  that  cause,  and  not  to  pelagic  hunting,  that  is  a  just  and  pro])er 
iii(|Uiry.  If  it  is  <lue  to  both  causes,  this  tribunal  will  deal  with  the  pehigii^  evil, 
that  is  submitted  to  its  consideration,  Mild  leave  if  to  the  nations  concernetl  in  the 
protecticm  of  seal  life  to  deal  with  the  evil  on  land. 

If  the  I'nited  States  are  not  so  wise  in  curing  for  the  seals  on  land  as  the  pelagic 
hunters  are  in  caring  for  them  at  sea,  as  seems  to  be  asserted,  they  are  ([uite  as 
earnest  in  the  wish  to  do  so.  They  destroy  no  female  seals,  while  the  ]ielaglc  hunter 
never  spares  (me.  They  do  not  tire  upon  the  breeding  rookeries  when  the  seals  are 
massed,  many  of  them  asleei>,  with  double-liarreled  shotguns  and  buckshot  car- 
tridges.   They  do  not  kill  indiscriminat(^ly  all  seals  that  come  in  sight. 

The  United  States  ])erniit  no  female  seals  to  be  killed;  while  73  per  cent  of  those 
killed  by  the  ])ehigic  hunter  are  females  heavy  with  young  and  almost  helpless. 

Ill  that  condition,  as  well  as  in  accordance  with  a  law  of  their  nature,  which  is  au 
ini])ortaut  fact  in  connection  with  their  domesticity,  the  female  fur  seals  re(|uire  » 
great  deal  of  sleep.  When  asleep,  they  turn  ujion  their  backs,  fold  tlseir  tlippers 
over  their  breasts,  and  curving  their  hind  tlippers  upward,  they  f«»rm  their  bodii's  as 
a  sort  of  boat,  the  s])inal  column  rt^preaenting  the  keel.  They  can  only  breathe 
the  n)i])er  air;  they  can  not,  like  a  tisli,  extract  air  from  the  water.  After  inhaling 
the  air  the  nostrils  close  firmly  together,  and  the  air,  lieafed  by  their  bodies,  ex]iauds 
and  buoys  them  up.  They  seldom  breathe  oftener  than  once  in  fifteen  minutes,  and, 
when  diving,  they  need  not  return  to  the  surface  for  air  oftener  than  every  thirty 
minutes.  We  know  nothing  of  their  habits  at  night  while  in  the  ocean.  On  hind 
they  are  so  boistenuis  at  night  with  their  bowlings  that  sleep  would  seem  to  be 
impossible,  except  fnmi  sheer  exhiiiistion.  They  have  not  a  keen  vision,  and  the 
sunlight  is  painful  to  tlutiii,  so  that  they  leave  the  land  and  go  to  sea  on  tlays  that 
are  bright.  This  ciiuses  them  toseek  a  sumiu(>r  home  in  a  ))lace  where  fogs  and  ruins 
prevail.  Yet  they  must  hii\  e  Wiiriiith.  Nature  has  iiniply  jtrovided  for  this  necessity 
by  giving  them  a  double  coating  of  thick,  strong  hair,  and  of  the  thickest  and  ttiies^ 
fur  that  was  ever  bestowed  upon  any  species  of  animals.  It  is  as  impervious  to 
water  lis  the  down  of  sin  eider  duck.  The  i)U])s  sire  born  without  this  fur,  and  hence 
their  aversion  to  swimiuing  until  it  li;is  grown  out;  and  this  dittains  them  on  land 
for  four  months,  at  Icist,  during  which  jieriod  tln'y  can  subsist  only  on  the  milk  of 
the  '  )W  senls.  While  their  vision  is  not  keen,  their  auditory  ciigiins  iind  sense  of 
smell  are  exceedingly  iicnte.  They  are  attracted  by  s(Minds  as  few  other  aninwils 
are.  In  this  faculty  they  make  ,".  dose  ai>proiich  to  the  endowments  of  mankind. 
Sir  .lolin  Tlioni|)st)ii  is  amused  at  an  account,  read  by  Mr.  .Justice  Harlan,  of  the 
seals  being  attracfed  in  great  numbers  near  to  the  shore  at  Hoy  by  the  ringing  of  a 
church  bell.  In  his  credulous  sport  over  this  inci<lent  Sir  .lohn  forgot  that  it  is  the 
jiersonal  observation  of  Mr.  Low,  one  of  the  greatest  notiiralists  who  ever  lived, 
the  friend  and  com|Hinion  of  Cuvier,  and  is  more  than  triuitirmed  by  M.  I'eron,  whom 
France  has  honored  in  the  most  conspicuous  way.    Lis  abilities  as  a  luituralist. 


.1 


SEAL    MFK    ON    THE    PRIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


123 


>«1.  Of  this 
ikIh  and  aro 

the  itoluKic 
iiliiuoxiniii- 
le  to  pt'lii>{ic 
itlH  or  to  any 

years  to  the 
i  to  b«  riiinn- 
13  can  (loiiht, 
ti  not  tail  to 
States  of  all 
the  sjiot'ies, 
at  tile  hands 
les  to  (lople- 
lilt)  industry 
ward,  in  the 

sealing  with 

tnient  of  the 
»wn  to  (Jreat 
inj;ed.  This 
loveri.nu'Hts, 

resoiviuj{the 
iir  necessary 
its  manner  of 

iU'pleti«)n  of 
t  an»l  proper 

pelajjie  evil, 
;erne<i  in  the 

,8  tlie  pelagic 

[are  qnite  as 

jlagic  hunter 

lie  seals  are 

kehot  car- 

jent  of  those 
elpiess. 
whiih  is  au 
Is  reqnire  » 
leir  dippers 
..  ir  bodies  as 
inly  breathe 
ter  inhaling 
es,  exjtauds 
inutes,  and, 
every  thirty 
in.     On  lanil 
seem  to  be 
ion,  and  the 
on  days  that 
ifisaml  rains 
his  neee-ssity 
ist  and  lines*^ 
npervioiiB  to 
r,  and  hence 
hem  on  land 
the  nnlk  of^ 
nd  sense  of 
hor  animals 
if  nninkind. 
rlan,  of  the 
ringinjj  of  a 
hat  it  is  the 
ever  lived, 
eron,  whom 
,  naturalint, 


a(4|iiainted  intimately  with  seal  life,  are  as  far  in  advance  of  those  of  I'lifessor 
Klliutt,  from  whom  Lord  llannen  (|Uotes  with  niiich  satislHction,  as  Napole4iu  was  iu 
advance  of  tiie  Sioux  chieftain,  Sitting  liiiil,  as  a  military  genius. 

I  will  presently  qiiote  something  further  about  fur  seals  Iroin  Mr.  I'eron. 

I  know  Mr.  Elliott,  whom  the  Kritish  (■overnineiit  hasdnblied  "professor."  I  have 
rcs)icct  for  his  character  and  sprightliness.  He  is  a  nainter  in  water  colors  of  no 
mean  pieteusions,  but  his  use  of  color  dot^s  not  stop  wit!>  his  canvas.  It  enters  intty 
all  he  says,  ami  makes  him  too  vivid  an  enthusiast  for  a  sa:'«  r>>li'vuce  on  (|Uestion8  of 
incasiiremetits.  statistics,  and  cold  facts.  Mr.  Lllioti.  was  out  on  the  I'libilof  Islands 
on  the  loth  of  .Inly.  WM).  taking  licld  notes,  which,  to  lie  of  any  value,  should  be  free 
from  all  romantic  ccuijectiire.  i'he  following  is  one  of  his  highly  colored  extracts  from 
liis  report  of  that  day  : 

"  111  company  with  Mr.  (iolVand  Dr.  Liitx,  I  made  my  plotting  of  the  breeding  seal» 
as  they  lity  on  the  Iv'eef  and  (jarbotch  to-day.  Here  at  the  very  height  of  the  breed- 
ing sc'.ison,  when  the  masses  were  most  coinjiact  and  uniform  in  their  distribution  in 
ISTL'-IHTI,  I  linil  the  animals  as  they  lav  lo-il:iy,  scattered  over  twict^  and  thrice  act 
miicli  ground,  as  a  rule,  as  the  same  number  woiilil  occupy  in  1H72— scattered  because 
the  virile  bulls  are  so  few  in  number  am'  the  service  wliii-h  they  render  so  delayed  or 
iiiipiitciit.  In  other  words,  the  cows  are  restless;  not  b»'ing  served  when  in  heat, 
tlicy  seek  other  bulls  by  hauling  out  in  green  Jagged  points  of  massing  (as  is  showu 
by  the  chart)  up  from  tlieir  landing  lielts.  This  unn;itural  action  of  the  cows,  or 
ratlicr  unwonted  movement,  has  caused  the  pnps  :i. ready  to  form  small  ]>ods  every- 
wLere,  ev«>n  where  the  cows  are  most  abundant,  which  shailows  t«>  me  the  truth  of 
tlu;  fact  that  in  live  days  or  a  week  from  date  the  suatteriii;;  completely  of  the  rook- 
cry  organi/.ation  will  be  thoroughly  done  It  did  not  take  place  until  the  20th  to 
tlio  I'iMh  of  .liily,  1S7-.  In  1S72  these  conm;  were  i»romptl.\  met  with  tiie  service  which 
tliov  ciiived  on  the  rookery  ground.  The  scattering  of  these  old  bulls  to-day  over  so- 
large  au  area  is  due  to  extreme  feebleness  and  combined  in  many  cases  to  a  lecollee- 
tidii  of  no  distant  day  when  tli>'y  had  previously  hauled  thus  far  out  on  this  very 
ground  Mirrounded  by  bareness,  though  all  is  vacant  and  semi-grass  ;>rowu  under 
and  around  them  now."     (  Dissenting  opinions,  Harlan  and  .Morgan,  |)p.  KHi,  U)!).) 

It  is  assumed  throughout  the  rejiort  of  the  Hritish  commissioners  that  pelagic  seal- 
ing is  not  necessarily  destructive,  anil  that,  under  regulation,  the  prosec^ition  of  it 
need  not  iiivohe  the  extermination  of  the  herds.  This  assuiii])tioii  and  the  evidence 
hearing  upon  it  will  be  elsewhere  particularly  treated  in  what  we  may  liave  to  say 
upon  the  subject  of  regulations.  It  will  t'lere  be  shown  that  it  is  not  only  destructive 
iu  its  tendency,  but  that,  if  j.ermittetl,  it  will  complete  the  work  of  jiiratical  exter- 
inimition  in  a  very  short  period  of  time.  Itiit  so  far  as  it  is  asserted  that  a  restricted 
and  regulated  pelagic  sealing  is  consistent  with  the  moral  laws  of  nature  and  should 
be  allowed,  the  argument  has  a  bearing  upon  the  claim  of  the  United  St.-ites  of  a 
property  interest,  ami  should  be  briefly  considered  here.  Let  it  be  clearly  nnder- 
sttiod,  th"u,.jiist  what  pclagit!  sealing  is,  however  restricted  tir  icgiilaled.  And  we 
sliidl  now  describe  it  by  those  features  of  it  which  are  not  dis|iuted  or  disputable. 

We  pass  by  the  shocking  cruelty  and  inhumanity,  v.itli  its  sickening  details  of 
bleating  and  crying  otl'spring  falling  u])ou  the  decks  from  t\w  bellies  of  mothers- 
as  ♦!u)y  are  ripped  open,  and  of  white  milk  How  ing  in  streams  mingled  with  blood. 
'I'bese  e'lormities  whicli,  if  attempted  within  the  territory  of  a  civilized  State,  wouhl 
si>cediiy  be  made  th«'  subjects  of  crimina!  jiiinishment,  are  not  relevant,  or  are  less- 
rch^vnnl,  in  tliiMliscnssion  of  the  mere  ijuestion  »if  property. 

It  is  not  contended  tiiat  in  pelagic  sealing  (I)  tlieriM'an  l>e  any  selective  killing, 
or  v2)  that  a  great  ev.ccss  of  t'einales  over  males  is  not  slain,  or  (;<)  that  a  great  num- 
ber (I  victinm  perish  from  wounds  without  being  r»'covered,  or  (I)  that  iu  most  luises- 
tln'  females  killed  aie  not  either  heavy  with  young  or  nursing  mothers,  or  (ft)  that 
each  and  every  of  these  incidents  can  not  be  avoided  by  the  selectivt>  killing  which 
is  pnicticed  on  the  breeding  islands,  We  do  not  sto|)  to  discuss  the  idle  i|uestionH 
whether  this  form  of  slaughter  will  actually  exterminat*'  the  herds  or  how  long  it 
may  take  to  complete  the  (lestruction.  It  is  enough  for  the  present  purpose  to  say 
that  it  is  simple  destruction.  It  is  destructive  because  it  docs  not  make  or  aim  to 
make  its  draft  iij  .in  the  increase,  which  consihts  ol  the  supcriliious  males,  but,  by 
taking  females,  strikes  directly  at  the  stock,  and  strikes  at  the  stock  in  the  incut 
dama;;iii|r  way,  by  destroying  unborn  and  newly  born  pups,  together  with  the  r 
inoihcis.  Whoever  nndertak«^s  to  set  up  a  moral  right  to  iirosecute  this  mode  (  f 
slauj,'hter  on  the  ground  that  it  will  not  necessarily  result  in  com)ilete  destruction 
must  iu;iintain  that  while  it  may  be  against  the  law  of  nature  to  work  complct*' 
<lcsiruction,  it  is  yet  lawful  to  destroy,  ".ut  what  the  law  of  nature  forbids  is  anj 
destruction  at  all  uiiliss  it  is  necessary.  'l\i  dc.-ttroy  a  little  and  to  destroy  much 
are  the  same  crimes. 

If  there  W(>re  even  stiniething  Icsk  than  a  right,  or  rather  some  low  degree  of  right- 
tor  nothing  other  than  rights  can  be  taken  notice  of  here — some  mere  convenience, 
it  iniglitbe  worthy  of  consideral  ion;  but  then?  is  none.  It  can  not  even  be  said  that 
pelagic  sealing  may  fitrni-<h  to  the  worhi  a  sealsklu  at  a  lower  price.     Nothing  cHtt 


[U 


124 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


"be  plainer  than  that  it  is  th'<  most  expensive  mode  of  cai)tnrins  sealH.  It  recjnirea 
tlie  expenditure  of  a  vast  sum  in  vessels,  boats,  appliances,  and  human  labor,  which 
is  all  nniie<'essary,  because  the  entire  increaPo  c.;.n  be  reaped  without  them.  'J'his 
unnecessary  expense  is  a  charge  upon  the  consumer,  and  must  be  reimbursed  in  the 
price  he  pays.  In  no  way  can  pelagic  sealing  result  in  a  cheapening  of  the  product, 
except  n|)on  tite  assumption  that  the  stock  of  seals  is  inexhaustible  and  that  tho 
amount  of  the  i)elagic  catch  is  an  addition  to  the  total  catch,  which  might  be  made 
on  the  land  if  capture  were  restricted  to  the  lan<l;  and  this  assum])tion  is  admitted 
on  all  hands,  and  <!ven  by  the  commissioners  of  Great  IJritain,  to  be  untrue. 

If  tliere  were  .any  evil,  or  inconvenience  even,  to  be  apprehended  from  a  confine- 
ment of  the  capture  of  the  seals  to  the  breeding  i)laces,  it  might  serve  to  arrest  atten- 
tion ;  but  tlieie  is  ntme.  .Much  is  said,  indeed,  in  the  repctrt  of  the  commissioners  of 
Great  Britain  concerning  a  supposed  monopoly  wliicli  would  thus  bo  secured,  as  is 
pretended,  to  the  lessees  of  the  breeding  islands,  which  would  eiuible  tliem  to  exact 
an  excessive  price  for  skins;  but  this  notion  is  wholly  erroneous.  (.Vrgunusnt  of  the 
United  States  counsel,  j).  it8.) 

'J"he  whole  herd  owes  its  existence  not  merely  to  the  care  ami  protection  but  to 
the  forbearance  of  the  I'nited  States  (iovemnuiut  within  its  exclusive  Jurisdiction. 
While  the  seals  are  ui)on  the  United  States  territory  during  the  sciison  of  reproduc- 
tion ami  nurture  that  Government  might  easily  destroy  tiie  herd  by  killing  them 
all,  at  a  considera)>le  immediate  ]>rofit.  From  sucli  a  slaughter  it  is  bound  to  refrain, 
if  the  only  object  is  to  preserve  tiie  animals  long  enough  toenal)le  them  to  be  exter- 
minatetl  by  foreigners  at  sea.  If  that  is  to  be  the  result,  it  would  be  for  tlu^  interest 
of  the  Government,  and  )>lainly  wit)  in  its  rigiit  and  powers,  to  avail  itself  at  once 
of  .^ncli  jtresent  valui;  as  its  property  )tossesNes,  if  tho  future  jtrndnct  of  it  can  not 
be  preserved.  Can  there  be  uun<'  conclusive  )>roof  than  this  ol'  siidi  lawful  ))ossos- 
sion  and  control  as  constitutes  jiroperty,  and  a'one  ]>ro(luces  and  continues  tlie  exist- 
ence of  the  subJtM't  of  it  ? 

The  Justice  and  ])ropriety  of  these  itropositions,  their  net  e;-  v'tv  tltv!  ;;oueral 
inteiests  of  mankind,  and  the  foundation  upon  which  they  rest  in  h"  ;  '  aal  prin- 
ciples from  which  rights  of  ownershi])  are  derived,  have  been  (  nrl,  .i.i.i  forcibly 
pointed  out  by  Air.  Carter.     (Argument  of  the  United  Stiites  eouu.sc).  p.  I'M.) 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  tliat  the  diuijier  meniuuiiji"  the  seals  in  IJering 
Sea  by  huntinf;'  in  July,  Auj^nst,  and  September  was  well  understood 
by  American  eounsel  at  Paris,  and  pointed  out  l>y  tlieni  to  the  arbi- 
trators with  rare  ability  and  coneiseness. 

As  I  write,  th<^  Congressional  Itecord  of  December  12  is  on  my  desk 
with  a  letter  from  Mr.  Elliott  in  which  he  speaks  very  disparaginj^ly  of 
our  agents  and  counsel  at  Paris,  and  of  their  lack  of  knowledj^e  of  the 
subject-macter  before  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration,  thus: 

.\t  the  time  these  articles  of  the  I'aris  award  were  ))ublishe<l  inunense  stress  was 
laid  ujion  the  fact  that  firearms  were  prohibited  in  Bering  Sea  by  our  agents,  whe 
declare  tliat  this  jirohibition  would  discourage  and  break  up  tiie  business  of  the 
pelagic  sealer.  They  were  strangely  ignorant  of  the  truth  in  the  matter,  at  least 
the  lawyers  were  and  they  had  nobody  on  our  side  witli  them  at  I'aris  wlio  really 
knew  anything  aoout  the  life  and  haluts  of  the  seals,  who  could  teach  them  bet!  sr. 

That  they  were  neither  infallible  nor  omnipotent  is  freely  admit- sal j 
that  they  nijij' have  made  some  mistakes  may  be  true;  but  thr    t;:  7 
left  beiiind  them  in  America  sin  equal  number  of  men  knowing  o.:. 
half  as  much  as  what  they  knew  about  seals  has  not  been,  nor  can  ii 
be,  shown. 

If  mistakes  have  been  made  at  all  they  were  made  when  \Te  tirst 
agreed  to  arbitrate  the  questioup  that  have  since  been  decided  against 
us  by  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration;  and  it  is  now  too  late  to  enter  into 
idle  discussions,  (criminations,  and  recriminations  as  to  who  was  right 
and  who  was  wrong. 

Having  once  put  our  case  into  the  hands  of  the  tribunal,  we  nuist  abide 
by  its  decision  until  we  can  with  lienor  and  dignity,  wortliy  our  country, 
bring  about  other  arrangements. 

That  the  regulations,  made  in  good  faith,  do  no«-  aceomplish  1''  -'bat 
was  expected  of  them  is  so  patent  to  everyone    *<ut  t  needs  no  ;; 
sion  here,  and  the  proper  steps  ought  to  be  tal-  .1  as  soon  as  i)os.m  jle 
to  remedy  their  defects. 

Of  one  thing  we  may  rest  assured,  and  thwi  i ',  that  August  and  Sep- 


m 


8KAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PHIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


125 


lor  can  u 


tember — but  August  by  all  means — should  have  been  included  in  the 
*'('lose  time,''  if  the  seals  are  to  be  saved  from  extinction. 

It  is  in  August  tlie  harems,  or  families,  are  broken  up  on  the  rookeries, 
and  the  motlier  seals  go  away  from  the  islands  to  distances  of  from  80 
to  200  miles  after  food  mid  rest;  and  it  is  i.t  August  they  sleep  soundest 
and  longest,  after  gorging  themselves  with  the  tirst  full  meal  they  have 
had  time  to  secure  since  .June.  In  August  and  September  the  weather 
is  usually  favorable  in  Uering  Sea,  and  the  pelagic  hunter,  having  a 
license  to  M'(U'k  and  nothing  to  fear,  goes  in  annMig  the  sleeping  mother 
seals  and  quietly  spears  tluin  until  his  vessel  is  loaded  with  skins,  and 
want  of  room  for  more  admonishes  him  to  stop. 

That  the  seals  liave  steadily  decieased  since  1884:  tliat  much  of  the 
decrease  is  due  to  the  .slaughter  of  the  fenndes  by  pelagic  Inniters; 
that  the  rookeries  are  in  about  the  sanu'  depleted  condition  that  they 
were  in  1834,  after  a  long  period  of  female  slaugiiter  by  the  L'nssians; 
that  the  remedy  api)lied  then  must  be  ai)i>lied  now  if  we  wouhl  save 
the  fur  seals  from  total  extinction,  and  build  u]>  and  replenish  t-ie  rook- 
eries, are  self  evident  ]>ropositions  an<l  cannot  be  denied. 

There  is  no  time  to  debate  mere  questions  of  detail,  and  we  are  all 
agreed,  1  think,  that  on  the  absolute  safety  and  continued  i)i()tection  of 
the  female  seal  ;''Miends  the  i)erpetuation  of  the  species.  So  well  has 
this  been  understood  and  appreciated  since  183.")  that  no  female  seal 
has  been,  knowingly,  killed  on  the  seal  islands  in  liering  Sea  for  the 
past  sixty  years. 

It  makes  but  little  «lilference  now  as  to  whose  theory  was  the  correct 
one  when  guessing  was  in  order;  nor  does  it  nnitter  much  as  to  whether 
sjR'ars  or  shotguns  are  used  in  killing  mother  seals,  or  whether  they 
are  killed  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean  or  in  JJering  Sea;  the  only  ques- 
tion worth  considering  in  this  matter  of  fur  seals  Just  now  is  ''How  can 
we  prevent  the  killing  of  females  f 

Fortunately  the  declarations  nnide  by  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration 
suggest  the  most  practicable  way  of  solving  the  problem;  and,  with 
the  consent  of  (treat  Britain,  we  can  solve  it  immediately. 

The  Tribunal  of  Arbitration  ims  declared  that: 

III  view  of  the  critical  condition  to  which  it  appears  certain  that  the  race  of  fur 
seals  is  now  reduced  in  consctiuencc  of  circumstances  not  fully  known,  the  arbitra- 
tors think  tit  to  recommend  both  (iovernnients  to  come  to  an  nnderstandinf?  in  ordor 
t()])rohibit  anv  killinj?  of  fur  seals,  either  on  land  or  at  s.-a,  for  a  period  of  two  or 
three  years,  tr  at  least  one  year,  subject  to  such  exceptions  as  the  two  (iovern- 
uients  might  think  proper  to  admit  of. 

Such  a  measure  might  be  recurred  to  at  occasi<mal  intervals  if  ionud  benelicial. 

In  the  spirit  of  that  declaration,  and  being  only  too  well  '.ware  of  the 
present  "critical  condition  of  the  race  of  fur  seals,"  a"d  fully  appreciat- 
ing the  importance  of  innnedifci,te  action,  if  they  are  to  be  saved  from 
extinction,  1  respectfully  offer  iht  following  sugg'vstious: 

(1)  That  the  Lnitcl  States  Go. ernment  shall  olUcially  notify  (Jreat 
Britain  of  the  failure  ;>f  the  "  icgulations"  to  adequately  protect  the 
seals  from  the  destruciivt'  work  of  the  pelagic  sealer. 

(-)  That  Gitat  Ihitain  sJiaii  be  requested  to  Join  with  the  United 
States  in  establishing  a  modus  vivendi  until,  Jointly,  they  arrange  to 
have  the  cooperation  of  both  Kussia  and  Japan  in  making  regulations 
for  the  proper  protection  of  the  seal  herds  coming  to  tUe  islands  or 
territory  of  each. 

(3)  That  during  the  time  set  apart  for  the  ujodus  vivendi  no  sealing 
vessels  shall  be  cleared  for  sealing  purposes,  nor  shall  seals  be  taken 
anywhere  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean  or  in  Bering  Sea,  excepting  what 
may  be  taken  by  the  Indians  on  the  American  and  British  Columbian 


mm 


r 


126 


SEAL   LIFE   ON  THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


^' 


coasts  for  food,  and  by  the  natives  of  the  Pribilof  Islands  for  necessary 
food,  fuel,  and  clothing,  as  was  done  during  the  last  modus  vivendi, 

(4)  That  Congress  shall  be  asked  for  an  appropriation  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  a  conunission  of  at  least  three  competent  and  disinterested 
men,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  visit  all  the  seal  islands  and  breeding 
rookeries  in  the  Bering  and  Okhotsk  seas,  and  any  others  whose  seals 
range  in  either  of  those  seas  or  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean;  to  make  a 
thorough  investigation  of  fur-seal  life,  and  to  collect  testimony  bearing 
on  the  habits  of  the  aninml  on  land  and  at  sea,  and  all  data  that  it  is 
I)ossible  to  secure  regarding  the  effect  of  driving  and  killing  on  land, 
and  of  pelagic  sealing,  and  such  other  information  as  may  be  deemed 
necessary  to  a  tiioj-ough  understanding  of  the  seal  j)roblem. 

(5)  Thrtt  the  said  commission  shall  be  ai)pointed  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  and  tliat  (ireat  Britain,  Russia,  and  Japan  be  invited 
to  appoint  similar  bodies  for  similar  purposes,  who,  at  the  completion 
■of  their  Joint  investigations,  shall  jointly  report  the  result  thereof  and 
suggest  regulations  for  the  i)roper  aiul  adecjuate  protection  of  the  fur 
seals  on  land  and  water. 

In  making  tliese  suggestions  I  have  kept  in  view  the  fact  that  with- 
out concurrent  action,  which  shall  be  mutually  satisfactory  to  the 
MiHoiis  directly  interested,  there  can  be  no  adequate  protection  given 
t<.  .  ils;  for  so  long  as  i)elagic  sealers  can  operate  freely  in  .lapa- 

iiese .  i.ssian  waters  during  a  "close  tinie"  on  the  American  side,  and 
vice  veii>a,  the  herds  will  eventually  be  exteriiuiated. 

The  question  has  been  asked, ''Sunposedreat  Britain  will  not  consent 
to  a  modus  vivendi  or  a  change  in  the  regulations  betbre  the  expiration 
of  the  tive  years'  term  establislied  by  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration;  what 
then?" 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  regul.ations  do  not  extend  to  the 
seal  islands,  nor  have  they  anything  whatever  to  do  with  our  work 
thereon. 

Let  Congress  at  the  present  session  repeal  all  laws  which  limit  the 
numbers  or  designate  the  sex  to  be  killed  on  the  islands,  and  enact 
laws  empowering  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  kill  without  limit 
whenever  it  may  appear  that  adequate  protection  to  the  herds  has  been 
sought  for  in  vain.  That  this  last  resort  is  our  right  and  our  duty  was 
plsiinly  shown  by  the  United  States  counsel  at  Paris,  who  said: 

The  wbolo  herd  owes  its  existence  not  merely  to  the  care  and  protection,  but  to 
the  forlieiirance  of  the  United  States  Government  within  its  exclusive  jurisdiction, 
Wiiile  the  seals  are  upon  the  United  .States  territory  during  the  season  of  reproduction 
and  nurtuH!,  that  Government  niij>ht  easily  destroy  the  herd  by  killing  them  all  at  a 
considerable  immediate  profit.  From  such  a  slaughter  it  is  not  bound  to  refrain  if 
the  only  object  is  to  preserve  tlie  animals  long  enough  to  enable  them  to  be  extermi- 
nated liy  foreigners  at  sea.  If  that  is  to  he  the  result,  it  would  be  for  the  interest  of 
the  (lovcrnnient,  and  plainly  within  its  right  and  powers,  to  avail  itself  at  once 
of  such  present  value  as  its  pro]»erty  possesses  if  the  future  product  of  it  can  not  be 
preserved.     (Argument  of  the  IJnited  States  counsel,  p.  134.) 

And  yet,  while  admitting  our  right,  and  asking  for  the  enactment  of 
a  law  conferring  the  authority  to  kill  every  seal  on  the  Pribilof  IsUinds, 
should  the  necessity  arise  to  demand  it,  I  abhor  the  thought  of  the  pos- 
sibility of  such  a  dreadful  contingency. 

While  it  is  well  to  be  fully  prepared,  let  us  use  all  honorable  means  to 
avert  it  if  possible. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Joseph  Murray,  Special  Agent, 

Hon.  John  (1.  Oaulisle, 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


127 


appp:ndix. 


PELAGIC    SEALING. 

Deposition  of  Milton  Barnes,  special  employee  of  United  States  Treasury 

on  St.  Ptnil  Island. 

Tebkitory  of  Alaska, 

St,  I'aui  Island,  hs  : 

I,  Milton  Bariu s, beiiiy  duly  sworn  iut'ordiiig  to  law, depose  and  say 
as  follows:  1  an»  a  ci'.izen  of  the  Ignited  States,  an«l  when  ar  home 
reside  near  Columbus,  Ohio.  Have  been  rempoiarily  stationed  dmiiija: 
tlie  last  year  on  the  island  of  St.  I'anl,  one  of  the  fur  seal  or  I'riUilof 
grouj)  in  Bering  Sea,  as  a  special  employee  of  the  I'nited  States 
Treasury  Department  on  said  island. 

One  day  during  the  latter  ])art  of  August  or  fore  part  of  September 
last  (exact  date  forgotten).  Col.  Joseph  Murray,  one  of  tlie  Treasury 
agents,  and  myself,  in  eomi)any  with  the  iiritish  coinniissioiiers.  Sir 
Ceorge  Baden  Powell  and  Dr.  Dawson,  by  boat  visited  one  of  the  seal 
rookeries  of  that  island  known  as  Tolstoi  or  English  Bay.  On  arriv- 
ing there  our  attention  was  at  once  attracted  by  the  excessive  num- 
ber of  dead  pups,  whose  carcasses  lay  scattered  profusely  over  the 
breeding  ground  or  sand  beach  bordering  the  rookery  proper  and 
extending  into  the  border  of  the  rookery  itself.  Tiie  strange  sight 
occasioned  much  surmise  at  the  time  as  to  tlie  probable  cause  of  it. 
Some  of  the  carcasses  were  in  an  advanced  stage  of  decay,  while  others 
were  of  recent  death,  and  their  general  a])|)earance  was  that  of  having 
died  of  starvation.  There  were  a  few  that  still  showed  signs  of  life, 
bleating  weakly  and  piteously,  and  gave  every  evidence  of  being  in  a 
starved  condition,  with  no  mother  seals  near  or  showing  them  any 
attention. 

Dr.  Dawson  while  on  the  ground  took  some  views  of  the  rookery  with 
his  kodak,  but  whether  the  views  he  took  included  the  dead  pups  1 
could  not  say.  Some  days  after  thi^can  not  state  exact  date — 1  drove 
with  Mr.  Fowler,  an  emjjloyee  of  the  lessees,  to  what  is  known  as  Half- 
way Point,  or  Polavina  rookery.  Here  the  scene  was  repeated,  but  on 
a  more  extensive  scale  in  point  of  numbers.  The  little  carcasses  were 
strewn  so  thickly  over  the  sand  as  to  make  it  dithcult  to  walk  over  the 
ground  without  stepping  on  them.  This  condition  of  the  rookeries  in 
this  regard  was  for  some  time  a  topic  of  conversation  in  the  village  by 
all  parties,  including  the  more  intelligent  ones  among  the  natives,  some 
of  whom  were  with  Mr.  J.  Stanley  Hrown  in  his  work  of  surveying  the 
island,  and  brought  in  reports  from  time  to  time  of  similar  conditicnis 
at  substantially  all  the  rookeries  around  the  island.  It  could  not,  of 
course,  be  well  estimated  as  to  the  number  thus  found  dead,  but  the 
most  intelligent  of  the  natives — chief  of  the  village — told  me  that  in  his 
judgment  there  were  not  less  than  20,000  dead  pups  on  the  various 
rookeries  of  the  island,  and  others  still  dying.  Dr.  Akerly,  the  lessees' 
physician  at  the  time,  made  an  autopsy  of  some  of  the  carcasses,  and 
reported  that  he  could  find  no  traces  of  any  diseased  condition  what- 
ever, but  there  was  an  entire  absence  of  food  or  any  signs  of  nourish- 
ment in  the  stomach.  Before  Dr.  Dawson  left  I  called  his  attention  to 
what  Dr.  Akerly  had  done,  but  whether  he  saw  him  ou  the  subject  I 
can  not  tell. 
And  further  deponent  saith  not.  Milton  Barnes. 


:1 


Wn^F 


128 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Deposit'ou  of  C.  L.  Hooper,  captain,  United  States  Revenue  Marine. 

DiSTRirx  OF  Columbia, 

City  of  Wanhinf/ton,  ss : 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  C.  L.  Hooper,  who  deposes  and  says: 

From  the  investifjations  concerning  seal  life  at  sea,  personally  con- 
ducted by  me,  in  the  North  Pacific  during  the  months  of  March,  April, 
May,  and  June;  in  Bering  Sea  during  the  month  of  August  and  partof 
September;  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Aleutian  chain  during  the  month  of 
October  and  part  of  Xovembei',  as  well  as  from  the  experience  obtained 
in  six  other  cruises  in  Alaskan  waters  and  in  liering  Sea,  I  draw  the 
following  conclusions : 

There  were  fewer  seals  to  be  seen  in  the  water  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Pribilof  Islands  during  the  summer  of  liS92  than  in  18111. 

At  least  75  jter  cent,  and  probably  80  or  IX)  per  cent,  of  the  seals  in 
Bering  Sea,  outside  of  a  narrow  zone  around  the  seal  islands,  are  females, 
7i5  per  cent  of  whicii  are  nursing  mothei  s  and  the  remaining  25  per 
cent  virgin  cows  too  immature  for  bearing. 

If  bairen  cows  exist  at  all  they  are  rare.  I  have  never  known  or 
heard  of  but  one  instance. 

In  iJcrIng  Sea  ujothers  go  hing  <listances — as  far  as  200  miles  from  the 
islands — to  feed,  codtish  furnishing  the  bulk  of  their  food. 

They  sleep  much  in  the  water,  are  not  timid,  and  are  readily  taken; 
and  their  deatli  means  the  destruction  of  three  lives — the  mother,  the 
fetus,  and  the  pup — on  the  breeding  grounds.  The  past  season  is  the 
first  in  several  years  that  such  deaths  among  the  pups  have  not  occurred 
from  this  source. 

At  least  70  i)er  cent,  and  probably  80  or  !)0  per  cent,  of  any  catch  in 
Bering  Sea  will  be  females,  either  actually  bearing  or  capable  of  bear- 
ing at  no  distant  day.  This  is  borne  out  by  the  character  of  the  skins 
of  the  Henrietta,  seized  last  summer  for  the  violation  of  the  modus 
Vivendi.  The  captain  informed  me  that  nearly  all  the  skins  taken  were 
those  of  male  seals.  Under  my  direction  an  examiiiation  was  made  of 
these  skins  by  N.  Hodgson,  a  man  of  exi)erience,  in  whom  I  have  entire 
confidence.  The  catch,  as  shown  by  the  log  and  sealing  book  of  this 
vessel,  was  made  in  Bering  Sea  ajul  consists  of  420  skins,  3G1  of  which 

lalefe, 
determine  the  sex. 

For  every  100  seals,  the  deatli  of  which  results  from  jielagic  hunting, 
not  nu)re  than  05  or  75  skins  are  secured. 

The  female  seals  are  widely-  distributed  over  the  sea,  and  hence  the 
establishment  of  zonal  areas  would  be  ren^lered  impossible  by  climatic 
conditions. 

There  is  a  wide  belt  of  200  or  300  miles  between  the  Commander  and 
Pribilof  groups  of  islands  which  are  devoid  of  seals,  and  hence  no  com- 
mingling of  the  herds  occur. 

There  is  no  foundation  for  the  statement  that  during  the  summer 
months  there  are  found  in  Bering  Sea  bodies  of  seals  which  are  inde- 
pendent of,  unattached  to,  or  do  not  visit  the  l*ribilof  Islands. 

The  annual  migration  is  caused  by  climatic  conditions  and  feed 
supply. 

The  old  bulls  are  the  first  to  leave  the  islands,  and  most  of  them, 
together  with  many  half  bulls  and  large  bachelors,  remain  in  the  waters 
of  Bering  Sea  and  off  the  coast  of  Alaska  during  the  entire  winter, 
individuals  rarely  being  found  south  of  the  fifty-fifth  parallel. 

The  major  part  of  the  herd,  consisting  of  females  and  their  paps  and 


were  found  to  be  feniales,  33  malefe,  and  26  those  of  seals  too  young  to 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


129 


Marine. 


and  Siiys: 
on  ally  con- 
irch,  April, 
and  part  of 
le  month  of 
;e  obtained 
1  draw  the 

nity  of  the 

the  seals  in 
ive  females, 
ling  25  per 

:  known  or 

es  from  the 

dily  taken; 
nother,  the 
ason  is  the 
ot  occurred 

ny  catch  in 
^le  of  beir- 
f  the  skins 
the  modus 
taken  were 
as  made  of 

ave  entire 
ook  of  this 

1  of  which 
young  to 

ic  hunting, 

hence  the 
jy  climatic 

lander  and 
ce  no  com- 

|ie  summer 
are  inde- 

Us. 

and  feed 

t  of  them, 
the  waters 
re  winter, 

pups  and 


-if 


young  males,  begin  to  migrate  about  the  end  of  October,  and  by  Janu- 
ary 1  all  <»f  them  have  begun  their  migration.  These  dates  are  some- 
what earlier  or  later,  a«'Cording  to  the  season. 

Those  that  leave  earliest  go  farthest  south,  arriving  on  the  coast  of 
California,  and  tiiose  leaving  hvter  reach  the  coast  farther  up.  Their 
arrival  is  coincident  with  the  coming  of  the  smelt,  herring,  and  eulachou, 
upon  which  they  feed. 

On  reaching  the  coast  their  migration  nmte  is  continually  toward 
the  islands,  but  following  the  general  trend  of  the  (u)ast.  the  inner  limit 
being  about  -J~)  miles  otlshore  and  the  outer  limit  from  7.">  to  10((. 

As  this  migration  progresses  there  is  a  bunithing  up  of  the  herd,  but 
the  seals  travel  independently  and  not  in  bands  or  schools. 

The  migratiiui  route  is  from  the  I'ribilof  Islands  through  the  passes 
across  to  the  coast,  up  the  coast  and  across  the  northern  sweep  of  the 
North  Pacitic  to  the  Aleutian  Chain,  and  through  the  passes  again  to 
the  islands. 

There  is  no  foundation  in  the  statement  that  the  l*ril)il<;f  fur  seals 
which  migrate  have  a  winter  home  oP  any  coast.  They  appear  at  about 
the  same  time  olf  a  long  line  of  coast,  reaching  from  Calilbrnia  to 
Washington.  When  they  are  so  found  they  are  known  always  to  be 
moving  northward  uj)  the  coast. 

The  herd,  by  reason  of  hunting  at  sea,  has  steadily  diminished,  and 
such  hunting  will  ultimately  destroy  the  lierd  unless  i)rohii>ited  in  the 
North  I'aciticand  Bering  Sea,  for  no  matter  how  small  the  annual  catch 
may  he  tliere  is  a  possibility  that  the  hunt  will  always  be  encouraged 
by  the  higher  prices  resulting  from  the  decreasd  catch,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  sea  otter. 

C.  L.  Hooper. 


Di'jmsifion  of  U.  II.  McTntyre,  superiittcndent  of  the  Prihilof  Inlands. 

District  of  Columhia, 

City  of  Washington,  ss: 

II.  11.  Mclntyre,  of  West  Kandolph,  Vt.,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes 
and  says : 

I  have  stated  in  former  depositions  my  connection  with  the  sealeries 
of  Alaska  and  o])portunities  for  knowledge  concerning  them. 

When  the  breeding  male  seals  lir.st  arrive  upon  the  islainls  in  the 
spring  tliey  are  much  more  timid  and  easily  disturbed  than  at  a  later 
])eriod,  and  might  perhaps  be  then  driven  from  their  chosen  places  upon 
the  rookeries,  but  at  a  later  date,  when  their  relation  to  their  neighbors 
is  fairly  established  and  the  cows  begin  to  arrive,  no  amount  of  force 
will  dislodge  them,  and  they  will  die  in  defense  of  their  harems  rather 
than  desert  thein. 

In  June,  1872, 1  carried  a  i)hotographer's  camera  near  the  Keef  rookery 
on  St.  Paul  Island  and  while  focusing  the  instrument,  with  my  head 
under  the  black  cloth,  and  the  attention  of  my  attendant  was  diverted, 
two  old  bulls  made  a  savage  assault  ui)ou  me,  which  I  avoided  by  dodg- 
ing and  running.  The  camera  was  left  where  I  had  i)laced  it  and  could 
not  be  recovered  until  seal  clubs  had  been  sent  for  and  one  of  the  bulls 
kUled  and  the  other  knocked  down  and  stunned.  The  throwing  of 
stones  and  noisy  demonstrations  had  no  eifect  whatever  upon  them. 
This  experience  only  emi)hasized  what  1  have  observed  on  many  occa- 
sions upon  the  islands.  The  female  seals  are  more  timid,  and  upon  the 
near  approach  of  man  show  signs  of  fear  and  generally  move  toward  the 
S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 'J 


p^ 


130 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


,1 


water,  but  tlieir  Hi^lit  is  lesistctl  by  tlie  bulls,  jukI  belbi  e  iuipicguation 
they  rarely  sueceed  in  eseapiiijr.  After  this  occurs  the  discipline  of  the 
harem  is  relaxed  mid  tlie  lemales  jjo  iiud  come  at  will. 

i  neither  sinv  nor  heard,  in  my  tw«'nty  years'  experieni-e  as  sui)erin- 
tendent  of  tlie  sealeries,  of  any  destiuction  of  i»ui>s  by  reason  of  stam- 
pedes of  seals,  hut  1  have  occasionally  witnessed  the  death  of  i)up8 
from  beinj;-  trampled  ui»on  by  the  old  bulls  <lurinj>  th<'ir  battles  for 
supremacy.  This  is,  however,  of  rare  occurrence.  Even  if  stampedes 
occurred,  the  lij>ht  bodies  of  the  females,  aveiaging  «)nly  80  or  1>0  jiounds, 
would  pass  over  a  lot  ol'  pups  without  seriously  injuring  them. 

Later  in  the  season,  after  the  old  bulls  have  been  superseded  ou  the 
rookeries  by  the  j onager  ones,  the  pui)s  are  already  able  to  avoid  being 
run  over,  and  as  a  matter  of  tact  the  death  of  imps  ujxju  the  rookeries 
from  any  cause  whatever  prior  to  the  advent  of  pelagic  sealers  in  Bering 
Sea  was  so  rare  as  to  occasion  no  comment. 

It  was  not  customary  to  drive  from  any  points  near  enough  to  the 
breeding  rookeries  to  cause  stampedes,  aud  even  if  this  had  beeu  done 
1  do  not  think  any  injury  to  the  rookeries  would  have  been  occasioned 
by  it.  It  might  cause  some  of  the  cows  to  move  away,  but  they  would 
soon  return  again. 

It  is  very  dillicult  to  determine  the  average  number  of  females  prop- 
erly assignable  to  a  single  male,  aud  ditlicult  even  to  ascertain  how 
many  there  are  in  any  given  family,  because  the  boundaries  of  the  groups 
are  never  well  detined,  and  such  as  would  be  said  by  one  observer  to 
belong  to  a  certain  bull  would  be  declared  by  another  to  be  in  a  ditterent 
harem.  The  surface  of  the  ground  mainly  occupied  as  breeding  rook- 
eries is  very  irregular.  Harems  sometimes  run  together.  Ledges, 
bowlders,  and  lava  rocks  hinder  the  uniform  mapping  of  the  family 
groups,  and  it  is  not  ditlicult,  therefore,  to  select  certain  spots  and  count 
a  number  of  female  seals  which  ai>pear  to  be  unattached  to  any  male. 
On  the  other  hand,  there  are  often  found  full-grown  males  upon  the  rook- 
eries at  all  seasons  with  no  families,  and  a  still  larger  number  with  from 
one  to  live  females  each.    Such  variations  have  always  occurred. 

With  our  present  knowledge  of  seal  life,  it  is  impossible  to  Judge  with 
any  degree  of  accuracy  how  many  females  may  safely  be  referred  to  a 
single  male,  liut,  by  anah)gy,  it  is  a  very  much  larger  number  than 
has  fre<iuently  been  named  as  a  fair  average. 

Horse  breeders  regard  a  he.althy  stallion  as  capable  of  serving  from 
40  to  50  mares  in  a  single  season;  cattle  breeders  apportion  at  least  40 
cows  to  a  bull,  and  sheep  raisers  regard  from  80  to  40  ewes  as  not  too 
many  for  a  single  ram,  and  in  the  latter  case,  at  least,  the  season  of 
service  is  no  longer  than  that  permitted  to  the  male  seal.  I  think  it 
would  be  safe  to  place  an  average  of  40  or  50  seals  to  a  harem  as  not 
excessive. 

It  is  not  unusual  during  the  early  years  of  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company's  lease  to  find  exceptionally  large  harems  containing  from  50 
to  100  females  each,  but  we  saw  no  reason  to  doubt  that  they  were  fully 
served  by  the  male. 

The  erroneous  idea  seems  to  have  gained  lodgment  that  during  the 
first  decade  of  the  lease  a  reserve  of  breeding  seals  was  kept  on  certain 
rookeries,  and  that  toward  the  end  of  this  decade  it  became  necessary 
to  draw  on  these  rookeries  because  killing  100,000  seals  per  annum  had 
been  too  much  of  a  drain  upon  the  herd.  This  has  no  foundation  in 
fact.  In  the  early  years  of  the  lease  the  transportation  facilities  upon 
the  islands,  both  by  land  and  water,  were  very  limited,  and,  as  the 
Government  agent  in  charge  (Captain  Bryant)  did  not  object,  we  con- 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


131 


)rogiiation 
line  of  the 

s  sui)erin- 
m  of  stani- 

tll  of  ])U])8 

DattU'B  for 
stampedes 
1)0  iKmiids, 
til. 

led  oil  the 
void  being 
3  rookeries 
s  in  Beiiiig 

ugh  to  the 
beeii  done 
occasioned 
hey  would 

lales  prop- 

urtaiu  how 

the groups 

(bserver  to 

a  dittereiit 

sding  rook- 

.    Ledges, 

the  family 

and  count 

any  male. 

n  the  rook- 

witli  from 

red. 

udge  with 
'erred  to  a 
liber  than 

ving  from 
at  least  40 
IS  not  too 
season  of 
I  think  it 
em  as  not 

jmmercial 
from  50 
were  fully 

uring  the 
ni  certain 
necessary 
inum  had 
idation  in 
ties  upon 
d,  as  the 
we  con- 


snltod  our  convenience  and  drove  more  frequently  from  near-by  rook- 
erics,  but  at  all  times  worked  the  more  distant  rookeries  more  or  less 
frequently,  Jis  appears  by  the  seal  island  records.  His  successors  in 
ottice  theorized  that  all  the  rookeries  ought  to  be  worked  in  regular 
rotation,  and  so  directed.  We  therefore  increased  our  number  of  boats 
and  niuh'  teams  in  order  to  transport  the  skins  from  distant  points,  and 
complied  with  his  orders.  But  we  did  not  (io  this  because  of  any 
scarcity  of  killable  seals;  no  scarcity  occurred  until  pelagic  sealing 
had  already  made  serious  inroads.  There  was  no  such  thing  ever 
thought  of  upon  the  islands  as  "reserves  of  seals,''  nor  was  any  diiier- 
eiit  jiractice  imrsued  in  respect  to  driving  from  year  to  year,  except 
that  all  rookeries  were  worked  more  systematically  after  the  tirst  few 
years  of  the  lease. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  first  lease  a  few  of  the  bundles  of  seal  skins 
shipped  from  the  I'ribilof  Islands  may  have  weighed  as  much  as  00 
pounds,  but  1  would  not  undertake  to  say  that  I  have  seen  any  weighing 
as  much.  If  there  were  any,  the  explanation  is  as  follows:  The  skins 
in  such  bundles  were  those  of  small  wigs,  and  such  skins  were  bundled 
together  so  that  the  tiesh  sides  should  be  covered  completely  and  no 
overlai)ping  edges  left. 

Kxcrement  is  voided  by  seals  upon  the  rookeries  as  often,  I  think,  as 
by  other  carnivorous  animals.  Those  who  assert  the  contrary  appar- 
ently exi)ect  such  discharges  as  they  were  accustomed  to  see  in  the 
track  of  the  herbivora.  The  excrement  of  the  seals  is  of  very  soft,  often 
semifluid  consistency,  and  in  the  porous  soil  or  on  the  smooth  rocks  is 
easily  brushed  about  by  the  trailing  llijjpers  of  the  seals  and  h)st  sight 
of.  Their  food  is  chietly  fish,  which  is  highly  orgaiii/ed  and  contains 
very  little  tissue  that  is  not  absorbed  and  assimilated.  The  excrement, 
therefore,  is  limited  in  (piantity,  even  when  the  animal  is  full  fed,  and 
from  its  nature  and  surroundings  easily  overlooked. 

H.  II.  McIntyke. 


HABITS,  AND   MANAGEMENT   OF  SEALS  ON   ROOKERIES,  AND  PELAGIC 

SEALING. 

Deposition  of  L.  A.  Xoyes,  resident  physician  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  from 

JcS'lSO  to  1892. 

St.  (jeorge  Island,  Pribilof  Group, 

Alaska,  ss: 

L.  A.  Xoyes,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  a  native 
American,  and  my  home  is  in  Eandolph,  Yt. ;  1  am  52  years  of  age,  and 
a  physicion  by  profession. 

In  1880  I  entered  the  service  of  the  lessees  of  the  Pribilof  Islands  as 
resident  physician  at  the  seal  islands,  and  I  have  resided  here  continu- 
ously ever  since,  excepting  an  occasional  visit  to  my  home  for  a  few 
months  in  winter,  once  or  twice  since  1880. 

From  June,  1880,  to  August,  1883,  I  was  on  St.  George  Island,  and 
from  1883  to  1884  I  was  on  St.  Paul  Island.  I  then  returned  to  St. 
Gectrge,  where  I  have  resided  ever  since,  except  the  vacations  aforesaid. 

1  have  given  much  time  to  the  study  of  the  Alaskan  fur  seal  and  its 
peculiar  habits,  and  I  have  watched  with  care  and  solicitude  the 
increase  and  the  decline  in  numbers  of  the  animal  on  the  hauling 
grounds  and  rookeries,  and  also  the  methods  followed  by  the  lessees  in 
taking  the  skins — the  driving  and  killing  of  the  young  males  of  from 


■Jri 


l\ 


r  1 


m 


li 


i,m 


132 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PKIIHI.OF    ISLANDS. 


if 


2  to  r>  years  (»l(l,  iind  the  saUiii*;',  ciiriii}*',  l>uii(lliii<>'.  and  sliippino-  the 
skins.  I  have  lik«'\vise  faiclnlly  observed  and  noted  the  coiniiijj  of  tlic 
seals  in  tlie  sprin;;',  the  hanlinji'  out  at  <lif1'erent  times  of  the  various 
ayes  and  sexes,  tiicir  disposition  on  tiie  iianlinj;  }>roiinds  and  rookeiics. 
the  formation  of  the  "liarem"  or  f.imily.  the  breaking:  np  of  the  liaiems, 
the  seatteriiifj^  of  the  cows,  and  the  <;eneral  interminfjflinjU'  of  tlie  sexes 
in  .September, and  linally  the  (h'i)arture  of  tiie  herd  fron  (lie  islands  in 
Novend)er  or  later. 

I  have  lead  most  of  all  that  has  been  written  within  the  j)a.  ;  (piarter 
century  on  the  fur  seal  cpiestion,  and  1  have  listened  to  and  taken  part 
in  many  of  the  controversies  indul;i>('d  in  by  my  associates  and  friends 
who  have  spent  nnmy  years  in  the  liir  seal  industry,  and  wliose  ]»raeti 
cal  experience,  with  ail  its  details,  yives  wei<;ht  and  value  to  their  assei- 
tions.  !t  was  1  who.  at  the  re(iuest  of  the  United  States  Treasury 
agent  in  eharj;e  of  the  islands,  measured  all  the  rookeries  and  liaulin<r 
grounds  on  8t.  (Jeor^e  Island  in  1SS7,'  and  1  have  kept  the  reeonl  of 
the  climatic  changes  (Ml  St.  (leorgesinccs  the  United  States  (iovernnieiit 
'liseontinued  the  nieterological  station  at  the  I'ribilof  Islands. 

in  addition  to  my  services  as  jdiysician  i  have  occasionally  taught 
the  school  on  St.  (leorgc,  an<l  1  have  k«']>t  the  hooks  and  accounts  for 
nnmy  years  for  the  lessees  on  the  same  island.  1  am  thoroughly  con 
versant  with  the  ordeis  issue<l  by  the  general  and  local  agents  of  the 
lessees  to  the  native  chiefs  in  n'gard  to  everything  appertaining  to  the 
business  of  taking  the  annual  catch  and  tiie  care  of  the  seals.  I  have 
been  intinnitely  ac(|uainted  with  the  Treasuiy  agents  who  have  had 
charge  of  the  islands  since  ISSO,  and  1  a(!ted  as  assistant  agent  myself 
during  the  temporary  absence  of  the  assistant  special  agent.  I  am 
quite  familiar  with  the  general  and  special  oiders  and  instructions 
issued  from  the  Treasury  Department  from  time  to  time  to  the  special 
agents  for  the  government  of  the  natives  and  the  care  of  the  rookeries 
ami  seal  herd;  and  I  know  those  laws,  rules,  and  regulations  have 
been  faithfully  adhered  to  and  fully  enforced,  i)ublished  repoits  of 
transient  visitors  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

The  seal  islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  George,  geographically  known 
as  the  Piibilof  Islands,  are  situated  in  Bering  Sea  at  about  170°  west 
from  (Ireenwich  and  5(5°  north  latitude,  and  they  ai'e  nearly  200  miles 
from  the  nearest  lan<l. 

The  climatic  conditions  in  their  immediate  vicinity  are  so  peculiar 
and  their  formation  and  situation  are  so  unique  that  it  is  not  hard  to 
believe  they  were  selected  for  a  home  and  resting  idace  by  the  Alaskan 
fur  seal  because  of  their  adaptability  to  that  purpose  and  to  that  only. 
The  thermometer  rarely  goes  higher  than  00"  or  lower  than  zero,  the 
average  for  a  number  of  years  being  35°. 

In  winter  the  islands  are  sometimes  surrounded  by  broken  ice,  which 
comes  from  the  north,  and  it  will  come  and  go  with  the  tide  and  curi'ents. 
generally  from  .January  to  April,  but  occasionally  remaining  later,  and 
again  not  appearing  at  all. 

In  June,  July,  aiul  part  of  August  the  islands  are  enveloped  for  days 
at  a  time  in  dense  fog,  and  a  clear  sunny  day  is  of  rare  occurrence.  Tlie 
atmosphere  is  damp  and  cool,  and  the  rain  falls  in  a  sort  of  fine  mist 
which  drenches  one  through  before  it  is  felt. 

The  islands  are  of  volcanic  origin,  and  the  shores  are  rough,  uneven 
lava  rock,  and  broken  rocks  and  bowlders  of  like  formation.    On  this 

'  The  measurements  were  made  very  imperfectly,  and  I  never  claimed  anything  Imt 
an  approximate  measurement.  It  was  my  opinion  that  the  numbers  were  exagger- 
ated, and  I  so  stated  at  the  time. — L.  A.  N. 


Iiiltliiiifi'  t]ie 
mill};  <it'  tilt' 
tilt'  various 
il  rookcrit's. 
tlic  lull  ems, 
>f  tiic  sexos 
e  ishiiids  ill 

)ii.  ;  (inarter 
[  tal-.o.!i  i>art 
and  tVionds 
iiosi!  practi- 
I  their  asser- 
.»s  Treasury 
111(1  liau1iii<; 
lie  record  of 
Uovernmeiit 
ids. 

lally  tau<ilit 
aceounts  for 
ouj>Uly  eoii 
^eiits  of  tlie 
liiiiii};'  to  the 
■als.  I  have 
ho  have  had 
ij;eiit  niyselt' 
igeiit.  I  am 
instructions 
I)  the  special 
he  lookeries 
itions  have 
reports  of 

jUy  known 
it  17(P  west 
y  200  miles 

so  peculiar 

not  hard  to 

the  Alaskan 

to  that  ouly. 

an  zero,  the 

sn  ice,  which 
nd  currents, 
g  later,  and 

ped  for  days 
xence.  The 
of  fine  mist 

gh,  uneven 
m.    On  this 

I  anything  but 
were  exagger- 


SKAL    LIFK    Ox\    THK    I'UIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


133 


rii};}icd  shore  the  Alaskan  fur  seals  make  their  smmiier  honu';  here  they 
;in'  horn  and  rear"d  for  tlie  lirst  six  nmnths  of  their  existence;  here 
tliev  conic  every  spring  as  regular  as  time,  and  here  they  reproduce  their 


>;pecie 


The  career  of  the  fur-seal  herd  on  these  shores  is  not  niiliko 


that  of  any  doinestitrated  animal — it  is  simply  a  stock-breeding  question. 
Areas  ujion  which  it  is  agreeable  for  the  females  to  breed  aie  carefully 
reserved  and  set  asiile  for  that  purpose. 

Kadi  year  a  snllicient  number  of  breeding  bulls  are  reserved  for  serv- 
ice on  tlic  rookeries.  The  utnmst  care  is  taken  tliat  the  future  of  the 
herd  is  not  Jeopardized  by  the  injury  or  death  of  a  female. 

So  accustomed  have  the,  seals  become  to  the  i)iesence  of  the  natives 
that  the  timidity  and  shyness  manifeste<l  in  the  oceau  is  not  shown  on 
the  islands,  in  tiieir  infancy  the  pups  will  approach  a  native  without 
1  fear,  and  later  on  they  are  readily  handled  and  the  sexes  separated, 
I  should  it  be  necessary  to  make  a  killing  of  pui>s  for  food.  In  the  hau- 
I  dliiig,  management,  and  enlai-genu'iitof  the  seal  herd  there  is  as  much 
I  amenability  to  domestication  as  there  is  in  a  band  of  range  cattle. 
?  Tlie  male  breeding  seals,  or  bulls,  begin  to  haul  out  on  the  breeding 
I  rookeries  early  in  May,  and  they  come  in  more  and  more  rapidly  as  the 
■:  month  advances,  and,  selecting  their  resjiective  stations,  lie  down  and 
i  sleei»  almost  continuously  until  within  a  few  days  of  the  coming  of  the 
I  females,  or  cows,  when  tliey  assume  a  sitting  i)ostnre,  and  set  up  a  bel- 
5?  lowing  noise  peiudiar  to  themselves,  which  I  sujipose  to  be  a '' call'' 
to  the  apiiroaehing  herd  of  cows.  It  is  at  this  time  the  bull  appears  at 
his  best  and  in  his  most  aggressive  mood,  and  n<uie  but  the  physically 
stnmg  and  successful  are  allowed  torenuiin  within  striking  <listance  of 
the  veterans. 

'•'he  cows  begin  to  haul  out  in  .lune,  and  practically  they  are  all  on 
the  breeding  rookeries  by  July  i').  Immediately  on  arriving  they  are 
taken  possession  of  by  the  bulls,  the  strongest  and  most  aggressive 
securing  the  greatest  number  and  guarding  with  jealous  care  and 
increasing  vigilance. 

As  a  rule  the  i)ups  are  born  soon  after  the  cows  reach  the  shore, 
though  it  occasionally  happens  that  a  cow  will  be  two  or  three  days  on 
the  rookery  before  bringing  forth  her  young. 

1  think  the  pups  are  all  born  by  July  22,  and  by  the  unddle  of  August 
the  cows  have  been  fertilized  for  the  next  year,  after  which  the  harems 
are  abandoned  and  the  bulls  begin  to  leave  the  islands,  and  the  females 
and  bachelors  (or  young  males)  intermingle  indiscriminately  on  the 
rookeries.  From  the  time  the  bulls  haul  out  in  May  till  they  leave  in 
September  they  neither  eat  nor  drink,  and  their  lean  and  lanky  appear- 
ance ill  September  is  in  striking  contrast  with  their  rotund  form  and 
sleek  and  glossy  coats  in  May. 

When  the  juip  is  born  it  is  utterly  helpless  and  dependent.  It  is  not 
amphibious,  and  would  drown  if  put  into  water.  T  ..  ve  often  watched 
the  pups  near  the  water's  edge  when  in  stormy  we  i  icv  the  surf  carried 
^tiiem  otf,  and  in  every  instance  they  drowned  as  soon  as  they  went  into 
deep  water.  The  pup  is  entirely  dependent  on  its  dam  for  sustenance, 
and  when  it  is  a  few  days  old  she  goes  into  the  sea  to  feed,  returning  at 
intervals  of  a  few  hours  at  first,  and  gradually  lengthening  the  time  as 
|the  i)ups  grow  older  and  stronger,  until  she  will  be  sometimes  away  for 
a  whole  week.  During  these  journeys,  in  my  opinion,  she  goes  a  dis- 
tance of  from  40  to  200  miles  from  the  islands  to  feed,  and  it  is  at  this 
time  she  fidls  a  prey  to  the  pelagic  hunter. 

Returned  to  the  rooUery,  the  cow  goes  straight  to  the  spot  wiiere  she 
lett  her  pup,  and  it  seems  she  instantly  recognizes  it  by  smelling;  and 


n"^ 


I 


It  I 


134 


SKAL    LIFP:    on    the    PRIIULOK    ISLANIiS. 


it  is  eipmlly  certahi  tluit  the  pup  ciin  not  recognize  its  dam.  1  have 
ofron  seen  pups  jittonipt  to  suck  cows  promiscuously,  yet  no  cow  will 
suckle  iuiy  pup  but  her  own.  When  five  or  six  weeks  old  the  pups  begin 
to  run  around  and  form  bunches  or  "jkhIs;"  at  seven  to  eight  weeks 
old  they  try  the  water  at  the  edge,  where,  after  paddling  in  the  shallows, 
they  gradually  learn  to  swim.  After  becoming  expert  swimmers  they 
continue  to  show  a  preference  for  land,  where  they  generally  remain  if 
not  driven  into  the  water  by  heavy  rain  or  wana  sunshine.  They  make 
no  effort  to  secure  sustenance  of  any  sort  beyond  that  furnished  by 
their  dams. 

1  have  examined  many  pui>s  at  the  food  killings  in  Xovend)er,  and  I 
never  ftmnd  anything  but  milk  in  their  stomachs. 

The  young  males  or  bachelors,  whose  skins  are  taken  by  the  lessees, 
begin  to  haul  out  in  May,  and  they  continue  to  haul  out  until  late  in 
July,  the  older  ones  coming  first  and  the  younger  ones  later;  ami  tbey 
herd  by  themselves  during  May,  June,  and  .July,  because  were  they 
to  approach  the  breeding  grounds  the  bulls  would  drive  them  ott"  or 
destroy  them. 

The  bachelors  of  from  U  to  r>  years  old  are  the  only  seals  driven  or 
killed  on  the  seal  islands  by  anyone  or  for  any  purjtose,  and  the  sensa- 
tional stories  told  of  how  they  are  tortured  on  the  drive  luive  no  founda- 
tion in  fact.  When  necessary  to  make  a  drive  tor  skins  from  any  given 
rookery,  the  local  agent  of  the  lessees  informs  the  Treasury  agent,  and 
obtains  his  permission  to  make  the  drive.  No  seals  are  driven  without 
the  consent  of  the  Treasury  agent  in  charge  of  the  island.  All  being 
ready,  the  native  chief  takes  a  s(|uad  of  nuMi  to  the  hauling  ground, 
where  the  seals  are  quietly  surrounded  without  disturbing  tlie  breeding- 
rookery,  and  they  are  then  driven  sl<)wly  along  to  the  1  '^'ug  ground. 

Since  the  in.iproved  methods  of  1S7!>  there  are  nod  of  greater 
length  than  L'A  miles,  and  the  majority  of  them  <lo  nn  ed  I  mile. 

So  carefully  and  so  slowly  are  the  drives  made,  the  men  driving  are 
relieved  every  hour,  because  of  the  slow  motion  they  get  chilled  on  the 
road.  Arrived  at  tlu'  killing  grounds,  the  seals  are  driven  out  from  the 
main  body  in  "pods"  of  20  or  .30  at  a  time,  and  experienced.meu  club 
and  kill  tiie  desirable  ones,  and  allow  all  that  remain  to  return  at  their 
leisure  to  the  adjacent  waters.  The  most  exi)crienced  men  do  the  skin- 
ning, and  after  then)  come  the  women  and  children,  who  carry  oft'  the 
carcasses  for  fumd  and  the  fat  or  blubber  for  winter  fuel. 

In  accordance  with  instructions  from  the  DepartnuMit,  the  Treasury 
agent  is  always  i)resent  at  the  killings,  and  he  has  fiUl  i>ower  and 
authority  to  interfere  in  all  cases  where  there  is  cruelty  i)racticed  or 
attempted. 

All  seals  killed  by  the  lessees  for  skins  are  killed  between  June  1  and 
July  30,  and  generally  the  season  closes  on  the  tHHh  of  July.. 

After  the  regular  season  closes,  in  July,  the  natives  kill,  weekly,  for 
food,  from  100  to  200  male  seals  whose  skins  are  large  enough  to  be 
accepted  as  part  of  the  next  year's  quota:  and  it  is  during  tliese  food 
drives  in  August,  Se])tember,  and  October  that  an  occasional  female  is 
accidentally  killed.  Ueing  mixed  with  the  bar,heh)rs  at  this  time,  some 
females  are  driven  and  jiccidentally  killed.  The  killing  of  a  female  is 
the  greatest  crime  known  on  the  seal  islaiuls  and  is  never  done  inten- 
tionally. Of  this  1  am  most  i)()sitive,  for  I  know  that  every  possible 
precaution  has  been  taken  to  guanl  against  it,  and  I  believe  there  have 
not  been  100  females  killed  on  St.  (ieorge  Island  since  1S80,  if  I  may 
except  some  killed  by  poachers  who  were  driven  off  before  they  secured 
the  skins  of  the  seals  they  had  killed. 


.,fe 


lie,  some 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE    PRIHILOP   I8LANDS. 


135 


Never  since  the  ialauds  luive  been  Aniorican  property  has  tJiere  beeu 
indistniiiiinate  killing  done  n|)on  them,  nor  hiis  there  lu'en  a  desire  ou 
the  part  ol"  anyone  connected  with  tlieni  to  injure  or  daina;ie  or  waste 
seal  life;  on  tiie  contrary,  everything  has  been  (U)ne  by  the  lessees,  past 
and  present,  and  by  the  United  States,  to  foster  and  protect  it,  and  to 
improve  the  methods  of  driving  tiie  seals,  so  that  the  herds  might  grow 
and  thrive  and  increase,  and  perpetmite  tiienisclves  indelinitely.  Laws, 
rules,  and  regulations  were  made  from  time  to  time,  prompted  by  expe- 
rience, with  a  view  to  add  to  thc^  valui'  of  the  property  and  to  abolish 
everything  tiiat  was  not  beneficial  and  in  strict  accord  with  the  most 
humane  principles.  To  this  einl  all  long  drives  were  prohibited  and 
arrangements  made  by  which  the  killing  grounds  have  been  brought 
as  near  the  hauling  grounds  at  is  practicable  without  being  injurious 
to  tlu!  breeding  rookeries. 

Orders  were  issued  by  which  the  driving  is  regulated  in  such  manner 
that  no  hauling  grounds  are  molested  or  disturbed  more  than  another, 
and,  being  taken  in  rotation,  the  seals  are  allowed  several  days  rest 
between  drives.  The  rules  for  driving  are  so  strict,  so  rigidly  enforced, 
jind  so  faithfully  carried  out  that  1  hardly  know  how  they  could  be 
improved  tipon. 

In  my  o|)inion  the  cows  are  the  only  seals  that  go  into  the  sea  to  feed 
from  the  time  they  haul  out  in  .May  till  they  leave  the  ).slands  in  Novem- 
ber or  December,  and  my  opinion  is  based  on  the  fact  that  the  seals 
killed  in  May  have  plenty  of  food  in  their  stomachs,  mostly  codfish, 
while  those  killed  in  .luly  have  no  signs  of  anything  like  food  in  their 
stomachs. 

Again,  the  males  killed  for  food  as  the  season  advances  are  found  to 
be  poorer  and  poorer,  and  in  all  cases  after  July  their  stomachs  are 
empty.  I  am  convinced,  therefore,  that  none  but  mother  seals  go  into 
the  sea  to  feed  <luring  the  summer  months,  and  this  accounts  for  the 
sudden  decrease  in  the  herd  after  the  sealing  schooners  became  so 
numerous  in  Mering  Sea  about  18<S-t.  The  decrease  in  the  number  of 
seals  coming  to  the  islands  in  the  last  three  ov  four  years  became  so 
manifest  to  everyone  iiccjuainted  with  the  rookeries  in  earlier  days  that 
various  theories  have  been  advaiujed  in  an  attempt  to  a(!Count  for  the 
cause  of  this  sudden  change,  and  the  following  are  some  of  them :  First, 
a  dearth  of  bulls  upon  the  breeding  rookeries;  second,  imjiotency  of 
bulls,  caused  by  overdriving  while  they  were  young  bachelors,  and 
third,  an  epidemic  among  tlie  seals. 

The  "dearth  ()f-bulls  theory"  has  been  tlnmmghly  and  impartially 
investigated  without  discov«'ring  a  cow  of  3  years  old  or  over  on  the 
rookeries  without  a  puj)  by  her  side  at  the  proper  time,  and  I  am  con- 
vinced that  the  virgin  females  coming  onto  the  rookeries  for  the  first 
time  are  the  only  ones  t()  be  fouml  there  without  pups. 

The  investigation  established  the  additional  fa«t  that  hundreds  of 
vigonms  bulls  were  lying  idle  on  the  rookeries  without  cows  and  many 
others  had  to  content  themselves  with  only  one  or  two. 

The  theory  of  "impotency  of  the  bulls  through  overdriving"  while 
young  was  also  found  to  be  untrue,  and  it  was  shown  that  after  1878 
all  long  drives  on  both  islands  had  been  abolished,  and  instead  of 
driving  seals  from  (»  to  12  miles,  as  was  done  in  Russian  times,  none 
were  (Iriven  to  exceed  -'A  miles. 

It  is  also  a  well-known  tact  that  none  but  the  physically  strong  an''. 
aggressive  bulls  can  hold  a  position  on  the  rookeries  and  that  a  wfc.*K 
or  an  impotent  animal  has  no  desire  to  go  there. 

The  epidemic  theory  was  urged  very  strongly  in  1891,  when  the  rook- 


ie 


m 


ai: 


f     ' 


\i  1 

■  t '   '  1 

'1 

''    c 

•■'  i 

;     -*, 

i  ? 

•r 


p^Tfmm 


136 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PHIIUI.OF    ISLANDS. 


eries  were  found  covered  with  dead  pups,  but  ji  eareful  and  technit^al 
examination  was  made  on  several  of  the  (lead  bodit's  without  discover- 
ing a  trace  of  organic  disease,  while  starvation  was  so  apparent  that 
those  who  exa!nined  them  decided  that  it  was  the  true  cause  of  their 
death.  Mad  sit-kness  or  disease  attacked  the  seal  held,  it  is  <mly  reason- 
able to  suppose  a  few  ;;rown  seals  would  be  found  dead  where  so  many 
yonn«;'  ones  had  died  »<►  suddenly,  but  the  most  <lili};ent  search  has 
faile«i  to  lind  a  jjrovn  seal  dead  upon  the  islands  from  unknown  causes. 

From  the  discovi'iy  of  the  islands  until  the  i)resent  time  the  llesh  of 
the  fur  seal  has  l)cen  the  daily  nie;'t  raticui  of  the  natives  and  of  the 
white  peojile,  and  yet  it  is  a  fact  timt  a  tainte«l  or  diseased  carcass 
has  never  been  known. 

In  my  opinion  the  solution  of  the  proolem  is  plain,  it  is  tlie  shotgun 
and  rilieof  the  pelauic  hunter  which  ar<'  s(»  destru»'tive  to  tluM'ow  seals 
as^  they  jio  bac^kward  and  forward,  to  the  lisliin};-  banks  to  supply  the 
waste  caused  b  ,•  fjivinj^'  nourislinuMit  to  theii'  youufj". 

At  this  tinu^  they  are  di'stroycit  by  tlionsands  and  their  younn"  of  but 
a  few  weeks  old  must  necessarily  die  of  starvation,  foi'  nature  lias  pro- 
vided no  othci  .  cans  of  sulvsistcnce  fos'  them  at  this  time  of  life, 

Tnlcss  the  pelagic  hunter  is  prcv«'iited  from  takiiiji"  seals  in  Ueriii}? 
Sea  and  in  the  North  Pacific,  the  Alaskan  fur  seal  will  soon  ceas.>  to  be 
of  commercial  value. 

li.  A.  N<)>  i;s,  M.  I). 


HABITS    AND     :\I  ANAGKVlKNT    Ol'     SIOALS     AND     Uf  I.KS 

I'ANIES — PKI.AtilC    Si;AI,IN(i. 


<>I 


Fl  li    COM- 


Dejmsition  of  J.  C.  Rctlpatli,  (i(/cnt  of  IvNun's  ini  ^7.  I'mil  InI<iiiiI. 

St.  Pail  Island.  pRiiiii-oF  (luotp, 

Aldnkaj  ss: 

tl.  C.  Rediiath.  beinj;'  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  an  Ameri- 
can citi/eii,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  I  am  4S  years  of  age.  At 
present  I  am  a  resident  of  St.  P.ud  Island,  Akiska.  I  have  reside<l  on 
the  seal  i.lamls  of  St.  (Jeorj^e  and  St.  i  aid  since  my  first  coming  to 
Alaska  in  IST.").  JNIy  present  occupatitui  is  that  of  local  ag«Mit  on  St. 
Paul  Island  for  the  present  lessees,  the  North  American  Ccmimercial 
Company.  1  have  a  jtractica!  knowledge  of,  ami  am  thoroughly  con- 
versant with,  the  liabits  and  conditions  of  the  fur  seal  as  it  exists  on 
the  Pribilof  Islands  of  St.Ceorge  and  St.  Panl.ainl  alsoof  the  methods 
adoi)ted  and  practic«'d  in  the  taking  of  the  skins,  and  of  the  several 
eftVu'ts  made  by  the  former  and  present  lessees,  as  experience  taught 
them,  to  increase  tln^  herd  ami  to  Imild  up  the  rookeries  and  pei|)etnate 
seal  life.  I  have  had  a  i)ersonal  experience  of  sev«'iiteen  seasiuis  on 
the  killing  grounds,  in  difVerent  situations,  from  that  of  seal  clubber  to 
foreman,  several  years  of  which  I  have  been  the  ri'sident  local  agent. 
My  position  as  local  agent  has  led  me  to  make  a  careful  study  of  the 
seal  question,  ami  it  is  my  duty  to  report  from  time  to  time  to  the  gen- 
eral agent  of  the  lessees  the  result  of  my  observations. 

The  Alaskan  fur  seal  is  a  native  of  the  Pribilof  Islands,  and,  unless 
prevented,  will  return  to  these  islamls  every  year  with  the  regularity  of 
the  seaso»  All  the  peculiarities  of  nat'in'  that  siirround  the  Pribilof 
grouj)  ot  islands,  such  us  low  and  even  temperature,  fog,  mist, ;  ,1  per- 
petually '"hmded  sky,  seem  to  indi-tit*'  their  (iincss  aiiti  adaptability  as 
a  home  for  the  Alaskan  fur  .-teal:  and  with  an  instinct  bordering  ou 


SKAI.    LIFE    <»N    THH    I'HIItlLOF    ISLANDS. 


137 


COM- 


OU 


reason  tliey  liavo  selected  these  lonely  aii«l  barren  islands  as  the  elioicest 
spots  of  earth  upon  which  to  assemble  anil  dwell  toyctln'r  <lnrin;;'  thelx^ 
six  months'  stay  on  land;  and  annually  they  journey  across  thousaiul'i 
of  miles  of  ocean  and  pass  hundreds  of  ishnuls.  without  pause  oi'  rest, 
until  tlie>  I'onu'  to  the  jtlace  of  their  birth.  And  it  is  a  well  I'stablislieil 
fact  that  u))on  n(»  other  hind  in  the  world  do  the  Alaskan  fur  seal  haul 
out  of  water. 

lOarly  in  .May  the  bulls  ap|)roach  the  islaiwls  ard,  after  cautiously  aiul 
carefully  rcc(Miii(U.<'rinj;  the  surroundinj{s,  haul  out  and  st'leci  tln'ir 
sittnitions  on  the  rookeries,  where  they  patiently  await  the  coininji  of 
the  cows.  When  tiiey  first  appeal'  upon  the  rookeries  the  bulls  are  f'lt 
and  sleek  and  very  aj;j;i'essive,  but  after  a  stay  of  from  three  to  four 
m(»iiths,  without  food,  they  crawl  away  from  tlu'  rookeiies  in  a  very 
lean  c(»ndition.  In  my  opinion  the  bull  seal  icturns  to  the  spot  ho 
occupied  tlu'  preeediiifj-  years,  and  i  know  (if  several  instances,  where 
he  could  be  distiufiuished  by  the  loss  of  an  eye  or  a  lli|»per,  in  which 
he  actually  did  return  foi-  a  series  of  years  to  the  sanu'  sjtot. 

The  mother  seals  or  cows  commence  to  haid  abont  June  10, and  nearly 
all  of  them  are  ori  the  rookeries  by  .Inly  ir»,  ami  1  believe  they  brins 
fortii  theii'  youufjf  almost  immediately  aftci-  reat'liiu}''  their  places  on  the 
rookeries.  When  the  pup  is  from  four  t(»  six  days  old  the  motliei-  jjoes 
int(»  th  '  water  for  food  and,  as  tiiiu'  passes,  her  stay  becomes  lonjii'er, 
until  linally  she  will  be  away  from  her  pup  for  several  days  at  a  time, 
and  sometimes  for  a  wiiole  week.  Durinu'  these  lon;;:('r  mi};'rations  she 
often  jioes  liOO  mih'sfrom  the  rookery,  and  1  have  been  inlbrnu'd  by  meu 
who  were  eiifjajied  in  the  tra«le  of  pelajiic  huntinf«-  that  they  luul  taken 
"iu(»tln'is  in  milk"  at  a  <listanceof  JttO  mih's  from  the  seal  islands. 

No  cow  will  nurs-U'  any  jJiip  luit  her  <t\vn,  and  1  have  olten  watched 
the  pups  attempt  to  suck  cows,  but  they  wow  always  driven  olV;  and 
this  fact  convinces  \\\o  (hat  the  cow  re«*oj;iii/es  her  own  ])up  and  tiiat 
the  pup  d(»es  not  know  its  dam.  At  birth  and  for  sevt'ral  weeks  after, 
the  pup  is  utterly  helpless  and  entirely  depeiulent  on  its  dam  for  sus- 
teiiaiu'e:  ami  should  iinythin<j'  pievMit  her  return  durinj;'  this  period  it 
(lies  on  the  lookery.  Tliis  has  been  dcnu)nstrat«'d  beyond  adoibt  since 
the  sealiii}'"  vessels  have  operated  largely  in  Ueriii};  Sea  durinj;  the 
months  of  .Inly,  Auijust,  and  Septend)er,  and  which,  killinj''  the  cows 
at  the  feedinfr  j^ronuds,  left  the  pups  to  die  on  the  islaiuls. 

At  about ."»  weeks  old  the  pups  bef>in  to  run  about  and  e(mj;re}j:ate  in 
Ituiiclu's  or  "p(»ds,''  and  at  (»  td  S  weeks  ohl  they  {"-o  into  the  shallow 
water  and  "gradually  learn  to  swim. 

They  are  not  amphibious  when  born,  nor  can  they  swim  tor  s«'\eral 
weeks  thereafter,  and  were  they  put  into  the  water  w(tnld  perish 
h«'yond  a  dtmbt,  as  has  been  w(>ll  established  by  the  drowninj-'  ol  pui>8 
caujtht  l»y  the  surf  in  stormy  weather.  After  learning  to  swim  the 
pups  still  draw  their  sustenanc*'  fi'  "i  the  cows,  and  I  have  noticed  at 
the  annual  fjllin^  of  pups  for  food  in  Novendter  that  their  stoimirhs 
were  alwa.NS  full  ot  milk.  »nd  nofl(inf>'  else,  althouiih  the  cows  had  h'ft 
the  island  soi'u-  days  before.  I  have  no  knowledy'e  of  the  pups  obtain- 
iiij;  snstenani  eo(  any  kiiul  except  that  furnished  by  the  cows;  nor  have 
1  ever  seen  an.\  thiiifi:  but  milk  in  a  dead  ])Up's  stonujch.  The  yonnjf 
males  from  li  to  "»  years  old,  whos«'  skins  are  taken  by  the  lessees,  bejrin 
to  haul  nut  (Ml  land  in  May,  ami  tlM>y  eonliniu'  to  haul  ont  till  .Inly. 
They  herd  by  themselves  dnriu};-  the  months  of  May,  .lune,  an<l  -Inly, 
and  they  <lo  this  because,  during  tin'  breediufj^  season,  they  dar«'  not 
aitpioiieh  the  breeding  i<»okeries,  or  the  bulls  would  destroy  them. 
iU\'\\\y;  thus  «lebarred  tVom  a  position  on  the  breediiif;  rookeries  or  from 


pppp 


138 


SEAL   LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOP   ISLANDS. 


! 


intermingling  with  the  cows,  they  herd  together  ou  the  hauliisg  grounds, 
where  they  are  easily  ai)i)roached  and  surrounded  by  tlie  natives,  who 
drive  them  to  the  killing  grounds  without  disturbing  the  breeding 
rookeries. 

Young  males  killed  in  May  and  June,  when  examined  are  found  to 
be  in  prime  condition,  and  their  stomachs  are  tilled  with  lish — princi- 
pally codfish — but  those  killed  later  in  the  season  are  found  to  be  poor 
and  lean  and  their  stomachs  empty;  which  shows  that  the  males  rjirely 
leave  the  islands  for  food  during  the  sumnier  months. 

Statute  law  forbids  tlie  killing  of  the  fcnnile  seal,  and  nature  regu- 
lates the  matter  so  that  there  is  no  danger  of  their  being  driven  or  killed 
during  the  regular  killing  season,  which  takes  ])lace  in  June  and  .Inly, 
when  all  the  "killing  for  skins"  is  done;  and  after  all  my  cxi)erience 
here  I  am  free  to  say  that  a  small  fraction  of  1  per  cent  would  repre- 
sent all  the  females  killetl  on  the  islands  since  they  became  the  prop- 
erty of  the  United  States. 

The  compact  family  arrangement  so  teiuiciously  adhered  to  during 
the  breeding  season  becomes  relaxed  in  August,  and  the  females  scatter, 
and  a  few  of  them  mix  with  the  young  males,  and  when  the  nittives 
make  a  drive  for  food  it  occasionally  hai)i)ens  that  a  female  will  accom- 
pany the  males,  and  sometimes  one  or  two  may  be  acci<lentally  killed. 
I  use  the  word  "accidentally"  advisedly,  because  there  is  no  good  reason 
why  the  natives  or  the  lessees  should  kill  a  female  designedly,  as  the 
skin  is  of  no  more  use  or  value  (if  so  much),  nor  its  llesh  as  good  for 
food  as  is  that  of  the  male.  xVnd,  excepting  accidents,  it  is  a  fact  that 
no  female  seals  are,  or  ever  were,  killed  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  since 
American  rules  and  regulations  were  established  there. 

The  regular  killing  season  for  the  skins  under  the  lease  begins  June 
1  and  ends  practically  the  last  of  July;  and  during  this  period  the 
first-class  Alaskan  fur-seal  skins  are  taken.  Tho  seals  are  driven  from 
the  hauling  to  the  killing  grounds  by  experienied  natives  under  the 
orders  of  the  native  chief,  and  the  constant  aim  md  object  of  all  con- 
cerned is  to  exercise  the  greatest  care  in  driving  so  that  the  animals 
may  not  be  injured  or  abused  in  any  manner.  As  the  regulations  require 
the  lessees  to  pay  for  every  skin  taken  from  seals  killed  by  the  orders 
of  their  local  agents,  and  as  the  skin  of  an  overheated  seal  is  valueless, 
it  is  only  reasonable  to  8ui)pose  that  they  wcmld  be  the  last  men  living 
to  encourage  and  allow  their  employees  to  overtlrive  or  in  any  nninner 
injure  the  seals.  I  know  that  the  (U'ders  given  to  me  as  local  agent 
were  always  of  the  most  ])ositive  and  emphatic  kind  on  this  point,  and 
they  were  always  obeyed  to  the  letter.  Instead  of  overdriving  or  neg- 
lecting the  seals,  the  lessees  have  endeavored  to  do  everything  in  their 
pov/ev  to  shorten  the  distance  between  the  hauling  and  killing  grounds, 
or  between  ilio  hauling  grounds  and  the  salt  house. 

Before  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  leased  the  seal  islands  in 
1870  it  was  a  common  practice  to  drive  seals  from  Northeast  Point  to 
the  village  of  St.  I'aul  Island,  a  distance  of  12  miles,  and  from  Zapadnie 
to  the  village  of  St.  George  Island,  a  distance  of  (>  miles,  across  a  very 
rough  ami  rugged  country. 

From  Halfway  Point  and  from  Zapadnie  on  St.  Paul  Island  seals 
were  driven  respectively  5  and  (»  miles.  When  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company  took  control  of  the  islands  the  drive  from  Northeast  Point 
was  prohibited,  and  a  salt  house  and  other  necessary  buildings  erected 
within  2  miles  of  the  killing  ground,  and  all  the  skins  taken  tliere  were 
salted  and  st(ued  and  shipped  from  Northeast  Point.  In  187'.>  a  killing 
ground  was  miule  and  a  salt  house  built  at  Halfway  Point,  within  2 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRII'.ILOF    ISLANDS. 


139 


luiles  of  tlie  liauliny-  grounds,  aiul  all  skins  taken  at  the  Point  aie  salted 
there.  At  Zai)adnie  the  same  year  a  killing  ground  was  made  withiu 
a  mile  of  the  liauling  ground,  and  the  skins  taken  there  are  taken  to 
the  village  salt  lio;ise  in  boats,  or  when  the  weather  is  unfavorable  by 
team  and  wagon. 

8in»'e  1878  there  has  not  been  a  drive  n  ade  on  St.  Paul  Island  to 
exceed  2  miles.  At  Zapailnie,  St.  George,  a  salt  bouse  was  built  about 
1875  and  tlie  0-mile  drive  prohibited  an<l  a  trail  made  at  gieat  expense 
across  the  island,  over  which  the  skins  are  taken  on  pack  saddles  to  the 
village.  Since  1874  no  seals  have  b«'en  driven  on  St.  (leorge  Island  to 
exceed  L'A  miles. 

Although  the  seals  are  comparatively  tanu;  after  being  on  the  land 
for  a  short  time  and  do  not  get  scared  so  easily  as  is  (!onnnonly  sui)posed, 
the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Treasury  Department  are  very  strict 
on  the  question  of  absolute  protection  to  the  seals  on  the  islands,  and 
the  Treasury  agents  have  always  most  rigidly  entbrced  them. 

It  is  unlawful  to  tire  a  gun  on  the  islands  from  the  time  tlie  Hrstseal 
appears  in  the  spring  until  the  last  one  lea  /es  at  the  end  of  rhe  season; 
and  in  order  to  properly  enforce  this  law  the  firearms  are  taken  from 
the  natives  and  locked  up  in  the  Govciiunent  house  in  «are  of  the 
Treasury  agents. 

!No  pe'son  is  allowed  to  go  near  a  rookery  unless  by  special  order  of 
the  Treasury  agent,  and,  when  driving  from  the  hauling  grounds,  the 
natives  are  forbidden  to  smoke  or  make  any  unusual  noise,  or  to  < o  any- 
tiiing  that  might  disturb  or  frighten  The  seals.  All  driving  is  done 
when  the  weather  is  cool  and  moist,  an<l  when  the  condition  of  the 
weather  <iemands  it  the  drives  are  made  in  the  cool  of  the  night,  and 
in  no  case  are  seals  driven  at  a  higher  i"ate  of  speed  than  about  half  a 
mile  an  hour.  So  ciuefully  is  the  <lriving  done  that  it  has  been  found 
necessary  to  divide  the  native  drivers  into  several  "watches,"  which 
relieve  each  other  on  the  road,  because  the  pace  being  so  slow  the  men 
get  cohl. 

From  187r>  to  188;{  it  was  no  uncoiiniion  thing  lor  the  lessees  to  take 
the  annual  quota  <>f  100,000  skins  between  .lune  1  and  rluly  L'(),  and  yet 
there  was  no  sign  of  any  dee  i-^e,  but  rather  an  expansion  of  most  of 
the  ro(>keries 

I  do  not  ])retend  to  be  able  t<-  say  liow  nniny  seals  there  ;ire.  or  ever 
were,  on  the  rookeries;  nor  do  I  l)elie\('  nybody  else  can  tell:  lor  the 
rookeries  are  so  broken  and  tilled  witii  rocKs  it  is  impossible  to  esti- 
mate the  inimln'r  of  seals  upon  them  vith  any  approach  to  accuracy. 
The  lines  of  exi)ansion  and  contraction  are  ])lain  eiiougli,  mikI  ean  be 
seen  and  understood  by  the  whole  community. 

Unt  1  18.S4  sealing  schooners  were  seen  but  veiy  seldom  iicar  tiie 
islands  or  in  l»ering  Sea,  and  the  few  seals  taken  ■>  the  hunters  who 
raided  the  rookeries  (tccasioiially  are  too  paltry  i<>  be  seriously  con- 
sidered, because  the  raids  were  so  few,  and  the  facilities  foi-  taking 
many  seals  oft  so  utterly  insigidlicant.  In  l.ssi  the  seal  ig  schooners 
became  numenuis.  I  believe  there  were  about  30  in  !'  sea  that  year, 
and  they  have  increased  very  ripidly  every  year  siiu  v ,  until  now  they 
are  said  to  be  about  1-0.  As  the  sehoont'rs  increased  the  seals  decreased, 
and  the  lines  of  trontraction  on  the  rookeries  weie  noticed  to  draw  nearer 
and  nearer  to  the  beach,  and  the  killable  seals  became  fewer  in  juun- 
bers  and  harder  to  find.  In  188(»  the  de<'rease  was  so  plain  that  the 
natives  and  all  the  agents  on  the  islands  saw  it  ami  were  startled,  and 
theories  of  all  sorts  were  a<lvanced  in  an  attempt  to  account  for  a  cause. 

A  dearth  of  bulls  on  (he  breeding  rookeries  was  a  pet  theory  of  one 


t 


mj. 

m} 

n 

S^B> 

^  w 

■  ' 

1 

Vm 

*. 

I      ! 


S  ''■      ! 


i         1' 


i; 
y 

^^O^'' 

( 

'i 

i 

m^w 


140 


SEAL    LIFE    t)N    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


or  two  transient  visitors,  but  it  only  needed  a  tliorouj-h  investigatioa  of 
the  condition  of  the  rookeries  to  convinee  tlie  most  skeptical  that  there 
were  plenty  of  bulls,  and  to  spare,  and  that  hardly  a  cow  could  be  found 
on  the  rookeries  without  a  puj;  at  her  side. 

For  live  years  1  liii\  e  j^iven  this  particular  subject  my  most  earnest 
attention,  and  every  succeeding  year's  experience  has  convinced  me 
tliiit  there  is  not,  and  lunei'  was,  a  dearth  of  bulls.  The  theory  of 
inipotency  of  the  young  bulls  because  of  oveidriving  when  young  is 
not  worthy  of  consideration  by  any  sane  or  honest  man  who  has  ever 
seen  a  bull  seal  on  a  brce«ling  rookery;  and  sis  1  have  already  answered 
the  (|uestion  of  overdriving,  1  will  only  add  here  that  no  young  bull 
goes  upon  a  breeding  rookery  until  he  is  able  to  tight  his  way  in,  and 
an  impotent  bull  has  no  desire  to  tight,  nor  could  he  win  a  position  oil 
the  rookery  were  he  to  attempt  .t.  The  man  is  not  alive  who  ever  saw 
a  G  or  7  year  old  bull  seal  impotent. 

Another  theory,  equally  untrue,  was  that  an  e]>idemic  lia<l  seized  the 
herd,  but  investigations  of  the  closest  kind  have  never  revealed  the 
death  on  the  islands  of  a  full-grown  seal  from  unknown  causes.  Let  it 
be  remembered  that  the  Hesh  of  the  seal  is  the  staple  diet  of  the  natives, 
an<l  that  it  is  eaten  daily  by  most  of  the  white  eiiiployees  as  well;  and 
yet  it  is  true  that  a  sign  of  ta-nt  or  disease  has  never  been  found  on  a 
seal  carcass  in  the  memory  of  man.  It  was  not  until  so  many  thousands 
of  dead  ])ups  were  found  upon  the  rookeries  that  the  jtroblem  was  solved. 

The  truth  is  that  when  the  cows  go  out  to  the  feeding  grojinds  to  feed 
they  are  shot  and  killed  by  the  pelagic  hunter,  and  the  pups,  deprived 
of  sustenance,  die  ii\Hn\  the  rookeries.  Kxcepting  a  few  i)ups  killed  by 
the  surf  occasionally,  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  all  the  i)ups  found 
dead  are  poor  and  starved,  ami  when  examined  their  stomachs  are  fi  und 
to  be  without  a  sign  of  food  of  any  sort.  In  18!)1  the  rookeries  on  St. 
Paul  Island  were  covered  in  i)laces  with  dead  pups,  all  of  which  had 
every  symptom  of  having  died  of  hanger,  and  on  opening  sev-Tai  of 
them  the  stomachs  were  found  to  be  empty. 

The  resident  jiiiysician,  Dr.  Akerly,  exiunine<l  many  of  them  and 
found  in  every  instance  that  starvation  was  the  cause  of  death.  The 
lowest  estimate  nnule  at  the  time,  placing  the  numbei-  of  dead  pups  on 
the  rookeries  at  25,000,  is  not  too  high 

It  has  l>een  said  that  nnin  can  do  nothing  to  facilitate  the  ])ropaga- 
tion  of  the  fur  seal.  My  exi)erieme  does  not  support  this.  The  reser- 
vation of  females  and  the  killing  of  the  surplus  nuiles,  so  that  each 
bull  can  have  a  reasonable  number  of  cows,  is  more  advantageous  to 
the  growth  of  the  r«»okeries  than  when  in  a  state  of  nature  bulls  killed 
each  other  in  their  efforts  to  secure  a  single  cow. 

The  same  care  can  be  and  is  exercised  in  the  handling  and  nninage- 
uient  of  the  seal  herd  as  is  bestowed  by  a  ran«'hman  upon  his  bands  of 
ranging  stock,  and  is  prodm  i  [\v  of  like  results.  The  seals  have  become 
so  accustomed  to  the  natives  that  the  jnesence  of  the  latter  does  not 
disturb  them.  The  pups  aie  easily  han«lled  by  the  natives,  and  for- 
merly, when  used  as  an  article  of  footl,  thousands  of  ])ups  were  actually 
pickeil  up  and  examined,  in  accordance  with  (ioveniment  recpiirement, 
to  avoid  the  killing  of  a  fennile.  So  easily  are  the  seals  c<»nti'olled 
that,  when  a  drive  of  bachelors  is  made  to  the  killing  grounds,  a.  guard 
of  two  or  three  small  boys  is  sullicient  to  keep  tiiem  from  Kcraying, 
and  fi'om  the  general  band  any  iinniber  from  one  upwar<i  can  be 
readily  cut  out.  it  is  possible  in  the  fu  tire,  as  it  has  been  in  the  i)a8t, 
to  reserve  unmolested  suitable  areas  to  serve  as  breeding  grounds;  to 
set  aside  each  year  a  ju-oper  number  o<'  young  males  for  future  service 


u 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


141 


upon  the  rookeries,  and  by  the  application  of  (he  ordinary  stoekbreed- 
ing  principles  not  only  to  perpettnite,  l)Ut  to  rapidly  increase,  the  seal 
herd. 

To  one  who  has  spent  so  many  years  anionji'  the  seals  as  I  have,  and 
who  has  taken  so  nm(;h  interest  in  them,  it  does  apju^ar  to  be  wrong 
that  il';'y  should  be  allowed  to  be  so  ruthlessly  and  indiscriminately 
slaughtered  by  pelagic  hunters,  who  secure  only  abont  one-fourth  of  all 
they  kill.  There  is  no  doubt  in  my  n)ind  that  unless  immediate  pro- 
tection be  jiiveu  to  the  Alaskan  fur  seal  the  species  will  be  practically 
destroyed  in  a  very  few  years;  and  in  order  to  protect  them  pelagic 
hunting  must  be  altsolutely  i)rohibited. 

The  foregoing  is  substantially  tliesame  testiimuiy  that  I  gave  to  the 
commissioners  who  visited  the  islands  in  liS'.tl. 

.1.  C  l{in>i»ATii. 


l'Hir.IL(»F    ROOKEllIES. 

D('j>osi(ii»i  ofCliorlniJ.  (lojf,  TrenHUfi)  (ujciit  in  chnnje  of  pyihHof  IsIuikIs. 

District  of  Colfmhia, 

Cili/  of  Wnsliiiijifint,  sn: 

Charles  .1.  (loff,  of  Clarksburg,  W.  Va.,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes 
and  says:  1  am  45  years  of  age;  during  the  years  18)S'.>  and  ISIM)  1  occu- 
pied the  position  of  special  Treasury  agent  in  charge  of  the  Pribilof 
islands.  1  was  located  on  St.  Paul  Island,  only  visiting  8t.  (ieorge 
Island  occasionallv.  Abont  the  1st  of  .lune,  1SS',>.  1  arrived  on  St.  Paul 
Island,  and  remained  there  until  ()ct<iber  12,  l.S.S'.>.  when  I  v^  turned  to 
San  Francisco  for  the  winter.  Again  went  to  the  islands  in  181M>,  arriv- 
ing tiiere  about  the  last  week  in  May,  and  remaining  until  August  12, 
18iH).  Since  that  time  1  have  never  been  on  the  islands.  My  principal 
observations  as  to  seal  life  ujmn  the  islands  were  confined  to  St.  Paul 
Island,  as  I  oidy  visited  St.  (Ieorge  Island  occasionally. 

During  my  rtrst  year  <m  the  islands  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company 
was  the  lessee  thereof,  and  during  my  second  year  the  North  American 
Commercial  Company.  In  1889  I  nnide  careful  observations  of  the  rook- 
eries on  St.  Paul  Island  and  nnirked  out  the  areas  covered  by  the  breed- 
ing grounds;  in  1890  I  exannned  these  lines  made  by  me  the  former  year 
and  found  a  very  great  shrinkage  in  the  s])aces  covered  by  breeding 
seals. 

In  1S81)  it  was  quite  dillicult  for  the  lessees  to  obtain  their  full  (|Uota 
of  100,(M)0  skins.  So  dillicult  was  it,  in  fact,  that  in  order  to  turn  olf  a 
sutticient  number  of  4  ami  .'»  year  old  males  from  the  hauling  grounds 
for  breeding  purposes  in  the  future  the  lessees  were  com[>elled  to  take 
about  00,000  skins  of  seals  of  1  or  2  years  of  age.  1  at  once  reportep 
this  fact  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasurj^  and  advised  the  taking  of  a 
less  number  of  skins  the  following  year.  Pursuant  to  such  report  the 
Government  fixed  unon  the  number  to  be  taken  at  (!0,0()0,  and  further 
ordered  that  all  killing  of  seals  on  the  islaiuls  should  stop  after  the  2(Hh 
day  of  .July.  I  was  further  ordered  that  I  shoiUd  notify  tln^  natives 
upon  the  Aleutian  Islands  that  all  killing  of  seals  while  coming  from  or 
going  to  the  seal  islands  was  i)rohibited.  These  rules  and  regulations 
went  into  effect  in  181)0,  and  i)ursuant  thereto  I  posted  notices  for  the 
natives  at  various  points  along  the  Aleutian  chain,  and  saw  that  the 
orders  in  relation  to  the  time  of  killing  and  number  allowed  to  be  killed 
were  executed  upon  the  islands.    As  a  result  of  the  enforcement  of  these 


M 


",     : 

I    ': 


iiW^' 


Kl 


^^^»p 


142 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


regulations  tlie  lessees  werp  unable  to  take  more  than  2 1. L.'I]S  spsils  of 
the  killable  a{;e  of  troiii  1  to  .">  years  during  the  season  of  LSDO,  so  great 
had  bten  tlie  deerease  of  seal  life  in  one  year,  and  it  would  have  been 
impossible  to  obtain  (»0,(KK»  skins  even  if  the  time  had  b'^en  unrestricted. 

The  Table  A  appended  to  this  allidavit'  shows  how  great  had  been  the 
deuiease  on  !St.  i'anl  Island  hauling  grounds,  bearing  in  mind  the  fact 
that  the  driving  and  killing  was  done  by  the  same  persons  as  in  former 
years,  and  was  as  diligently  carried  on,  the  weather  being  as  favorable 
as  in  188Dfor  seal  driving.  1  believetiiat  the  sole  cause  of  the  decreaseis 
pelagic  sealing,  which  from  reliable  infornnition  I  understand  to  have 
increased  greatly  since  1884  or  1885.  Another  fact  1  have  gained  from 
reliable  souncs  is  that  the  great  majority  of  seals  taken  in  tlie  open  sea 
are  pregnant  or  females  in  milk,  it  is  an  unquestionable  fact  that  the 
killing  of  these  females  destroys  the  pui)S  they  are  carrying  or  nursing. 
The  r«  lilt  is  that  this  destruction  of  pups  takes  about  e<|ually  from  the 
male  and  eniale  increase  of  the  herd,  and  when  so  many  male  pui)sare 
killed  in  this  manner,  besides  the  100,000  taken  on  the  islands,  it  neces- 
sarily affects  the  number  of  killable  seals.  In  1880  this  drain  upon  male 
seal  life  showed  itself  on  the  islands,  and  this,  iu  my  opinion,  accounts 
for  the  necessity  of  the  lessees  taking  so  nnuiy  young  seals  that  year  to 
fill  out  their  (prota. 

As  soon  as  the  elVects  of  the  pelagic;  sealing  were  noticed  by  me  upon 
the  islands  1  repi  rted  the  same,  and  the  Government  at  once  took  steps 
to  limit  the  killii.g  upon  the  islands,  so  that  the  rookeries  might  have 
an  opportunity  to  increase  their  nund)ers  to  their  former  condition ;  but 
it  will  be  impossible  to  repair  the  depletion  if  pelagic  sealing  continues. 
I  have  no  doubt,  as  1  reported,  that  the  taking  of  100,000  skins  in  1880 
aftected  the  male  life  on  the  islands,  and  cut  into  the  reserve  of  male 
seals  necessary  to  jirese^'ve  annually  for  breeding  purposes  in  the  future, 
but  this  fact  did  not  become  evident  until  it  was  too  late  to  repair  the 
fault  that  year.  Except  for  the  numbers  destroyed  by  pelagic  sealing 
in  the  years  previous  to  1880  the  hauling  gr<mnds  would  not  have  been 
so  depleted,  and  the  taking  of  100,000  u)ale  seals  would  not  have 
impaired  the  reserve  for  breeding  purposes  or  diminished  to  any  extent 
the  seal  life  on  the  l'ribil',»f  Islands.  Even  in  this  diminished  state  of 
the  rookeries  in  1880  1  carefully  observed  that  in  the  majority  of  eases 
the  4  and  5  year  old  nniles  were  allowed  to  drop  out  of  a  "drive" 
before  the  bachelors  had  been  driven  anj  distance  from  the  hauling 
grounds.  These  seals  were  let  go  for  the  sole  purpose  of  supplying 
suflicient  future  bi-eeders. 

A  few  seals  are  injured  by  redriving  (often  contli(!ted  with  overdriv- 
ing and  sometimes  so  called), but  the  number  so  injured  is  inconsiderable 
and  could  have  no  appreciable  effect  upon  seal  life  through  destroying 
the  virility  of  the  male.  The  decrease,  caused  by  pelagic  sealing,  com- 
pelled whatever  injurious  redriving  has  taken  place  on  the  islands,  as 
it  was  often  necessary  to  drive  every  two  or  three  days  from  the  same 
hauling  grounds,  which  caused  many  seals  let  go  in  a  former  "drive" 
to  be  driven  over  again  before  thoroughly  rested.  If  a  "drive"  was 
made  only  once  a  week  from  a  certain  hauling  ground,  as  had  been  the 
case  before  pelagic  sealing  grew  to  such  enormous  proportions  and 
depleted  the  rookeries,  there  would  be  no  damage  at  all  resulting  from 
redriving. 

In  my  opinion  pelagic  sealing  is  the  cause  of  redriving  on  the  islands, 
the  depletion  of  the  rookeries,  and  promises  to  soou  make  the  Alaska 


I 


'  See  "  Island  Rocords,"  Appendix. 


> 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


143 


fur-seal  herd  a  tbiii};  of  tlie  past.  If  contimied  as  it  is  today,  t'ven  if 
killiii};-  on  the  ishuids  uas  absolutely  iorl)i<lden,  the  herd  will  in  a  tew 
years  be  exterminated.  I  am,  therefore,  of  the  ojiinion  that  pclatjic 
sealinji'  should  be  abs(»lutely  prohibited  both  in  IJerinf,'  Sea  and  tlie 
Korth  I'aeihe  Ocean.  If  tins  is  done  and  a  few  y»'.ars  an*  allowed  the 
seal  herd  to  recover  from  tlie  enormous  slanyhter  of  the  i)a^t  seven 
years  the  I'ribilof  Islands  will  jjroduee  their  l(M>,0t)O  skins  as  heretofore 
for  an  indetinite  period. 

I  hereby  api>end  to  and  make  a  ])ait  of  this  aflidavit  a  table,  marked 
A,'  giving  the  nund)er  of  seals  killed  each  day  on  the  island  of  iSt.  I'aul 
during  the  years  1,S89  and  1800  up  to  the  L'Oth  day  of  July. 

*  •  *  •   -  *  *  * 

ClIAKLES  J.   (lOFF. 


MANAGEMENT   OF  SEAL   KILLING,  AND   PELAGIC   SEALING. 

DepoHition  of  Ahiitl  P.  L(md,spt<-i(il  asshtaut  Trcaattry  agent  on  Pribilof 

J  Islands. 


cases 


roying 

com- 

ds,  as 

same 

drive" 

"  was 

en  the 

and 

r  from 


lands, 
ilaska 


District  of  Colimuia, 

Citi/  of  Washhiffton,  ss: 

Abiid  P.  Loud, being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  a  resident 
of  Ilanjpden,  Me.,  and  am  oo  years  of  ago.  On  April  4,  1885,  I  was 
appointed  special  assistant  Treasury  agent  for  the  seal  islands,  and 
immediately  started  for  the  islands,  arriving  at  the  island  of  St.  Paul 
on  May  28  or  oO.  Spent  that  season  on  St.  Paul  Island,  and  returned 
for  the  winter  to  the  States,  leaving  the  islands  on  the  18th  of  August. 
Went  back  again  next  spring,  arriving  there  in  latter  partof  JNIay,  and 
remained  until  August,  1887,  on  St.  Paul  Island.  Spent  the  season 
of  1888  and  1880  on  St.  George  Island,  returning  in  the  fall  of  1889  to 
the  States.  In  1889  I  spent  some  time  in  the  fall  on  St.  Paul  Island. 
On  whichever  island  I  was  located  1  always  kept  careful  watch  and 
made  frequent  examinations  of  the  rookeries  during  this  entire  period. 
During  the  time  from  ISS-T  to  1889  there  was  a  very  marked  decrease 
in  the  size  of  the  breeding  grounds  on  St.  l*aul  Island,  and  from  1887 
to  1889  I  also  noticed  a  great  decrease  in  the  areas  covered  by  the 
rookeries  on  St.  (leorge  Island. 

In  his  reports  of  1880  and  188/  George  li.  Tingle,  special  Treasury 
agent  in  charge  of  the  seal  islands,  reported  having  measured  the  rook- 
eries on  the  islands,  and  that  the  seals  had  largely  increased  in  num- 
ber, giving  the  increase  at  about  2,009,000.  From  this  report  I  dissented 
at  the  time,  as  I  was  unable  to  see  any  increa^"  but,  on  the  contrary,  a 
perceptible  decrease,  in  the  rookeries.  I  expressed  my  views  to  many 
on  the  islands,  and  all  agreed  that  there  had  been  no  increase  in  seal 
life.  I  do  not  think  that  there  was  a  single  person  on  the  island  except 
Mr.  Tingle  who  thought  there  had  been  an  increase,  or,  in  fact,  that 
there  had  not  been  a  decrease  in  seal  life.  The  measurements  of  the 
rookeries  on  which  Mr.  Tingle  relied  were  made  with  a  common  rope  by 
ignorant  natives  while  the  seals  were  absent  from  the  islands,  the 
grounds  covered  by  them  being  designated  by  Mr.  Tingle  from  memory. 
Even  if  these  measurements  had  been  eorrect,  which  was  impossible,  I 


'  See  "Island  Records,"  Appendix. 


YTfwmm 


i 


144 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PUIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


W 


i> 


do  not  bi'lieveit  is  possible  to  calculiite  oven  apiMoxiuiiitely  tlie  number 
of  seals  upon  the  roakeries  be«!ause  of  tlie  broken  nature  of  the  jjround 
and  the  irrejiular  outliiu;sof  the  breediujn' ;;rounds.  While  J  was  on 
the  islands  1  attended  nearly  every  (b'ive  of  tlie  bachelor  seals  frojii  the 
hauling'  jjronnds  tothe  killin<>'  {jronnds,  an<l  these  drives  were  eondneted 
by  the  natives  with  yreat  rare,  and  no  seals  were  killed  by  ovi'rdriving, 
plenty  of  time  bein{;'  always  j^iven  them  to  rest  and  cool  off.  A  few 
were  snu)thered  by  the  seals  climbin};  over  each  other  when  wet;  but 
the  number  was  very  inconsiderable,  Ikmuh"  a  fraction  of  1  ]ter  cent  of 
those  driven,  and  did  not  to  any  extent  allect  the  seal  life  on  the  islands. 
The  greatest  care  was  always  taken  to  avoid  overdriving'  both  by  the 
CJoveriMuent  ofh(ters  and  employ<'es  of  the  lessees. 

Dnrin;;-  my  experi«'ine  (and  1  was  on  the  killinj;  ^•lound  at  every  kill- 
inj;  that  took  place  wiiile  I  was  on  the  islands)  1  never  saw  a  male  seal 
which  had  been  injured  by  bi-inj;'  redriven  several  tinu's  from  the  same 
liaulinj;  j^round.  1  am  convinced  that  while  1  was  tliere  there  was  not 
a  sinj^le  case  in  wiiich  the  virility  of  a  mali!  seal  was  destroyed  or 
impaired  in  the  slif>htest  decree  by  drivinjf.  redrivin«",  or  overdriving, 
and  1  took  i)articnlar  notice  of  the  couilition  of  the  nniles  during'  eacli 
drive.  Tlie  males  old  enough  for  service  on  the  breeding  grounds  were 
always  allowe<l  to  return  to  the  hauling  ground  from  a  drive,  and  I  am 
satisfied  a  sullicient  number  of  males  was  always  reserved  Ibr  future 
breeding  i)urposes.  A  suggestion  was  made  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  in  the  fall  of  188."*  that  some  old  l»ull8  should  be  killed,  but 
the  Secretary  declined  to  jtennit  suc^h  animals  to  be  destroyed.  I  am 
convinced  that  the  decrease  in  the  rookeries  was  caused  entirely  by  open- 
sea  sealing.  As  1  was  not  present  on  the  islands  in  th(^  fall  of  1885,  1 
am  unable  to  make  a  statement  as  to  the  nundier  of  dead  pups  on  tlie 
rookeries  in  that  year,  but  in  188(1  I  saw  a  large  number  of  dead  pups 
lying  about.  These  ]»ups  were  very  much  emaciated,  and  evidently  had 
been  starved  to  deatli.  I  account  for  this  by  the  killing  of  the  mothers 
by  open  sea  sealers  before  the  pups  were  weaned,  and  because  a  mother 
will  not  suckle  any  pup  excejit  her  own. 

In  1887  the  number  of  dead  pups  was  much  larger  than  in  1880.  In 
1888  there  was  a  less  number  than  in  1887  or  in  188',>,  owing,  as  I  believe, 
to  a  decrease  of  seals  killed  in  liering  Sea  that  year,  but  in  1881)  the 
increase  again  showed  itself.  1  believe  the  number  of  <lead  pups 
increased  in  about  the  same  ratio  as  the  number  of  seals  taken  in  Bering 
Sea  by  pelagic  sealers.  While  I  was  on  the  island  there  were  not  more 
than  thi'ee  or  four  raids  on  the  rookeries  to  my  knowledge,  and  1  think 
that  the  destruction  to  seal  life  by  raiding  rookeries  is  a  small  part  of 
1  per  cent  as  compared  with  the  numbers  taken  by  killing  in  the  water. 
Another  fact  in  connecticm  with  open-sea  sealiug  is  that  the  great 
majority  of  seals  killed  are  females,  an*!  that  a  great  part  of  the  females 
are  pregnant  or  in  milk.  The  milking  females  are  most  all  killed  whde 
visiting  the  feeding  grounds,  which  are  distant  40  or  00  miles,  or  even 
farther  from  the  islands.  The  female  necessaiily  feeds  so  she  can  sup- 
ply nourishment  for  her  young,  while  the  males  during  the  summer 
seldom  leave  the  islands.  This  accounts  for  the  large  number  of  females 
killed  in  Bering  Sea.  In  July,  1887,  I  capture<l  the  poaching  schooner 
AngH  Dolh/  while  she  was  hovering  about  the  islands.  I  examine<l  the 
seal  skins  she  had  on  board,  and  about  80  per  cent  were  skins  of  females. 
In  1888  or  1889  I  examined  something  like  5,000  skins  at  Unalaska 
which  had  been  taken  from  schooners  engaged  in  pelagic  sealiug  in 
Bering  Sea,  and  at  least  80  to  85  per  cent  were  skins  of  females. 

I  have  conversed  with  the  captains  of  several  marauding  schooners 


ii 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'UIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


145 


nutiiber 
>  jfrouinl 
1  was  on 
I'roiii  thc! 
)ii(ln(',ted 
idiiviiig, 
.  A  lew 
wi't;  but 
r  cent  of 
Q  islands, 
li  by  the 

very  kill- 
male  seal 
the  same 
•  was  not 
troyed  or 
■rdriving-, 
rinji;  each 
mds  were 
and  I  am 
or  future 
iry  of  the 
:illed,  but 
2d.     I  am 
y  by  open- 
of  1885,  I 
ips  on  tlie 
lead  pups 
lentlyhad 
e  mothers 
?  a  mother 

18S0.     In 
I  believe, 
1881)  the 
pad  pups 
in  Bering 
not  more 
id  I  think 
U  part  of 
le  water. 
16  great 
females 
led  while 
,  or  even 
can  sup- 
summer 
)f  females 
schooner 
lined  the 
'  females. 
Jnalaska 
ealing  in 
ea. 
chooners 


and  others  who  wereemph)yed  in  pelagic^  sealing  have  informed  roe  that 
they  usually  use  rifles  in  shooting  seals  in  the  water.  Hcmie,  however, 
use'shotgunsjbutto  no  great  extent,  l-'rom  these  (tonversations  I  should 
judge  they  did  not  secure  more  than  one  half  of  the  seals  killed,  and 
this,  I  think,  is  a  large  estimate  of  the  number  sectured.  I  am  of  the 
opinion  that  the  Pribilof  seal  luud  should  be  protected  both  in  Bering 
Sea  and  the  North  I'acitic  Ocean.  If  an  inuigiiiary  line  were  drawn 
about  the  islands,  3(>  or  40  miles  distant  thereCrom.  within  which  sealing 
would  be  prohibited,  this  would  be  little  protection  to  seal  life,  for  all 
the  poachers  whom  I  interviewed  acknowledged  that  they  could  get 
more  seals  in  the  water  near  the  fishing  banks,  lU),  40,  or  more  miles  from 
the  islands,  than  in  the  immediate  vit-inity  thereof,  and  the  hunters  on 
the  schooners  always  complained  if  they  got  much  nearer  than  40  miles 
of  the  islands.  I  am  certain  that  even  if  sealing  were  prohibited  entirely 
upon  the  islands  the  seal  herd  would  in  a  sh«nt  time  be  exterminated  by 
pelagic  sealing,  if  permitted,  because  the  fensales — that  is,  the  pro- 
ducers— are  the  seals  principally  killed  by  opeu-sea  sealing. 

Abial  p.  Loud. 


PELAGIC  SEALING — MANAGEMENT. 

Deposition  o/Kerriok  Artomanoff,  native  chief,  resident  of  St.  Paul  Island. 

Alaska,  United  States  of  America, 

St.  Paul  Island,  Pribilof  Group,  ss : 

Kerrick  Artomanoff,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  a 
native  Aleut  and  reside  on  St.  JPaul  Island,  Pribilof  group,  Alaska. 
I  was  born  at  Northeast  Point,  on  St.  Paul  Island,  and  am  07  years  of 
age.  I  have  worked  on  the  sealing  grounds  for  tlie  last  fifty  years  and 
am  well  acquainted  with  the  methods  adopted  by  the  Russian  and 
American  Governments  in  taking  of  fur-seal  skins  and  in  i)rotecting 
and  preserving  the  herds  on  the  island.  In  1870,  when  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company  obtained  a  lease  of  the  islands,  I  was  made  chief,  and 
held  the  position  for  seventeen  years. 

It  was  my  duty  as  chief  to  take  charge  of  and  conduct  the  drives 
with  my  people  from  the  hauluig  to  the  killing  grounds.  The  methods 
used  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com])any  and  the  America.i  (iovern- 
ment  for  the  care  and  preservation  of  the  seals  were  much  better  than 
those  used  by  the  Russian  Government.  In  old  Russian  times  we  used 
to  drive  seals  from  Northeast  Point  to  the  village,  a  distance  of  nearly 
13  miles,  and  we  used  to  drive  ">  or  6  miles  from  other  hauling  grounds; 
but  when  the  Americans  yot  the  islands  they  soon  after  shortened  all 
the  drives  to  less  than  3  miles. 

From  1870  to  1884  the  seals  were  swarming  on  the  hauling  grounds 
and  the  rookeries,  and  for  many  years  they  spread  out  more  and  more. 
All  of  a  sudden,  in  1884,  we  noticed  there  were  not  so  many  seals,  and 
they  have  been  decreasing  very  rapidly  ever  since.  My  people  won- 
dered why  this  was  so,  and  no  one  could  tell  why  until  we  learned  that 
hunters  in  S(;hooners  were  shooting  and  destroying  them  in  the  sea. 
Then  we  knew  what  the  trouble  was,  for  we  knew  the  seals  they  killed 
and  destroyed  must  be  cows,  for  mostly  all  the  males  remain  on  or  near 
the  islands  until  they  go  away  in  the  fall  or  fore  part  of  the  winter. 
We  also  noticed  dead  pups  on  the  rookeries  that  had  been  starved  to 
death.  These  young  pups  have  increased  from  year  to  year  since  1887, 
S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 10 


^  1. 

» 

r 

j 

:|   - 


I 


^ 


146 


SEAL    LIF1-:    ON    THE    PhMHII.nF    ISI,AND8. 


and  in  1891  the  rookeries  were  eovered  witli  dead  puns.  In  my  sixty- 
seven  years'  residence  on  tlie  islands  I  nevei-  before  saw  anything  lilte 
it.  None  of  our  pe(>i>le  have  ever  known  of  any  siirkness  anionjj  the 
pni)s  or  seals,  an<l  liave  never  seen  any  dead  i)nps  on  the  rookeries, 
excejit  a  few  killed  by  (he  old  bnlls  when  li^htinji",  or  by  <lrowning 
when  the  surf  washed  them  oft'.  If  they  had  not  killed  the  seals  in  the 
sea  there  would  be  as  many  on  the  rookeries  as  there  was  ten  years  ago. 
There  was  not  one-fourth  as  many  seals  in  IMM  as  there  was  in  ISISO. 

The  fur  seal  goes  aAvay  from  the  island  in  the  fall  or  winter  and  he 
returns  in  May  or  .lune:  and  I  believe  lie  will  haul  up  in  the  s:ime  ])lace 
each  year,  for  1  particularly  noticed  s<une  that  1  could  tell  that  hauled 
up  in  the  same  place  for  a  number  of  years;  and  when  we  nnike  drives, 
those  we  do  not  kill,  but  let  go  into  the  water,  are  all  baitk  where  we 
took  them  from  in  a  few  hours.  The  i>ups  aie  born  between  the  middle 
of  flune  an<l  the  middle  of  -Inly,  and  can  not  swim  until  they  are  ('»  or 
7  weeks  old:  and  if  burn  in  the  water  they  would  die.  I  have  seen  the 
surf  wash  some  of  the  young  juips  into  the  sea,  and  they  drowned  in  a 
very  short  time.  In  four  or  ti\<'  days  after  it  is  horn  the  mother  seal 
leaves  her  i)up  and  goes  away  in  the  water  to  feed,  and  when  the  pup 
is  2  or  Ji  weeks  old  the  mother  often  stays  away  tor  live  or  six  days  at  a 
time.  The  mother  seals  know  their  own  ])nps  i)y  smelling  them,  and  no 
seal  will  allow  any  but  her  <»wn  pni>to  suck  lier.  When  the  jtnps  giow 
to  be  (i  or  8  weeks  old  they  form  in  ''iiods"  and  wtu-k  down  to  the 
shore,  and  they  try  the  water  at  the  edge  until  they  learn  to  swim. 
They  will  remain  on  the  island  until  November,  and.  if  not  too  cold, 
will  stay  till  December.  1  have  seen  them  swimming  around  the  island 
late  in  .lanuary.  All  the  seals  when  they  lea\  e  the  islaiuls  go  off  south, 
but  1  think  they  would  stay  around  here  all  winter  if  the  w«'ather  was 
not  so  cold. 

When  they  come  back  to  the  islands  they  C(mie  from  the  south,  and 
I  think  they  come  from  the  North  Pacilic  Ocean  over  the  same  track 
tluit  they  went.  The  females  go  ui)on  the  rookeries  as  soon  as  they  arrive 
here,  but  the  yearlings,  nudes  and  females,  herd  together.  I  think  they 
stay  in  the  water  most  of  the  time  the  first  year,  but  after  that  they 
come  regularly  to  the  hauling  grcmnds  and  rookeries,  but  do  not  come 
as  early  in  the  season  as  they  do  after  they  are  2  years  old.  Male  seals 
fr<mi  2  to  (»  years  old  do  not  go  on  the  breedi!;g  rookeries,  but  haul  out 
by  themselves.  The  female  seal  gives  birth  to  but  one  pup  every  year, 
and  she  has  her  first  pup  when  she  is  .'{  years  old.  The  male  seal  estab- 
lishes himself  on  the  breeding  rookery  in  May  ov  June,  when  he  is  7  or  8 
years  old,  and  he  tights  for  his  cows  and  does  not  leave  the  place  he  has 
selected  until  August  or  September.  Our  people  like  the  meat  of  the 
seal,  and  we  eat  no  other  meat  so  long  as  we  <'au  get  it. 

The  pup  seals  are  our  chicken  meat,  and  we  used  to  be  allowed  to  kill 
3,(H»()  or  4,(MM)  male  pups  every  year  in  November;  but  thefiovernment 
agent  forb.ide  us  to  kill  any  in  1891,  and  said  we  should  not  be  allowed 
to  kill  any  more,  and  he  gave  us  other  meat  in  place  of  pup  meat,  but 
we  do  not  like  any  other  meat  as  well  as  the  pui>-seal  meat.  We  under- 
stand the  danger  there  is  in  the  seals  being  all  killed  off,  and  that  we 
will  have  no  way  of  earning  our  living.  There  is  not  one  of  us  but  what 
believes  if  they  had  not  killed  them  off"  by  shooting  them  in  the  water 
there  would  be  as  many  seals  on  the  island  now  as  there  was  in  1880, 
and  we  could  go  on  forever  taking  100,000  seals  on  the  two  islands. 
But  if  they  get  less  as  fast  as  they  have  in  the  last  five  or  six  years, 
there  will  be  none  left,  in  a  little  while. 

Kebriok  Artomanoff. 


y  six  ty- 
ing liice 
oiig  the 
okei'ies, 
rowning 
Is  in  the 
ars  ago. 
1880. 
■  ami  he 
IU1  place 
b  hauled 
'  drives, 
lu'ic  we 
'  middle 
are  <»  or 
seen  the 
ned  ill  a 
lier  seal 
the  i>up 
lays  at  a 
uand  no 

\\)S  J>10W 

I  to  the 
\o  SAvini. 
:oo  cold, 
le  island 
itt'  south, 
;hev  was 

nth,  and 
nc  track 
•y  arrive 
ink  they 

it  they 
ot  come 
ale  seals 

aul  out 
ry  year, 
il  estab- 

is  7  or  8 

he  has 
it  of  the 

d  to  kill 
prnment 
allowed 
eat,  but 

nnder- 
that  we 
ut  what 
e  water 
in  1880, 
islands. 

years. 


SEAL    LTFF,    ON    TFTK    PUIHILOF    lSI,ANn«», 


Peposition  of  Ihinlcl  Webxter, 


147 


Alaska,  Unitkd  States. 

St.  (ienrtje  Ishiinl,  Vrihilnf  (iroup,  «.v; 

Daniel  W<'l)ster,  iM'ing  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  (to  years 
of  age,  and  am  a  resident  of  Oakland,  Cal.:  my  (iccnpation  is  that  of 
local  agent  for  the  >iorth  American  Commeicial  ('om|)any,  and  at  pies- 
ent  I  am  statione*!  on  St.  (leorge  Island,  of  the  Tiihilol' group.  Alaska; 
I  have  been  in  Alaskan  waters  evei-y  year  bnt  two  since  I  was  14  years 
of  age.  I  first  went  to  Ueiing  Sea  in  IS4."i.  on  a  whaling  voyage,  and 
annually  visited  these  waters  in  that  puisuit  until  IsCiS,  at  which  time 
the  punhase  and  transler  ol'  Alaska  was  made  to  tlie  I'nited  States; 
since  that  time  I  have  been  engaged  ii'  taking  of  fur  seals  for  their 
skins.  In  1S7(>  I  entered  the  en)ploy  of  the  lessees  of  the  I'ribilof 
Islands,  and  liave  been  so  <'iigaged  ever  since,  and  for  the  last  thirteen 
years  have  been  the  com]»any"s  local  agent  on  St.  (ieorge  Island,  and 
during  the  sealing  seas(»n  have,  a  part  of  tlie  time,  gone  to  St.  Paul 
Island  and  tcxk  charge  of  the  killing  at  Northeast  Point,  which  is  known 
to  be  the  largest  fur  seal  rookery  in  the  world.  lM>r  ten  yi-us  ;iiior  to 
IfSTiS  I  resided  most  of  the  time  at  Northeast  Point,  liaving  laiide<l  and 
taken  seals  tlu'ie  in  ISOS.  I  have  ha<l  twenty-four  years"  expeiienrt'  in 
the  fur  seal  industry  as  it  exists  in  the  waters  of  the  North  Pacilic  and 
IJering  Sea.  and  have  made  a  very  careful  study  of  the  habits  and  con- 
ditions of  this  useful  animal.  During  this  period  it  has  been  my  duty 
as  a  trusted  employee  of  the  lessees  to  observe  and  report,  «'a<li  year, 
the  condition  of  the  rookeries.  My  instriu-tions  wer«'  explicit  and 
emjihatic  to  never  permit,  undci'  any  circumstances,  any  jiractices  to 
obtain  that  would  result  in  injtiry  to  the  herds,  'fhese  instructions 
have  been  faithfully  carried  out  by  myself  and  other  employees  of  the 
lessees  of  the  islands,  and  the  laws  ami  regulations  governing  the  ])er- 
petmition  of  seal  life  have  been  rigidly  enforced  by  all  the  <lovernment 
agents  in  charge  of  the  islamls. 

In  my  twent.y-three  years'experienee  as  a  winiler  in  IJeringSea  an«l  the 
N(uth  Pacilic,  during  which  tinu' I  visitedeveiypartof  t  he  coast  surround- 
ing these  waters,  and  my  8id)aequent  twenty-four  years' experieiu'e  on  the 
seal  ishuuls  in  P.ering  ami  Okhotsk  seas.  I  have  nev<'r  km»wn  or  heard 
of  any  pla<'e  where  the  Alaskan  fur  seals  breed  except  on  the  I'ribilof 
group  in  Bering  Sea.  These  islands  are  isolated  an<l  seem  to  possess 
the  necessary  climatic  conditions  to  make  them  the  favorite  breeding 
grounds  of  the  Alaskan  fur  seals,  and  it  is  here  they  congregate  during 
the  summer  months  of  each  year  to  bring  forth  and  rear  tlieir  yiiung. 
Leaving  the  islands  late  in  the  fall  or  in  early  winter,  on  account  of  the 
hicleinency  of  the  weather,  they  Journey  southward  through  the  passes 
of  the  Aleutian  Archipelago  to  the  coast  of  (Jalifornia,  Oregon,  and 
Washington,  and,  gradually  working  their  way  ba«k  to  Bering  Sea, 
they  again  come  up  on  the  rookeries  soon  after  the  ice  disappears  from 
the  shores  of  the  islands;  and  my  observation  leads  me  to  believe  that 
they  select,  as  near  as  possible,  the  places  they  occupie<l  the  year 
before.  The  young  seals  are  born  on  the  breeding  rookeries  in  .lune 
and  July.  TJie  head  constitutes  the  greater  part  of  this  aninnd  at  this 
time,  and  the.y  are  clumsy  and  awkward  in  all  their  movements,  and  if 
swept  into  the  water  by  accident  or  otherwise  would  perish  from  inabil- 
ity to  swim — a  fact  that  1  have  often  observed,  and  one  which  is  well 
known  to  all  who  have  paid  any  attention  to  the  subject.  Practically, 
they  remain  in  this  helpless  condition,  though  taking  on  fat  rapidly, 
until  they  are  from  6  to  7  weeks  old,  when  they  commence  to  go  into 


il 


! 


'   I 


-M 


I  U 


II   f 


rr^T  ^ 


148 


HKAL    l.irE    ON    THE    PRiniLOF    KSLANDS. 


fill 


Hliiillow  wjitt'i',  iiiul,  after  repcatcMl  trials.  It^ini  to  swim:  but  ev(Mi  then 
they  spciHl  most  of  tlicir  timr  on  liiml  until  tlie.v  leave  the  ishiiuls  late 
in  November.  Daring  the  flrsf  few  weeks  iil'ter  their  birth  they  are  not 
ainpliibious,  and  html  is  a  ne(!essity  to  their  existencre.  The  mother 
seals  j>o  out  to  sea  to  feed  soon  after  j^ivinj;  birth  to  their  young,  and 
return  at  intervals  of  from  a  few  lionrs  to  several  days  to  suckle  and 
nourish  their  young. 

Tlie  mother  simI  readily  distinguishes  her  own  otlspring  from  that  of 
others,  nor  will  she  permit  the  young  of  any  other  seal  to  suekle  her. 
1  have  noticed  in  the  killing  of  young  seals  (pups)  for  food  in  November 
that  their  stomachs  wen^  full  of  milk,  although,  apparently,  the  mothers 
ha«l  not  been  on  the  islands  for  several  days  ju-evious.  1  have  observed 
that  the  male  seals  taken  in  the  forepart  of  the  season,  or  within  a  few 
days  aftei-  their  arrival  at  the  islands,  are  fat  ami  their  stonujchs  con- 
tain quantities  of  undigested  fish  (mostly  cod),  while  the  stomachs  of 
these  killed  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season  are  empty;  and  they  dimin- 
ish in  tlesh  until  they  leave  the  islands  late  in  the  season. 

I  am  of  the  opinion  that  while  the  female  often  goes  long  distances  to 
feed  while  giving  nourishment  to  her  young,  the  male  seals  of  2  years 
old  and  over  seldom,  if  ever,  leave  the  islands  for  that  purpose  until  they 
start  on  their  migration  southward.  When  the  seals  are  on  the bjced- 
ing  grounds  they  are  not  easily  frightened  unless  they  are  too  nearly 
approached,  and  even  then  they  will  go  but  a  short  distance  if  the  cause 
of  their  fright  be<M)me8  stationary. 

It  is  impossible  to  estinmte  with  any  sort  of  accuracy  the  number  of 
seals  o:i  the  Pribilof  Ishinds,  because  of  the  seals  being  constantly  in 
motion,  and  because  the  breeding  grounds  are  so  covered  with  broken 
rocks  of  all  sizes  that  the  density  varies.  I  think  all  estimates  hereto- 
fore made  are  unreliable,  and  in  the  case  of  KUiott  and  others  who  have 
endeavored  to  make  a  census  of  seal  life,  the  numbers  are,  in  my  opini  n,  • 
exaggerated.  Measuiements  of  the  breeding  grounds,  however,  show 
an  increase  or  decrease  of  the  number  of  seals,  because  the  hareuiK  ire 
always  crowded  together  as  closely  as  the  nature  of  the  ground  and 
temjter  of  the  old  bulls  will  permit.  My  observation  has  been  that 
there  was  an  expansion  of  the  rookeries  from  1870  up  to  at  least  1879, 
which  fact  I  attribute  to  the  careful  management  of  the  islands  by  the 
United  States  Government.  In  the  year  1880  I  thought  I  began  to 
notice  a  falling  oil' from  the  number  of  seals  on  Northeast  Point  rookery, 
but  this  decrease  was  so  very  slight  that  probably  it  would  not  have 
been  observed  by  one  less  familiar  with  seal  life  ajid  its  conditions  than 
I;  but  I  could  not  discover  or  learn  that  it  showed  itself  cm  any  of  the 
other  rookeries.  In  1884  and  18s.^  1  noticed  a  decrease,  and  it  became 
so  marked  in  1880  that  everyone  on  the  islands  saw  it.  This  marked 
decrease  in  1881)  showed  itself  on  all  the  rookeries  on  both  islands. 

Until  1887  or  1888,  however,  the  decrease  was  not  felt  in  obtaining 
skins,  at  which  time  the  standard  was  lowered  from  <>  and  7  pounds  to 
5  and  4A  pounds.  The  hauling  grounds  of  Northeast  Point  kept  up 
the  standard  longer  than  the  other  rookeries,  because,  as  I  believe,  the 
latter  rookeries  had  telt  the  drain  of  open  sea  sealing  during  188")  and 
1880  more  than  Northeast  Point,  the  cows  from  the  other  rookeries 
having  gone  to  the  southward  to  feed,  where  the  majority  of  the  sealing 
schooners  were  engaged  in  taking  seal.  There  was  never  while  I  have 
been  upon  the  island  any  scarcity  of  vigorous  bulls,  there  alw.ays  being 
a  sufficient  number  to  fertilize  all  the  cows  coming  to  the  islands.  It 
was  always  borne  in  mind  by  those  on  the  islands  tbat  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  males  must  be  preserved  for  breeding  purposes,  and  this  acoounts 


,  fr 


8EAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PHIHILOF    ISLANDS, 


14f) 


partly  for  tin*  loworinj,'  of  tlit>  standiird  wcijilit  of  skiiiH  in  l.sss.  The 
.sfasoii  of  is:*!  sliowctl  that  iiiah'  seals  iiad  certainly  bceii  in  siihii-ient 
nuniher  tlie  year  before,  be<'aiise  the  pups  on  the  roolvei  i«'s  were  as 
many  as  shoulil  be  for  the  unniber  of  cows  laiKJin^.  the  ratio  beiii^  the 
same  as  in  former  yeais.  Then,  too.  tin're  was  a  snrphis  »»f  \  i^^oroiis 
bulls  in  ISUl  whoeouhl  obtain  no  rows.  I'.very  raie  is  taken  in  driving 
the  seals  from  the  haiiliiij^  to  the  Uillin;:  grounds,  and  during  the  re^u- 
hir  killinfr  season  of  .Inne  an<l  .luly  there  are  im»  lenmles  driv<'n,  be<'aiise 
at  this  season  tliey  iii<  on  the  breedin;;-  rookeries  and  do  not  interminylo 
with  tlie  younji' males.  If  o(>easionally  one  does  hapiieii  to  be  in  the 
drive  j;reat  care  is  taken  not  to  injure  her;  the  law  prohibiting  the  kill- 
ing of  the  female  seal  is  well  umlerstood  by  the  natives,  and  tbey  are 
tlnaoughly  in  sympatliy  with  it.  ICven  were  I  to  ro<|m'st,  tlieni  to  kill 
a  female  seal  they  would  refuse  to  do  it,  and  would  immediately  report 
ine  to  the  (iovernnieiit  agent.  I  have  known  au  uecasional  one  to  be 
kille<l  by  accident  during  the  food  drives  late  in  the  season,  when  the 
males  nnd  fenndes  intermingle  on  the  hauling  grounds,  but  the  clubber 
was  always  severely  rebuked  by  the  chief  lor  Ins  carelessness,  as  well 
as  by  the  (lovernment  and  t-oinpany  otVicers. 

My  observation  is  that  the  nundier  of  female  seals  killed  on  the 
islands  from  all  causes  is  too  insignificantly  snndl  to  be  noti<'ed.  The 
longest  drives  made  on  St.  (leorge  Island  are  fnau  Starry  Arteel  and 
(Jreat  Kastern  rookeries,  and  they  are  h  ss  than  .'5  ndles  long.  Drives 
from  these  rookeries  retpiire  from  four  to  six  hours,  according  to  the 
weather.  At  Zapadnie  rookery,  on  St.  (Jeorge,  the  drive  to  the  killing 
grounds  is  l?ss  than  a  mile,  the  seals  are  now  being  killed  there  instead 
of  being  diiven  at-ross  the  island  as  they  were  ]»rior  to  1S78.  when  it 
took  three  days  to  make  the  Journey.  There  is  now  a  salt  house  at 
Zapadnie,  at  which  the  skins  are  salted  as  soon  as  taken.  The  killing 
grounds  on  both  islands  are  all  situated  within  a  very  short  distance 
from  the  slntre,  and  seals  not  suitable  to  be  killed,  or  that  are  turnti 
out  for  any  cause,  immediately  go  into  the  water,  and,  after  s))orting 
around  for  an  hour  or  two,  they  return  to  the  hauling  grounds,  and  to 
all  appearances  they  are  as  iin<'oncerned  and  careless  of  the  presence 
of  man  as  they  were  before  they  were  driven  to  the  killing  grounds. 
I  have  often  observed  that  the  seals  when  on  the  islands  (lo  not  take 
fright  easily  at  the  presence  of  man ;  and  the  initives  go  aujong  them 
with  impuidty.  They  will  go  into  a  herd  of  seals  on  the  hauling 
grounds  and  (piietly  separate  them  into  as  many  divisions  an«l  subdivi- 
sions as  is  necessary  before  driving  them  to  the  killing  grounds.  At 
the  killing  grounds  they  are  again  divided  into  bunches  or  ''jkmIs''  of 
20  or  .'{O  each  more  reailily  than  the  same  number  of  domestic  animals 
could  be  handled  under  the  same  circumstances. 

The  bulls  on  the  rookeries  will  not  only  stand  their  ground  against 
the  approach  of  nuui,  but  will  become  the  aggressors  if  disturbed. 
Pups  are  tame  and  very  playful  when  young,  and  ])revious  to  I.S91, 
when  it  was  the  in-actice  to  kill  .{.OIKI  or  4,(M)(>  for  imtives'  food  in 
November,  thousands  of  them  were  jdcked  up  and  handled  to  determine 
sex,  for  oidy  the  males  were  allowed  to  be  killed.  Hair  seal  and  seal 
lions  haul  out  on  the  islands  and  are  seldom  disturbed,  yet  they  will 
plunge  into  the  water  at  once  should  they  discover  anyone  upon  their 
rookeries.  But  it  is  not  so  v»ith  the  fur  seal.  They  seem  at  home  on 
the  rookeries  and  hauling  grounds,  and  they  show  a  degree  of  domestica- 
tion seldom  found  among  similar  animals.  At  Northeast  Point  rookery, 
on  8t.  Paul  Island,  the  hmgest  diive  is  2  miles.  In  former  times  the 
itussians  used  to  drive  from  this  rookery  to  St.  Paul  village,  a  distance 


Iff  I  I.  I,        m 


150 


SEAL    LIFK   ON    THE    PlilBILOF   ISLANDS. 


of  VJi  miles.  Seals  tiiri!<'.d  away  tVoiii  thu  killing  grouiMis  roturn  to  the 
rookery  tVoin  which  they  weie  drivtM' ;  therefore  a  male  seal  is  not 
redriven  day  alter  day,  oeeause  u,  haiiliiifjf  {ground  is  always  f^iveii  .sev- 
eral days'  rest  before  l»eiii{^  driven  from  ajiiiin.  I  never  saw  or  heard  of 
the  jjeneraMve  orj>ans  of  a  male  seal  !»einf;'  inji.red  by  driving  or  by 
redriving,  ai.d  if  sm-li  a  tiiinj;'  liad  takeii  pbice,  even  in  exceptional 
eases,  the  natives  woidd  have  noticed  and  reported  it,  which  they  never 
di<l.  1  have  seen  a  seal's  Hijipers  made  sore  by  driving,  but  I  never 
saw  one  that  was  .seriously  injured  by  driving.  I  do  not  believe  that  a 
male  seal's  powers  of  reproduction  v\ere  ever  allected  by  driving  or 
i-edriving. 

The  bulls  maintain  their  positions  on  the  rookeries  IVom  the  time 
they  arrive  till  the  cows  come  by  m(»st  bh>ody  battles,  and  after  the 
cows  commence  arriving  they  ure  contini'.i'!!.;  contending  for  their  pos- 
sessions. During  these  v-ontlicts  they  aie  oltcii  seriously  wounded,  and 
their  exertions  are  far  more  violent  tlian  any  «'11'orr  nnule  by  a  young 
male  (Inrjng  a  drive.  Then,  too,  tlie  male  seal  nuist  have  great  vitality 
to  remain  ov  the  lookeries  for  three  niontiis  witliout  eating  or  drinking 
and  with  little  sleep.  In  spite  of  tiiis  drain  on  his  vital  force  he 
is  able  to  fertilize  all  the  cows  which  he  can  get  possession  of,  and  a 
barren  cow  is  a  rarity.  1  believe  that  a  bnll  can  serve  ..ne  hiiinlred  or 
more  cow.'  and  it  is  an  al>surdlty  to  think  that  an  animal  iK>sscssing 
such  r''i':,irkahle  vigcu*  <  ould  be  nnule  impotent  by  being  driven  or 
redriven  when  a  bachelor.  An  impotent  bidl  would  hav«'  neither  the 
inclination  <u- vigor  to  maintain  him.self  on  the  rookeries  against  the 
fierce  and  vigor<»ns  posses.scus  of  harems.  Tlu',  only  bulls  hauling  up 
away  front  tlu^  breeding  rookeries  are  those  who.se  extreme  old  age  and 
long  service  hav.^-  mi*<le  them  impotent  and  useless,  and  I  have  never 
seen  or  heard  rell  of  anything  that  would  make  an  exception  to  this 
ride.  The  metluMls  employe«i  in  taki'ig  the  .skins  are,  in  my  opiniim, 
the  best  that  can  l»e  adopted.  Tin'  killing  grounds  are  situated  as  near 
the  ro<'keries  and  hauling  grounds  as  is  po.ssible  without  having  the 
breedeis  or  batdielors  disturbe<l  by  the  smell  of  blooil  or  putrefaction, 
anil  most  sti'ingent  regulations  have  always  been  enforc«'d  to  prevent 
disturbing  or  frighteidng  the  bree<ling  seals. 

I  am  (HMivinced  that  if  open-sea  sealing  had  never  been  indulged  in 
to  the  extent  it  has  since  18S."i,  or  perhaps  a  year  or  two  e.irlier,  1()0,(K)0 
male  skins  couhl  have  been  taken  annually  forever  front  the  I'ribilof 
Islands  without  det'reasing  the  seal  herd  below  its  niuinal  si/e  and 
condition.  The  cause  of  the  <lecrease  which  has  taken  place  can  be 
a»tc(uinted  for<Mdv  byopen  sea  sealing;  for,  until  that  nu'ans  of  destruc- 
tion to  seal  life  grew  t(»  be  of  su<tli  piopoitions  as  to  alarm  those  inter- 
ested in  the  seals,  the  seal  iienl  increaseil,  an<l  sin(;e  that  time  the 
decrease  of  the  nnml>er  of  seals  has  been  proportionate  to  the  increase 
in  the  nniid»er  of  those  engage<l  in  open  «<  a  sealing.  The  majiMity  of 
seals  killed  in  the  water  are  females,  )unl  all  the  !«:uales  kille<l  ii;  Ber- 
ing Sea  are  nndliers  who  have  Icfi  llicir  |»ups  on  the  rookeries  and  gone 
some  (listance  from  the  islands  in  seai'fli  of  foo<l.  The  death  of  every 
such  mother  seal  at  .sea  menis  the  death  ot  her  pup  <m  shore,  because 
it  is  abs(dntely  and  entirely  dependent  on  her  for  its  daily  snsteiuince. 
1  never  heard  of  any  diseasi*  among  the  .seal  herd,  n<u'  of  an  epidemic 
of  any  sort  oi-  id  any  tin)e  in  the  history  of  the  islamls,  I  do  not 
remendic)  the  piecise  datt^  of  the  lirst  .successful  raid  upon  the  rookeries 
by  sealing  sidiooners,  luit  1  do  know  that  f(»r  the  past  ten  years  there 
have  been  many  such  raids  .ittemiued,  and  a  few  of  them  .successfully 
carrie<1  out  and  that  as  the  nundier  of  sehoonei's  increased  around  the 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


151 


pnium, 
as  lu^ar 
ill};  the 
iiction, 

<;«>d  Id 
(K»,(K)0 
Miliilof 
i/e  and 
can  be 
estruc- 

inter- 
Mie  the 
unease 
ority  of 
Hi  Her- 
i<l  ;>one 

every 
M'canse 
'iiaiice. 
»id<Mnu' 
do  not 
tokerie« 
I's  til  ere 
essfully 
md  the 


islands,  the  attempted  raids  increased  in  t)roportion,  and  it  ha^i  been 
deemed  necessary  to  keej)  armed  {guards  near  the  rookeries  to  repel  su  a 
attacks.  Althou$;'h  a  lew  of  the  raids  were  successful,  and  a  few  hun- 
dred seals  killed  and  (rairied  otf  from  time  to  time  during;  the  psiat  tea 
years,  the  a}fgrej{ate  of  all  the  seals  thus  destroye<l  is  too  small  to  ^)e 
mentioned  when  considering  the  cause  of  the  sudden  decline  of  se-J 
life  on  the  Pribilof  Islands. 

Tw  'ty-fonr  years  of  uiy  life  have  been  devoted  to  the  sealiu};  indus- 
try in  ali  of  its  details  as  it  is  pursued  upon  the  l*ril»ih>f  islands,  and 
it  is  but  natural  that  I  slunild  be«!oiiie  deejtly  interested  in  the  subject 
of  the  seal  life.  My  experience  has  been  piiu^tical  rather  than  tlieo- 
rrftu'al.  I  have  seen  the  herds  <;i'<>\\  and  multiply  under  caretul  man- 
afjement  until  their  uumliers  were  millions,  as  was  the  case  in  ISHO. 
t'rom  1.SS4  to  1<S!)1  I  saw  their  numliers  decline,  under  the  same  can-ful 
maiiaj^ein  Mt,  until  in  the  latter  year  there  was  not  more  than  oiie-fourtli 
of  their  iiui  l>ers  coming'  tu  the  islands.  In  my  jiidfjment  there  is  but 
one  cause  for  that  decline  and  the  i»rescnt  condition  of  the  nntkeries, 
and  that  is  the  s|iot}>'Uii  and  the  rille  of  the  pelagic  hiinter,  and  it  is  my 
opinion  that  if  the  ]ess(>es  luul  not  tak*'ii  a  seal  on  the  islands  for  the 
last  ten  years  we  would  si  ill  tind  the  breeding  •grounds  in  about  the 
same  ciMidition  as  they  are  to-day,  so  destructive  to  seal  life  are  the 
meti  uls  a(h>pted  by  these  hunters.  I  believe  the  number  they  secure 
is  siiiall,  as  compared  with  the  nmnlmr  tliey  destroy.  Were  it  males 
only  that  they  killed  the  damaji'c  w<»nld  be  temporary,  but  it  is  mostly 
females  that  they  kill  in  the  open  waters,  ami  it  is  plain  to  anyouo 
familiar  with  this  animal  that  extermination  must  soon  follow  unless 
some  resi.ictive  measures  are  adopted  without  delay 

The  forcffoing  is  substantially  the  same  statement  that  I  made  to  the 
commissioners  who  visited  the  islands  in  '.-*!>l. 

Daniei.  Wkhster. 


PEr.A'JK'   SEAI.INd    AND   PRinU.oi'    IIOOKI'.KII'.S. 

DepoHitioii  of  WasliiuntoH  ('.  Vniifson,  [Iiiifcil  Stohs  Ixrrt'niir  Matiiit\  in 

eoiiniitintl  of  the  li'iisli. 

State  of  California, 

Cihj  titiit  County  of  Sail  Fnnirisco^ns: 

Washiiiffton  ('.  Coulson,  haviiij;  lu'en  duly  swtM'ii,  deposes  and  says: 
I  am  captain  in  the  United  States  liev<Miue  Cutter  Service.  At  present 
I  am  in  cmnmand  of  the  ITiiited  States  n'venne  cutter  /»'»«//.  I  was 
attac>hed  to  the  United  States  revenue  cutter  hiiirohi,  under  the  com 
luandof  ('apt.  ( \  M.  Scammon,  diiiiny  the  year  IHTtK  from  -Iiine  until  the 
Hose  of  the  year  as  a  third  liei;UMiant,  and  have  leen  an  otlieer  in  the 
revenue  service  ever  since.  In  ti.  month  of  that  yeartliat  I  was  in  the 
Bering  bea  ami  at  the  seal  i^.;ands  M'  St.  Paul  aiui  St.  (Jeor^ie.  I  went 
on  shore  at  both  islands  and  observed  the  seals  and  seal  life,  the 
method  of  killing,  etc.  I  noti«ed  particularly  the  great  number  of  seal, 
which  were  estimated  by  those  competent  to  judge  that  at  least  .■».(HM»,(KM> 
and  possibly  (i.(KM>,tKK»,  were  in  sight  on  tin'  dilVerent  rookeries.  To  lue 
it  seemed  as  though  the  hillside  and  hauling  grounds  w«'re  literally 
alive,  so  great  was  the  number  of  seals.  At  St.  (Jeorge  Island,  though 
the  seals  were  never  in  as  great  numbers  mu'  were  then'  so  many  haul- 
ing places,  the  seals  were  very  plentiful.  At  this  time  and  tor  several 
year  thereafter  pelagic  sealing  did  not  take  place  to  any  e.\tent  and  the 


1 


1^'  i^ 


■w 


152 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIblLOF   ISLANDS. 


li^t 


animiil.s  were  not  diverted  from  their  usual  paths  of*  travel.  All  tire- 
aruis  were  forbidden  and  u<w«',r  have  been  used  on  these  islands  in  the 
kiliinjf  and  taking  of  seals,  in  fact,  unusual  noise  even  on  tht'  siiipsat 
anchor  near  tliese  islands  is  avoi<led. 

Visiting  the  rookeries  is  not  iKMinittcd  only  on  certain  conditions,  and 
anything  tliat  might  frighten  tlie  seals  avoided.  The  seals  are  never 
killed  in  or  near  tlie  rookeries,  hut  are  driven  a  sliort  distance  inland, 
to  grounds  especially  set  apart  for  this  work.  I  do  not  see  liow  it  is 
possil)le  to  conduct  the  sealing  pro<'ess  with  greater  care  or  Judgment. 
Uiuler  the  direction  of  Mr.  Ueditath,  on  8t,  Paul,  and  Mr.  Webster,  on 
St.  (leorge  islands — men  who  have  superintended  tliis  work  lor  many 
years — the  natives  do  the  driving,  and  the  killing  is  pertbrmed  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Governna-nt  agents.  The  natives  understand 
just  how  much  fatigue  can  l)e  endured  l>y  the  seals,  and  the  kind  of 
weather  suitable  tor  driving  and  killing;  no  greater  precaution  in  that 
regard  can  be  taken.  The  evidence  of  this  is  in  the  small  }>ercentage 
of  aninuils  injured  or  overheated  in  these  driv>»s.  1  do  not  believe  the 
animals  are  nnu-h  frightened  or  disturbed  by  tiie  process  of  selecting 
the  drives  from  the  rookeries,  nor  do  1  think  it  has  a  tendency  to  scare 
the  animals  away  from  the  islaiuls. 

During  the  seasons  of  l.SUO  and  18'.>1  I  was  in  conunan«l  of  the  reve- 
nue cutter  Huxh  in  IJering  tSea  and  i-ruised  extensively  in  those  waters 
around  the  seal  islands  and  the  Aleutian  group.  In  tiie  season  of  1890 
I  visited  the  islands  of  St.  I'atd  and  St.  (ie(»rge  in  the  months  of  July, 
August,  and  Septend»er.  and  had  aui))le  and  frequent  oi)portunities  of 
observing  the  seal  life  as  (compared  with  1870.  1  was  astonished  at  the 
redu<ted  num'iers  of  seals  and  the  extent  of  bare  ground  on  the  rook- 
eries in  I.SOO  as  coini>ared  with  that  of  1870,  and  which  in  that  year  was 
alive  with  seal  life.  In  1800  the  North  Anierican  C<mimercial  Comi)any 
were  unable  to  kill  seals  of  suitable  size  to  make  their  (plot a  of  ()(>,000 
allowed  by  their  lease,  and,  in  my  opinion,  had  they  been  permitted  to 
take  .■)0,0(io  in  1801,  they  could  not  have  secured  that  nuniber  if  they 
had  killed  every  bachehu'  seal  with  a  merchantable  skin  on  both  islands, 
80  great  was  the  diminution  in  the  nund)er  of  animals  found  there, 

I  arrived  with  my  coinmand  at  St.  Paul  Island  .lune  7,  18!»1 ;  at  that 
date  very  few  seals  had  arrived  and  but  a  snnill  n»iiid)er  had  been  killed 
for  fresh  tbod.  On  tlie  ll'th  *Mune,  1801,  we  were  at  St.  (leorge  Island 
and  tbund  a  few  seals  had  been  taken  there,  also  for  Ibod,  the  number 
of  seals  arriving  not  bei  g  enough  to  warrant  the  killing  of  any  great 
uuniber.  During  that  year  1  was  at  and  arouinl  bot!-  these  islands 
every  month  from  and  im'luding  June  until  the  1st  day  of  December 
(excepting  October),  and  at  no  tinu»  were  there  as  many  seals  in  sight  as 
in  1800.  I  assert  this  from  actual  observation,  and  it  is  my  opinion  we 
will  tind  less  this  yeai';  and  shoidd  ])elagic  sealing  in  the  North  Pacittc 
and  ISering  Sea  continiie,  it  is  oidy  a  (piestion  of  a  very  few  years  when 
seal  in  these  seas,  and  esjtecially  at  the  seal  islands,  will  be  a  thing  of 
the  past,  for  they  are  being  rapitUy  destroyed  by  the  killing  of  fenmles 
in  the  open  sea. 

As  to  the  pen'cntage  of  seals  lost  in  pelagi*'-  sealing  where  the  use  of 
firearms  is  emfdoyed,  1  am  not  able  to  state  of  my  own  observation, 
but  from  conversations  with  those  engaged  in  the  business  1  am  of  the 
o|»inion  that  the  number  secured  is  snndl  compared  with  those  lost  in 
atten)])ts  to  secure  them.  No  mention  was  ever  made  of  any  unusual 
uuniber  of  dead  {uips  upon  the  rookeries  having  been  noticed  at  any 
time  prior  to  m,,  visit  in  1870,  but  when  I  again  visited  the  islands  in 
1800  I  found  it  a  subject  of  much  solicitude  by  those  interested  in  the 


.    I 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBIi.OP    ISLANDS. 


153 


aiise 

is 


perpetuation,  aiul  in  18J>1  it  had  assumed  sucli  proportions  as  to  cauj 
serious  alarm.  Tlie  natives  makinj;  tlie  drives  first  discovered  tii 
tronbh',  then  spe<'ial  ajjents  took  note,  and  later  on  I  think  almost  every- 
one who  was  allowed  to  visit  the  rookeries  eould  not  close  their  eyes  or 
nostrils  to  the  jireat  numbers  of  dead  pups  to  he  seen  on  all  sides. 
In  company  with  Special  Ayent  .Minray,  Caotain  Ilooi)er,  and  Engineer 
Brertoii,  of  the  Coririn,  I  visited  the  limit'  and  (larbotch  rookeries,  St. 
Paul  Island,  in  Aufjust,  I.SIH,  and  saw  o.ie  of  the  most  jtitiable  sights 
that  I  have  ever  witnessed.  Thousands  of  <lea«l  an<l  dying  pui)s  were 
scattered  over  the  rookeries,  while  the  shores  w«'re  lined  with  emaciated, 
hungry  little  fellows,  with  their  eyes  turned  toward  the  sea  uttering 
plaintive  cries  for  their  uu)thers,  which  were  destined  never  to  return. 
iS^mnbeis  of  them  were  oikmumI.  their  stomachs  examined,  and  the  fact 
revealed  that  starvation  was  the  cause  of  death,  no  organic  disease 
being  ai)parent. 

The  greatest  number  of  seals  taken  by  hunters  in  I81H  was  to  the 
westward  and  northwestward  of  St.  I'anl  Island,  and  the  largest  num- 
ber of  dcijd  pu]>s  were  found  that  year  in  rookerit's  situated  (m  the 
western  side  of  the  island.  Tliis  fact  ahnie  goes  a  great  way,  in  my 
opinion,  to  confirm  the  thecn-y  tiiat  the  loss  of  the  nntthers  was  the 
cause  of  mortality  among  the  young. 

After  the  nu)ther  seals  have  given  birth  to  their  young  on  th«*  islands 
they  go  to  the  water  to  feed  and  bathe,  and  I  have  obscived  them  not 
only  around  the  islands,  bnt  from  80  to  10()  miles  out  at  sea. 

In  diflerent  years  the  feeding  grounds  or  the  location  where  th<'  greater 
number  of  seals  are  taken  by  jKiachers  seem  to  differ;  in  other  words, 
the  seals  freqnently  change  feeding  grounds.  For  instance,  in  1887,  the 
greatest  number  of  seals  were  taken  by  jtoachers  between  I'namak, 
Akutan  Passes,  and  the  seal  islands,  and  to  the  siuithwestward  and  east- 
ward, in  many  cases  trom  r>0  to  !")(>  miles  distant  from  the  seal  islands. 
In  the  seas<ui  of  18*.M>  to  the  scnithward  and  westward,  also  to  north- 
west and  northeast  of  the  islands,  showing  that  the  seals  had  been  scat- 
tered. The  season  of  18!U  the  greatest  nund)er  were  taken  to  northward 
or  westward  of  St.  Paul,  and  at  various  distances,  from  IT)  to  L"»(»  nules 
away. 

On  my  (jruise  to  St.  Matthews  and  rnanuik  Island  we  did  not  discover 
any  seal  within  LT)  or  ."U)  miles  of  those  islands,  nor  do  I  know  of  or  believe 
that  the  seals  haul  out  up<ni  land  in  any  of  the  American  waters  of 
Bering  Sea  except  at  tlie  Pribilof  Islands.  If  the  seal  life  is  t()  be 
preserved  for  commercial  puri)08es  the  seals  nuist  be  prote(!ted,  not 
only  in  the  Bering  Sea,  but  in  the  waters  along  the  Pacific  Coast  from 
the  Aleutian  Passes  to  the  Columbia  Itiver. 

Wash.  C.  Coulson, 
Captain,  United  IStates  Revenue  Marine. 


i 


Ihposition  of  Thomas  F.  Morf/aii,  af/cnt  of  lenscen  of  Pribilof  and 

t'omniaiuh'r  islandn. 

Statk'of  Connecticut, 

Neir  London  Coiniti/,  hh: 
Thomas  P.  Morgan,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  the 
person  described  in  and  who  verified  two  certain  afli<lavits  on  the  5th 
day  of  April,  I8!L',  before  Sevellon  A,  Brown,  notary  public,  in  rela- 
tion to  tlie  habits,  managemeiit,  etc.,  of  the  fur  seals. 


154 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


II  tl 


The  harems  on  the  Pribiluf  Islands  have  at  all  times  varied  very 
much  in  si/e.  In  tlie  years  when  I  was  on  the  islands,  between  1874 
and  1887,  it  was  always  possible  to  find  individual  harems  with  50  or 
perhaps  80  females,  while  others  would  only  have  4  or  ">  females,  not- 
withstanding the  average  harem  would  perliaps  contain  from  1")  to  30 
females. .  Large  harems,  though  in  smaller  numbers,  continued  to  exist 
even  in  the  years  1885  and  18S7,  when,  as  1  iiave  alieady  stated  in  a 
former  aHidavit,  the  number  of  females  began  to  deciease. 

While  1  was  on  the  islands  there  was  no  such  thing  known  as  dis- 
turbing breeders  or  stanii)eding  the  rookeries.  The  herd  is  driven 
from  the  nxjkery,  is  kept  away  from  lilth  as  nuich  as  possil»le,  for  the 
reason  that  the  skins  whidi  are  taken,  if  <*lean,  take  salt  iM'tter,  cure 
in  better  condition,  and  bring  better  prices.  Filth,  grease,  and  oil 
make  skins  come  out  of  kencii  tlat,  and  such  skins  are  classed  as  low 
when  sold.  Mud  spoils  the  salt  for  quick  work,  so  the  cleaner  the  skins 
are,  the  better.  As  the  rejected  seals  are  only  to  be  got  away  from  the 
killing  ground,  the  quickest  way  to  the  sea  is  the  route  chosen,  and 
they  often  pass  over  decaying  caniasscs,  but  not  of  ne<^es.sity,  as  they 
are  allowed  to  choose  their  own  gait  and  route  to  the  sea.  They  do  not 
seem  to  object  to  this  any  move  than  to  the  filth  caused  by  the  excre- 
ment and  <lecayiiig  placentas  on  the  bnseding  grounds. 

1  was  on  the  Commander  Islands  in  1891  as  agent  of  the  Russian 
Seal  Skin  Company.  1  never  heanl  anyone  state  that  barren  females  (I 
mean  females  without  young)  were  noticed  there,  and  1  <lon't  believe 
that  any  person  whose  opinion  would  be  entitled  to  consideration  noticed 
this  fact.  It  soon  would  have  become  a  matter  of  common  knowledge 
on  the  islands  if  there  had  been  any  number  of  adult  fenuiles  without 
young.  The  only  sure  way  to  determine  whether  an  adult  female  is 
barren  is  to  exUnuue  her  as  to  whether  she  is  giving  milk  or  is  dry.  As 
the  youiig  seals  do  not  follow  the  mother  contijiucmsly,  the  fact  of  seeing 
females  without  juips  with  them  does  not  prove  that  they  have  not  pups 
somewhere  on  the  breeding  grounds,  and  no  person  having  any  knowl- 
edge of  rookery  life  could  «lraw  such  an  inference,  and  claim  that  the 
females  were  therefore  barren. 

While  on  the  I'ribilof  Islands  1  don't  know  that  1  ever  saw  a  sterile 
female  seal.  It  is  impossible  to  recognize  the  same  seal  fnmi  year  to 
year  unless,  as  in  the  case  of  a  few  old  bulls  which  have  large  scars,  a 
torn  lip,  a  white  blind  eye,  the  nose  split,  or  some  unnatural  mark. 
And,  although  1  have  seen  old  females  without  milk,  very  fat,  associat- 
ing with  the  young  males,  I  could  not  say  that  they  had  not  been  fertil- 
ized, and,  not  having  an  olfspring  to  care  for,  were  associating  with  the 
males  until  the  season  arrived  for  the  herd  to  leave.  At  one  time  the 
suggestion  was  made  that  it  would  be  a  good  plan  to  kill  these  fenuilea. 
I  denied  that  it  was  possible  for  anyone  to  know  that  they  would  not 
bear  young,  and  that  if  the  killing  of  ont^  female  was  authorized  it 
wouhl  oi)en  the  way  to  do  great  injury  to  the  her«l.  For,  when  it 
became  desirable  to  market  a  large  number  of  skins,  the  clubber  would 
see  large  numbers  of  fenn»les  un'it  for  itreeding. 

It  is  ditllcult  to  distM)ver  fresh  excrement  on  the  rookeries,  lor  the 
seals'  Hippers  soon  wipe  oiit  the  evidence  looked  for.  Still  I  ha\e  often 
seen  it.  In  color  it  is  orange,  light  yellow  to  almost  colorless,  and  in 
consistency  soft,  almost  litpiid.  At  times  it  is  very  otlensive,  and  at 
others  nearly  odorless.  But  the  soil  of  the  breeding  ground  is  inqireg- 
nated  with  it,  which  gives  to  the  rookery  a  most  disagreeable  odor  that 
is  increased  by  the  decaying  placentas. 

1  am  quoted  by  the  British  commissioners  (section  825  of  their  report) 


J 


I    -; 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    HRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


156 


to  show  that  in  1H.S4  a>!  irregularity  in  the  habits  of  the  seals  took  place 
at  the  Pribilof  Islands.  This  irregularity  consisted  in  the  following:  lu 
previous  years  the  seals  that  arrived  in  .June  furnished  nearly  all  8  pound 
skins  and  over;  very  few  of  *hesc  seals  were  let  go  or  rejected,  and  wheu 
any  were  rejected  it  was  principally  because  they  were  too  large.  lUit 
this  year  the  2-year-<dd  seals  commenced  to  land  nuich  earlier,  and  the 
run  of  large  haif  bulls  arrived  in  more  scattered  bunches,  just  as  if  the 
her<l  had  been  turned  back  in  |)la«-cs  and  hurried  ahead  in  others,  thus 
ImrryiMji'  the  smaller  seals,  so  that  they  came  on  with  the  head  of  the 
flock,and  turning  back  some  of  the  large  seals  wldch  formerly  had  arrived 
later.    No  irregularity  was  observed  in  the  habits  of  the  female  seals. 

Thomas  V.  Mouuan. 


Di'pofiUion  of  p/iimtH  (i.  Sirnn,  formrr  inspector  of  i-ustomn,  implotfcc  of 
Indian  llureau  and  of  Fish  Commission  of  f'nitcd  States. 

State  of  WASiiiNtiTON, 

Jefferson  Coiintif,  ss : 

James  (i.  Swan,  having  been  duly  sworn,  depos«'s  and  says:  1  am  74 
years  old,  a  resident  of  I'ort  Townsend,  Wash.,  and  by  occupation  a 
lawyer.  1  am  also  Tnited  States  commissioner.  Hawaiian  consul, 
commissioner  for  the  State  of  Oregon,  and  a  notary  |)ublic.  I  eanu>  to 
the  I'acilie  Coast  in  ISoO  and  to  I'ort  Townsend  in  18.jt»,  where  1  have 
since  iield  my  residence  the  greater  i)art  of  the  time  to  the  present 
date.  From  I8<»2  to  ISOO  I  was  empi<»yed  in  the  Indian  Bureau  of  the 
Interior  Department  an«l  stati<»ne«l  at  Neah  Uay,  and  again  iVoni  1878 
to  1881  I  wa^  inspector  of  customs  at  the  sanie  place.  In  18s;;  |  also 
visited  there  in  tlie  employ  of  the  l-'isli  Uommissioner. 

In  1880.  at  tlie  reipiest  of  the  late  Professor  IJaird,  ol"  the  Smithson- 
ian Institute  at  Washington,  I  made  a  careful  study  of  the  hal>it8  of 
the  fur  seal  ((Jallorliinus  insinus)  found  in  the  vicinity  of  ('ai)e  l-'lattery 
ami  the  Strait  of  .Inan  <le  l-'uca,  and  tlie  result  of  my  observation  is 
embodied  in  tlie  Tenth  I'nited  States  ('ensus  (report  of  United  States 
Fish  and  Fisheries,  sec.  ."».  vol.  li,  p.  2!).'i.  Fur  seal  o.  Cape  FlatU'ry 
and  Vicinity)  and  in  the  report  of  the  Inited  States  I'ish  Commission, 
(liulletin  United  States  Fish  (Jcnnmission,  vol.  3,  pp.  L'()l-l,*(>7. i 

The  observations  upon  which  these  leports  are  based  were  nnistly 
contiiuHl  to  the  immediate  vicinity  ot  Cape  I'lattery,  and  I  had  at  that 
time  no  oi>piatnnity  for  <'xten<led  in(|uiry  as  to  the  pelagic  habits  of 
the  animals.  The  natural  liistoryof  the  seal  herd  of  the  IM-ibilof  Islands, 
when  upon  or  in  the  imiiiediate  vitMiiity  of  the  land,  had  been  minutely, 
and,  1  have  no  doubt,  accatrately,  described  by  II.  W.  JClliott  in  his  mono- 
graph  imblished  in  1875.  There  had  been  nj)  to  that  date  no  series  of 
observaticms  nor  good  evidence  on  which  to  base  the  hyjiothesis  that 
the  I'ribilof  herd  and  the  large  mass  of  seals  annually  seen  (hi  the  lati- 
tude of  Cape  Flattery  were  identical.  On  the  contrary,  there  seenu'd 
then  to  be  luajiy  eviden«*es  that  some  other  rookeries  than  those  of  the 
Pribilof  islands  were  located  at  sonu'  point  on  the  ( »reg()n,  Washington, 
or  British  (*olumbia  coast.  Young  seals  were  occasionally  found  by 
the  Indians  upim  or  near  the  beaches,  and  pregnant  females  were  often 
captured  by  them  so  heavy  with  pup,  and  apparently  so  near  their  full 
term  of  pregnancy,  as  to  warrant  the  belief  that  tlie  young  must  be 
either  born  in  the  water  upon  bunches  of  kelp  or  upon  the  rocks  and 
beaches  on  or  near  th»!  coast.    Young  seals  were  often  brought  to  the 


^r 


15f) 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Indian  villages,  and  the  testimony  of  both  Indian  and  wliite  hunters  at 
that  time  pointed  stroiifjly  to  the  tronidusion  tliat  the  breediiiff  pounds 
oftiie  animals  with  which  we  .vore  familiar  could  not  be  far  distant.  I 
have  myself  seen  tiie  black  pups  in  the  water  when  they  ap])eiired  to  be 
but  a  few  weeks  old,  and  others  have  assured  me  that  a  considerable 
number  were  found  from  tin>e  to  time  swimmin}»:  with  their  mothers. 
This  i»henomcnon  being'  of  constant  o(!currence  year  after  year,  and  in  the 
absence  of  a  wider  range  of  observations,  we  were  naturally  contirmed 
by  them  in  the  conclusion  to  which  1  have  above  referred. 

In  recentycars  ithas  been  <lemonstrated  by  the  large  j-atches  obtained 
off  the  coast  by  pelagic  huUvers,  and  by  the  testiniony  of  a  great  num- 
ber of  people  wliose  attention  has  been  directed  to  the  matter,  that  the 
herd  of  seals,  of  which  we  saw  only  a  very  limited  proportion  trom  the 
Neah  Bay  station,  is  a  very  large  one:  and  it  now  seems  beyond  a  doubt 
that  the  comparatively  few  authentic  cases  in  which  pups  were  set :» 
upon  or  in  tin'  vicinity  of  the  coast  were  anomalous,  for  it  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  in  so  large  a  mass  of  ]n'egnant  females  an  occasional 
one  would  be  prematurely  overtaken  by  tlie  ]>ains  of  the  parturition, 
and  that  the  offspring  brought  forth  under  favorable  conditions,  as 
upon  a  bunch  of  kelp  or  some  rock,  should  survive  at  least  a  few  days 
and  be  hiought  in  and  kejil  by  the  Indians,  as  I  have  occasiomilly  seen 
them.  I  have  also  seen  at  the  villages  late  in  the  seascm,  in  the  hiinds 
of  the  Indian  boys,  live  i)ups  which  had  been  recently  renM)ved  from 
their  speared  mothers,  and  whose  vitality  was  such  that  they  continued 
tolive  for  several  days;  but  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  young  mam- 
malia may  be  born  several  days,  oi-  ])ossibly  even  a  month  or  two, 
before  full  term  and  still  survive.  It  is  possible,  too,  that  as  a  source 
of  error  the  'lunters  may  have  mistaken  gray  pups  whose  coats  had 
been  darkened  by  wetting,  or  tho  ■  a  few  months  old,  born  the  prece- 
ding summer,  for  the  so-called  bhit  iv  pups. 

At  the  Neah  Bay  station  large  bull  seals  are  seldom  seen,  and  the 
major  part  of  those  killed  are  pregnant  fenniles,  having  in  them  small 
fetuses  early  in  the  season — say  ab«mt  .lanuaryor  February — and  later 
full  grown  young.  Frou)  all  the  evidence  I  am  able  to  gather,  1  believe 
the  different  classes  of  seals  remain  apart  when  upon  the  British  Colum- 
bia coast,  and  old  balls  and  innnature  young  males  being  chiefly  found 
at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  land,  while  the  pregnant  females 
and  young  males  travel  ctlose  along  the  shore,  and  are  fretpiently  seen 
in  limited  nund)ers  in  the  straits  and  iidets. 

In  the  light  of  investigation  and  research  had  since  the  date  of  my 
observations,  the  most  of  which  wen^  nnide  nntre  than  ten  years  ago,  I 
am  satisHed  that  the  nniss  of  the  herd  from  which  the  British  (Jolumbia 
or  Vict<uia  (-atch  is  obtained  are  born  neither  in  the  water  nor  upon  the 
land  in  the  vicinity  where  they  are  caught,  and  it  appears  most  probable 
irom  the  routes  upon  which  they  are  followed  and  the  location  in  which 
they  are  found  by  pelagic  hunters  between  March  an«l  August  that 
they  originate  in,  migrate  from,  and  annually  return  to  Bering  Hea. 

It  has  been  stated  in  print  tliat  1  said  1  had  seen  pups  born  (Ui  the 
kelp  in  the  water.  This  is  a  gross  misrepresentation.  I  merely  said 
that  it  had  be«'n  reported  to  me  that  such  birth  had  been  witnessed, 
and  (pioted  as  my  authority  ('apt.  K.  H.  .M<'Abnon«l,  of  the  s<'hooner 
Champion  {]).  203,  vol.  1,  of  United  States  Fish  C(»mmissi(m's  report). 

Pelagic  sealing  was  carried  on  by  the  Indians  at  Neah  Bay  long 
before  I  tirst  went  among  them,  but  they  were  then,  and  until  within  a 
few  years,  ])rovided  only  with  their  canoes,  spears,  ami  other  native 
implements,  constituting  the  necessary  outfit  for  an  aboriginal  seal 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


157 


huntpr.  The  destruction  wrouglit  by  them  upon  the  seal  herd  was, 
compared  with  tlie  vast  number  of  wiiieh  it  was  romposed,  very  slijjfht, 
and  did  little  harm  to  anyone,  wliih'  the  result  to  the  Indians  was  then 
and  is  still  of  great  importance.  N<»w  pela;;i«t  seal  huntinj;  is  carried 
on  in  (luite  a  (liferent  manner.  Numerous  expeditions  are  lifted  out  in 
well-e<|uipped  vessels,  some  of  them  under  both  steam  and  sail,  nsanned 
by  whites  and  Indians,  aiul  armed  with  <>inis  and  spears.  1  am 
informed  and  believe  that  the  herd  has  jjreatly  decreased  within  the 
last  two  or  three  years,  and  that  if  itela;;ic  scalinj;'  is  not  soon  checked 
the  herd  will  be  driven  hither  and  tliitiier  and  soclecimated  as  to  render 
it  commercially  valueless.  This  would  l»e  a  j^reat  wronj;  to  the  Indians, 
who  are  dei)endent  to  a  great  measure  upon  tiie  seals  for  a  livelihood, 
as  well  as  needless,  wanton  waste,  which  civili/ed  nations  ought  not  to 
permit.  It  can  not  be  denied  that  the  natives,  who  have  utilized  the 
seal  fisheries  adjacent  to  their  settlements  from  their  earliest  history 
and  profited  by  them,  deserve  some  consideration.  I  believe  that  in 
order  to  preserve  the  nM)keries  upon  the  islands  and  build  them  up  to 
their  former  productiveness  it  is  only  necessary  to  restrict  pelagic  seal- 
ing to  the  coast  simth  of  r»4°  40'  and  confine  it  to  the  use  of  the  primi- 
tive methods  formerly  employed  by  the  natives. 

James  G.  Swan. 


Deposition  of  Joseph  Stanley- Brotrn,  Treasury  agent. 

District  of  Columbia, 

City  of  Washinfiton,  ss: 

Joseph  Stanley-Brown,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  37 
years  of  age;  am  a  citizen  of  the  Tnited  States;  reside  at  Mentor,. 
Ohio,  and  am  by  profession  a  geologist. 

I  spent  the  entire  season  of  1891  upon  the  Pribilof  Islands,  and  during 
the  summer  of  1892  again  visited  them  and  spent  the  period  between 
June  9  and  August  14  ui»on  the  islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  George  in 
continuation  of  my  investigations  concerning  seal  life.  This  season,  in 
addition  to  the  continuous  general  examination  of  all  the  rookeries  and 
the  plottings  of  the  breeding- ground  areas  upon  ch'M'ts,  certain  special 
stations  were  selected  at  i»oints  within  easy  reach  of  the  village  and 
daily  visits  made  thereto.  This  method  of  work  gave  me  an  excellent 
opportunity  to  make  comparisons  between  the  breeding  areas  of  1891 
and  those  of  1892. 

As  the  result  of  my  observations  during  the  past  season,  it  is  my 
oi)inion  that  there  was  no  increase  among  the  females — the  producing 
class — but  on  the  contrary  that  there  was  a  perceptible  falling  off. 
This  decrease  was  the  more  noticeable  at  points  on  the  rookeries  where 
the  smaller  groups  of  breeding  seals  are  to  be  found. 

There  was  so  littledriving  during  the  season  of  1892  that  an  excellent 
opportunity  was  given  to  observe  lifeu|ion  the  hauling  grounds,  several 
of  which  were  not  disturbed  during  the  entire  season.  There  seemed 
to  be  a  slight  increase  of  the  young  bachelor  seals,  although  this  may 
have  been  more  ai)parent  than  real  from  the  fact  that  being  unmolested 
they  accumalated  in  large  bands. 

It  is  quite  certain  th<at  the  normal  habit  of  the  hollaschickie  is  to 
remain  most  of  their  time  upon  shore,  and  if  left  to  themselves  would 
spend  more  time  there  than  in  the  water.  I  have  kept  a  close  daily 
watch  upon  groups  of  yonng  males,  the  members  of  which  did  not  go 
into  the  water  for  a  week  or  ten  days  at  a  time. 


^ 


158 


SEAL    LIKE    ON    THK    rKIHII-OP    ISLANDS. 


Any  statement  to  the  ettect  tliat  the  occasional  occurrence  of  large 
harems  indicates  a  decrease  in  the  availalde  number  of  virile  malet<,  and 
hen<;c  deterioration  of  tlic  rookeries,  should  be  received  with  great 
caution  if  not  entirely  ignored.  The  bulls  i)li»y  ouly  a  secondary  part  in 
the  f(»rniiiti<ui  of  iiarenis.  It  is  tlie  cow  which  takes  the  initiative.  She 
is  in  tiie  water  beyond  tlie  reacli  or  <'ontrol  of  the  male  and  can  select 
her  own  p(»int  of  laii<ling.  Her  n)anm>r  on  fon)ing  ashore  is  readily 
distinguished  from  that  of  the  young  males  which  continuously  play 
ahuig  the  sea  nnirgin  of  the  breeding  grounds.  She  comes  out  of  the 
wt;ter,  carefully  noses  oi-  smells  tlu'  rocks  here  «u'  there  like  a  dog,  and 
then  makes  her  way  to  the  bull  of  licr  own  selecting.  In  this  incipient 
stage  of  her  career  on  slun-e  there  is  but  little  interference  on  the  part 
of  the  male,  but  once  well  away  from  the  water  an«l  near  the  bull  she 
has  chosen,  he  approaches  lier,  manifests  his  i)leasure.  and  greetings  are 
exchanged.  She  then  Joins  the  other  cows  and  as  soon  as  dry  lies  down 
and  goes  comfortably  to  sleep.  I  have  seen  this  selective  power  exer- 
cised repeatedly,  and  the  result  is  that  one  bull  will  be  espe«'ially  favored 
while  tiiose  within  l")  or  liO  feet  will  be  ignored. 

The  size  of  the  harems,  therefore,  has  of  itself  but  little  to  do  with 
the  questi<m  of  lack  of  virile  males,  but  iinlicates  only  the  selective 
power  of  tlie  females.  If  100  bulls  represented  the  neiu'ssary  supply  of 
virile  males  we  might,  by  reascui  of  this  fact,  lind  10  bulls  with  very 
large  harems,  10  with  still  less,  rti)  with  a  reasonable  luimber,  L'O  with  a 
few,  and  10  with  none.  An  oidooker  would  not,  therefore,  bejustilied 
in  stating  that  by  reason  of  these  few  large  harems  there  is  a  lack  of 
virile  males. 

In  the  very  nature  of  things  it  seems  impossible  that  any  method 
other  than  tliis  one  of  selection  on  the  part  of  the  female  could  ever 
have  existed. 

Large  harems  are  fretjucntly  due  to  topographic  conditions,  the  con- 
figuration of  the  land  being  such  that  the  fennUes  can  only  reach  the 
breeding  grounds  through  narrow  passageways  between  the  rocks,  and 
around  the  termiinitioiis  of  which  they  collect. 

Iliirems  often  (coalesce;  then  boundaries  become  indefinite,  and  when 
their  size  and  position  make  them  too  large  for  ci>ntrol,  cows  pass  to  the 
rear  and  are  appropriated  by  the  bulls  there. 

When  once  the  female  is  located,  the  bull  exercises  rigid  control  and 
permits  no  leaving  of  the  laiuls  until  she  has  been  served.  I  never  saw 
a  harem  so  large  that  the  vigilance  of  the  bull  in  this  respect  was  ever 
relaxed.  I  lis  consorts  may  escape  to  .another  harem,  but  they  are  never 
permitted  to  go  to  sea  uulil  an  inspection  convinces  the  bull  that  they  are 
entitled  to  do  so.  No  i intelligent  observer  would  b(;  so  bold  as  to  assert 
that  during  the  seasoii  of  1892  there  was  not  an  abuinlance  of  males  of 
complete  virility,  despite  the  occurrence  of  occasional  large  harems. 
The  accompanying  photographs'  show  that  even  at  the  height  of  the  sea- 
son, and  just  previous  to  the  disintegration  of  the  breeding  grounds, 
there  were  unsnp]>lied  with  cows  old  males  which  had  taken  their  stand 
and  from  which  1  was  unable  to  drive  them  with  stones. 

I  should  have  been  extremely  glad  to  have  been  able  to  note  a  great 
many  more  of  these  large  harems,  but  the  work  of  the  pelagic  hunter 
among  the  females  has  been  so  etfeirtive  that  the  average  size  of  the 
harems  is  growing  smaller  and  smaller,  while  the  number  of  the  idle 
bulls  is  steadily  increasing.  The  rookeries  of  the  Pribilof  Islands  will 
never  be  destroyed  by  superabundance  of  large  harems. 


>  Not  furnished. 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'KI!  'LOF    ISLANDS. 


169 


I  arrived  on  tlie  islaiids  this  year  a  few  days  after  the  coming  of  tlie 
lirst  cows,  and  by  selectinf;  a  small  liarcm  comiiosed  of  seals,  the  arrival 
of  whicli  I  have  seen,  and  jjivinji  it  daily  observation,  1  was  abh' to  sat- 
isfy myself  that  females  bejiiii  to  g<»  into  the  water  from  fourteen  to 
seventeen  days  after  lirst  landin;:.  On  tirst  entering:  tlir  sea  they  make 
a  stniifilit  line  for  the  outer  waters,  ami  as  Isii'  as  the  eye  can  follow  them 
they  seem  still  to  he  traveling'.  The  tirst  cows  to  arrive  aic  the  lirst  to 
dejtart  in  search  ot  food,  and  by  the  lirst  week  in  .Inly  the  cows  are 
cominjj  and  goinj;-  with  sucii  fre»|ueney  as  to  be  rea<lily  seen  at  iiny 
time.  The  aecuiiipanyinjj  photo.iir;ii)h'  (taken  on  .luly.s,  18t»l',  from  the 
same  i)ositioii  Imt  one  da\  earlier  than  the  one  of  last  \ear  which  faces 
j)a}ie  13  of  vobime  L',  of  the  case)  shows  pups,  the  mothers  of  which 
are  at  se;i. 

The  fact  that  the  coat  of  the  cow  assumes  IVoni  residence  on  the  sliore 
a  rusty  or  sunburned  asjjcct  jiives  a  leady  means  oi  observin}^  her 
movements.    'I'he  rustiness  is  quickly  lost  by  lite  in  the  sea. 

The  movements  of  females  can  also  to  a  certain  extent  be  well  observed 
by  their  apjjcarance  aftci-  jiiviu};  birth  to  thcii'  pups — after  liistinj;'  and 
after  f^ory in ji'  themselves  with  food.  Alter  the  birth  of  the  pup,  and 
after  remaininji  uimhi  the  rookeries  even  for  a  few  <lays  when  the  period 
of  comiufi'  from  and  }j;<'i"J?  '"to  the  water  ha>  been  entered  upon,  the 
mother  has  a  very  decidedly  ptunt  appearance,  in  str<»ny  <(>ntrast  to 
the  plumpness  of  i)re^nancy  or  full  leedinji'.  Alter  fet  dinj^  at  sea  they 
coiiie  ashore  ajiain  well  rounded  u]».  So  marked  is  this  that  1  have 
been  rei)eatedly  misled  by  mothers  in  such  a  condition,  mistakiu};  them 
for  i)re;;nant  cows,  and  liave  discovered  niv  error  by  seciu};  her  call 
her  pup  and  suckle  it.  It  1  had  any  donbt  in  my  mind  as  tocowsfeed- 
injj  at  sea  it  was  <lispelled  by  an  examination  of  three  (tows  1  shot  at 
Is'ortheast  i'oint  on  .Inly  'S>,  Jst>-'.  Two  ••sjinburnt"  cows  wer»'  tirst 
killed,  and  their  stomachs  were  fouiul  to  be  empty.  Another  was  shot 
Just  as  she  came  ashore  and  her  stomach  was  j;orj;ed  with  half  digested 
codlish,  which  was  identified  by  Mr.  Townsentl,  an  expert  of  the  I'nited 
States  Fish  Commission.  A  tlissection  was  made  of  this  seal,  and  the 
udder — which  extends,  as  a  broad,  thick  sheet,  thinnin<i  out  toward 
the  edj^es,  over  the  entire  abdominal  portion  of  the  cow  and  well  up 
to  the  fore  flippers — was  so  charged  with  milk  that  on  removing  the  skin 
the  milk  freely  flowed  out  in  all  directtions,  and  previous  to  skinning  it 
was  possible  with  but  little  eft'ort  to  extract  a  suflicient  amount  to  enable 
me  to  determine  its  taste  and  consistency.  A  large  sui)pljM)f  food  is 
necessary  to  furnish  such  an  abundant  anuuint  of  milk.  1  have  no 
doubt  that  a  well-developed  mother  seal  (iould  yield  between  a  pint  and 
a  quart  of  milk  in  the  first  twenty-four  hours  after  lauding  from  a  fee«l- 
ing  expedition,  and  with  such  rich  fountains  to  draw  upon  it  is  no  won- 
der that  the  voracious  pups  increase  during  their  residence  upoji  the 
island  not  less  than  four  times  their  weight  at  birth.  And  it  is  efjually 
certain  that  without  such  a  constant  supi)ly  of  nourishment  they  could 
not  make  such  a  rapid  growth  as  they  do. 

The  i>resence  of  exerenu'ntitious  matter  upon  the  bleeding  rookeries 
is  recognized  both  by  sight  and  smell.  It  is  of  a  yellowish  color,  and 
though  much  of  it  is  excreted,  it  is  of  such  a  liqui<l  consistency  that  it 
is  quickly  rubbed  into  and  mingled  with  the  soil,  and  thereafter  its 
existence  can  only  l)e  noticed  through  the  discoloration  of  the  soil  and 
the  offensive  odor.  The  latter  is  readily  detected  at  a  distance  of  miles, 
when  the  wind  is  completely  impregimted  with  it.    The  odor  bears  no 


^Notfarnished. 


JPT' 


w-i- 


160 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THK    I'KIBILOF    ISf.ANUS. 


|>/   I 


resHinbliiiicu  to  that  wliicli  iirises  tVoin  the  bodieB  of  a  hnj^e  iiuinber  of 
aHMeinblud  iiniiii-.ils. 

Th«'.  (jujiiitity  orexncmentitious  niatter  present  is  iiiHiieneed  by  the 
nature  of  tlieir  diet,  wliich.  beiiiy  lish.  is  hirtjely  assimihited,  while  in 
their  eniiiiii^  iind  j;'oi"fi'  imieh  of  il  may  be  dejMisited  in  tlie  water,  to 
say  notiiing  of  drenching  from  rain,  to  which  tiie  rookeries  (many  of 
wiiicli  are  solid  roek;  are  subjected. 

Oil  the  liauliii^  grounds,  <*n  tlie  other  hand,  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
detect  su(di  matter,  either  tiirouyli  its  ju'eseiue,  the  appearance  of  the 
soil,  or  its  odor.  Tliis  is  a  well  known  fact  to  anyone  who  has  even 
casually  inspected  such  iiaiilintj  j^rounds  as  Middle  Hill,  parts  of  Za- 
padnie,  western  en<l  of  lOnglish  May,  western  einl  of  North  Rookery, 
Starry  Arteel,  (xieat  Kast  Kookeiy,  and  others. 

Tills  dilference  between  the  breedin};  gnmnds  and  the  true  hauling 
grounds  is  explained  V)y  the  fact  that  the  former  areoccui>ied  by  nurs- 
ing females,  which  are  constantly  fee<liug,  while  the  latter  are  frequented 
chiefly  by  young  males,  which  take  but  little  food  during  the  summer. 
This  abstention  from  food  on  their  [lart  is  further  indicated  by  the  fact 
that,  with  excei>tions  now  and  then  observed  on  the  killing  grounds, 
they  grow  thinner  and  thinner  as  the  season  advances. 

The  pup  at  birth  is  received  by  the  mother  with  an  atl'ectionatc  regard 
that  is  unmistakable;  a  sound  not  unlike  that  mside  by  an  ewe,  but  not 
so  loud,  can  be  heard,  and  care  is  exercised  by  the  mother  for  the  pup's 
protection.  I  have  repeatedly  seen  a  mother,  when  her  offspring  was 
still  so  young  as  to  be  helpless,  remove  it  beyond  the  reach  of  the  surf, 
or  gently  lift  it  from  a  hole  between  the  bowlders  into  which  it  had 
fallen.  I  have  seen  them  o'  n  place  the  udder  in  the  most  available 
position  for  the  pup  to  suck,  and  move  themselves  suflliciently  close  for 
it  to  be  within  easy  rea(;h.  After  an  absence  in  the  sea,  the  mother 
invariably  calls  to  her  y(mng  repeatedly,  and  manifests  pleasure  on  find- 
ing it.  Jjater  on  the  pup  is  able  to  recognize  its  mother,  and  as  the 
female  will  suckle  only  her  own  pup  the  pleasure  and  contentment 
which  the  meeting  gives  both  is  evident  to  the  most  careless  observer. 

I")ead  pups  were  as  conspicuous  in  their  infrequency  in  1892  as  by 
their  numerousness  in  18i)l.  In  no  instance  was  there  to  be  noted  an 
unusual  number  of  dead  pups,  except  on  the  bree<ling  grounds  of 
Tolstoi,  the  position,  character,  and  size  of  which  g.ive  prominence  to 
the  carcasses.  Here  the  moi'tality,  while  in  no  way  approaching  that 
of  the  previous  season,  was  still  beyond  the  normal,  as  indicated  by  the 
deaths  upon  the  other  breeding  grounds. 

Any  surreptitious  killing  of  the  mothers  <!an  not  be  charged  with  it, 
for  such  killing  either  there  ov  anywiiere  else  on  the  island  would  have 
become  the  gossip  of  the  village  and  readily  detectted  by  the  attempt  to 
dispose  of  the  skins.  There  are  no  hauling  grounds  so  close  to  the 
breeding  areas  that  the  driving  of  the  young  males  could  cause  conster- 
nation among  the  females  during  the  breeding  season.  Ktam))edes  or 
disturbaimes  can  not  account  for  it,  for  not  only  are  the  breeding 
grounds  in  this  particular  case  of  Tolstoi  one  fourth  of  a  mile  away 
from  the  hauling  grounds,  namely,  at  Mid<lle  Hill  (the  nearest  point  to 
that  breeding  ground  from  which  seals  were  driven  in  1891  and  1892). 
but  it  would  be  practically  impossible  to  stampede  this  breeding  grouna 
by  any  disturbing  cause  save  of  such  magnitude  as  to  be  the  subject  of 
common  knowledge  on  the  islands,  and  I  know  that  no  cause  for  such  a 
commotion  occurred. 

Seals  will  stand  a  large  amount  of  annoyance  before  leaving  their 
harems,  or,  indeed,  being  permitted  to  do  so  by  the  bulls,  and  the  man 


SKAL    I, UK    ON    THE    iMilUILoF    ISLANDS. 


Kil 


does  not  live  who  can  .staiii|HHle  niokcry  Imlls.  No  smokeof  v«*sseh  or 
preseiH'C  of  Hliips  evor  <'aust«,  the  stampede  of  an  entire  breeding  {ground. 
8u(;h  tliin^:s  have  been  reported  luit  no  one  has  ever  seen  it,  and  it 
would  require  persistent  etlort  to  aeconiplisii  sut-h  a  result.  1  have  had 
eause  to  send  natives  on  sevrrai  occasions  entirely  a<!n)ss  a  rookery, 
and  no  stampede  ensued,  i  have  thrown  c<,rj>>'Hliells  lilled  with  blue 
paint  at  female  seals,  for  the  purpose  of  uiarkin;;  them,  until  rocks  and 
seals  were  a  mass  of  blue  color,  but  with  iu>  disturbing  ellect.  in  the 
prosettutiou  of  my  investij^ations  i  have  shot  females  witii  a  noiseless 
ritle  upcui  a  snnill  detached  l»ree<iin^  ground,  have  (trawled  in  and 
drafjjfcil  out  thesealskilled  withoutcausiii};  the  other  mothers  to  recede 
more  thanliO  t'ect.aiul  in  lift  ecu  minutes  thereafter  the  bieediiijjf  grounds 
l)resented  their  wonted  appearance. 

After  two  seasons'  observation  1  unhesitatingly  state  that  I  do  not 
believe  there  has  ever  i»een  brcedinji' grounds  stampeded  in  such  a  whole- 
sale manner  as  to  cause  the  death  of  pups.  If  such  ociairred  in  1<S!IL 
and  ISiCi  it  iscertaiidy  extraor<linary  thatonly  thestarvelin^s  metdeath. 

The  true  explanation  of  the  deatlis  upon  Tolstui  tiiis  year  is  not 
readily  found,  and  must  be  soufjht  in  local  (tauses  other  than  those  indi- 
cated above,  and  1  am  contiilent  that  to  none  of  those  causes  can  be  Justly 
attributed  the  dead  pups  of  ISiM  and  lst»J.  The  followiufr  explanation, 
based  U|)on  my  a<M|uaintancewitli  the  facts,  is  olfei-ed  in  a  tentativ*^  way: 

A  j>lance  at  tin*  map  will  show  that  the  location  and  topojfraphit; 
I'lianicter  of  this  rookery  have  no  counterpart  elsewhere  on  the  island. 
The  rookeries  upon  which  deatlis  are  intVe(pu*nt  are  thost^  which  are 
narrow  and  ui»on  the  rear  of  wlii«'h  are  precipitous  blntfs  that  i)revent 
the  wamh'iiny  of  pups  backward.  The  larjjer  part  of  Tolstoi,  as  will 
be  seen  from  the  nnip,  <\\tends  far  l)a(;k  and  has  ;;reat  lateral  dimen- 
sions. M(u;h  of  it  is  composed  of  drifting  sands  and  it  has  rather  a 
Bteep  inclination  down  to  the  sea.  The  shore  is  an  open  one.  and  the 
surf,  either  gentle  orvi(dent.  is  almost  constantly  present.  As  the  time 
for  learuiii};  to  swim  approaches  the  jaips  tind  it  easy  to  come  down  the 
incline.  They  cony:rej'ate  in  larye  numbers  upon  the  sandy  sli(»re  and 
beffin  their  swimming?  lessons.  This  is  at  a  period  when  tliey  are  still 
immature  ami  not  very  strong;'.  The  bulletin};  of  the  waves  exhausts 
them  ami  connn^  ashore  they  either  wamler  «»ll',  or  strnjjfjlinf;  a  certain 
distance  up  the  incline,  nuide  m(ne  dillicultof  ascent  by  the  loose  sand 
of  which  it  is  composed,  lie  down  to  rest  and  sleep,  and  are  overlooked 
by  their  nu)thers  returninj;  from  the  sea.  I  have  seen  mother  seals  };o 
up  the  entire  iiu'line  seekinjj  tiieir  pups, 

I  liml  notliiu}?  in  the  histcuy  of  dead  pups  ujion  the  island  this  year 
which  does  not  contirin  my  belief  that  the  j;reat  nn>rtality  of  the  season 
of  lSt)l  was  due  to  pela^iic  sealing  in  lierinj;  Sea.  Had  it  not  been  so, 
there  is  no  reason  why  the  deaths  in  l.S!»2  should  not  have  been  as 
widely  distributed  as  they  were  the  previous  year. 

Diuinj^the  past  summer  particular  care  was  taken  to  have  the  drives 
coiKlucted  in  the  san>e  nninner  as  in  i)revions  years,  in  cu-der  that  the 
elfect  of  driving  upon  the  young  nuiles  ndght  be  noted. 

Fr()m  .luue  10  (the  day  after  my  arrival)  to  the  close  of  the  season, on 
August  1»,  there  were  eleven  <lrives  made,  the  longest  one  being  from 
Middle  Hill,  about  2  miles  from  the  village  killing  ground.  With  two 
exceptions,  no  drives  were  made  from  the  same  hauling  grounds  except 
at  intervals  of  two  weeks.  As  the  killing  this  year  was  linnted  to 
7,."iO<>,  there  could  be  but  few  seals  taken  eat;h  week,  and  this  necessita- 
ted turidng  back  to  the  water,  about  I'OO  yards  distant  from  the  killing 

!S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 11 


I; 


M  HI    ' ' 


if;2 


8KAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'KIItll-OK    ISLANDS. 


I   ?■ 


groniHl,fi'(>m  !'» t(»  Ho  per  cent  of  tlioHe  drivrn  up,  and  nnxo  an  (excellent 
opportunity  to  obHcrve  the  etl'eet  of  driving  upon  liir);e  bandn  of  seals, 
in  driving  it  is  true  tliat  if  the  weatlier  in  unfavorable  a  few  nniy  die 
en  I'oute.  or  in  anticipation  of  tiieir  deiith  are  clubbed,  Hkinned,  and 
their  peltH  added  to  the  «|Uota.  It  is  also  true  that  sonu-tiiiies  then*  are 
nninii'estatiftUK  of  weariness  iind  r.xhaustion  among  the  driven  sealH; 
that  <lriving  causes  some  excitement;  thsit  occasionally  smothering 
occurs,  anil  that  there  are  other  cjtisodes  ha|ipening  on  and  about  the 
killing  field  which  are  lU'cessarily  incident  to  and  must  always  form 
part  of  the  killing  of  seals  on  land,  and  which  are  likely  to  obscure  the 
Judgment  of  the  observer  or  be  allowed  to  assume  undue  |>rominence  in 
ins  )nind.  Hut  the  chief  <|Ucstion  is  the  potency  of  these  episodes  as 
destructive  agents.  To  what  extent  <lo  they  occur  and  to  what  extent 
do  they  efltM't  the  herd  at  large  are  the  points  t(t  lie  fairly  considered; 
and  their  coiisiderati(ui  must  not  be  intiuenccd  by  an  exaggeration  due 
to  the  sensibilities  of  tlie  observer,  ('arc  should  be  and  is  at  all  times 
exercised  to  avoid  needless  waste;  but  after  giving  the  greatest  promi- 
nence ])ossil»Ie  to  the  injurious  metlnuls  w  hicli  ar<'  allegi'<l  to  have  been 
emjiloyed  at  different  times  sin<-e  the  American  occupancy  of  the  islands, 
my  (tbservations  leiul  uw  to  believe  that  the  loss  ot  lite  from  the  causes 
in<lieated  above  would  be  but  a  t'ra<'tion<»f  1  pei-cenf  of  the  sciils  driven; 
and  I  also  believe  that  it  can  not.  with  any  show  of  justice,  be  nnule  to 
account  for  or  play  other  than  a  very  insigniticant  part  in  the  diminution 
of  seal  life.  After  my  obsei-vations  of  two  seasons  I  ciin  not  believe 
that  <'reatures  which  in  their  nmturity  possess  suflicient  vitality  to  live 
for  eighty  or  ninety  days  without  food  or  water.  an<l  in  which  their  fetal 
life  can  be  cut  from  the  nmther  and  still  live  for  days,  are  as  bachelor 
seals  injured  in  their  virility  or  tetany  extent  disiibled  physically  by  the 
driving  to  which  they  are  subjected  on  the  I'ribilof  Ishinds. 

.losKi'ii  Stanley  r>KO\VN. 


J)KAD   PI  I'S. 

DepoHitinn  of. I.  (\  S.  Alrrh/,  siinicon  I'liitnl  States  h'muiie  MarinejOnd 
rcsitfent  nnr(jn>u  on  St.  I'ttul  Island. 

Statk  of  California, 

Vitji  and  Vonnty  of  San  Fraiivixro,  hh: 

J.  C  8.  Akerly,  Ph.  B.,  M.  U.,  having  been  <luly  sworn,  depo.ses  and 
says:  I  am  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  <'alifornia,  IHiili,  and  a 
gra^luate  of  the  Cooper  Medical  t.'ollege,  I88r».  From  June  to  August 
18,  1891,  I  was  surgeon  on  the  revenue-marine  steamer  Concin.  From 
August  18  to  November  -i,  18iH,  I  was  resident  physician  on  t^t.  Paul 
Island,  one  of  the  Pribilof  (tr  seal  islands.  1  am  at  present  a  practicing 
}>hysician  at  Oakland.  Cal.  During  my  stay  on  the  islands  I  nmde  fre- 
quent visits  to  the  dinerent  seal  rookeries.  One  thing  which  attracted 
my  attention  was  the  immense  number  of  dead  y<mng  seals;  another 
was  the  presence  of  quite  a  number  of  young  seals  on  all  the  rookeries 
in  an  enuiciated  and  apparently  very  w  eak  condition.  1  was  requested 
by  the  Oovernment  agent  to  examine  some  of  the  carcasses  for  tlie  pur- 
pose of  determining  the  cause  or  causes  of  their  death.  1  visited  and 
walked  over  all  the  rookeries.  On  all,  dead  seals  were  to  be  found  in 
immense  numbers.  Their  number  was  more  apparent  on  those  rookeries 
such  as  Tolstoi  and  Ualfway  I'oint,  the  water  sides  of  which  were  on 


m 


SF.AL    I. IKK    ON    THK    FRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


i(;3 


oi 


(•as 


smooth  };roiiii(1,  iiiid  tlie  eye  could  ;;li<1e  <»V(M'  putclies  of  );i-(Minil  huii- 
(IredH  of  feet  in  extent  wliicli  w»'re  thickly  Htrewii  with  tiirciisscs. 

Where  the  water  si«le  of  tin*  rookeries,  as  at  N«ntlieiist  Point  and  the 
Keef  (soiitii  of  tlie  vilhi);e),  was  on  rorky  ;;roiind,  tiie  iinniens4>  num- 
ber of  dead  was  not  so  a|)|>arent,  hut  a  closer  examination  showed  that 
thedea^l  were  there  in  e<|ually  {jreat  nnndM'r  s«att«'re<l  aniouf;  the  rocks, 
in  some  localities  the  jjround  wa^  so  thickly  strewn  with  the  dead  that 

le  had  to  pick  his  way  carefully  in  order  to  avoid  stepping  on  the  car- 
s,>s.  The  ^aciit  mass  of  dead  in  all  cases  was  within  a  short  dis- 
taui'c  of  the  water's  ('d}ic.  The  patches  (»f  dead  would  comnu'nce  at 
th«'  water's  ed;i«'  and  stretch  in  a  wide  swath  up  into  the  rookery. 
Amon«:st  the  imiiuuisc  masses  of  de  id  were  seldom  to  he  t'ound  the  car- 
casses of  fiill-jjrown  seals,  hut  the  carcasses  w«'rc  those  of  pups  or 
youn}>  seals  horn  that  year.  1  can  ;>'ive  no  idea  of  the  exact  numher  of 
dead,  hut  1  believe  tiuit  they  could  only  he  tiunibered  hy  the  thousaiuls 
on  each  rookery.  Alonj;  the  water's  cdj^c,  and  seattere«l  anu)n;rst  the 
dead,  were  ipiite  a  numher  of  live  pups,  which  were  in  an  emaciated 
condition.  Many  had  hardly  the  strenj^th  to  dra^^  themselves  out  of 
one's  way,  thus  contrasting'  stron(j;ly,  both  In  appearance  ami  actions, 
with  the  plump  condition  and  active,  ajf^'t'^^'^ive  condnt't  of  the  healthy 
appearing:  jaips. 

Themajinity  of  the  pu|>s,  like  all  healthy  nursin;;  animals,  wei-e  ])lump 
and  fairly  rolling;  in  fat.  1  have  watched  the  female  seals  dr.iw  up  out  of 
the  water,  each  pi(;k  imt  its  pup  from  the  hundreds  of  yoiin^'  seals  sport- 
ing near  the  water's  ed;^e,  and  with  them  scianddetoa  clea'spoton  the 
rookery,  aiul  lyin;;  down  jjive  them  suck.  .Vltli(m;;h  1  saw  pups  iiurs- 
hifi  in  a  yreat  nniny  cases,  yet  I  never  saw  one  of  the  sickly  lookiuf; 
pups  receivinj;  attention  from  the  leuuile.    They  set'incd  to  he  deserted. 

The  caus«'  of  the  {jrcat  uu>rtality  amonj;  the  seal  i)Ups  scciiu'd  to  nu^  to 
ha\e  ceased  to  act  in  jireat  part  before  my  first  \  i>its  to  the  rookeries, 
for  subseiiucnt  visits  did  not  show  as  fjreat  an  increase  in  tlie  masses 
of  dead  as  1  wcadd  have  expected  had  the  causes  still  been  in  active 
upcrati(m.  It  seemed  to  me  that  there  were  fewer  sickly  looking'  juips 
at  each  suhse«|uent  visit.  This  ;;rcw  to  he  more  and  more  the  case  as 
the  season  advaijced.  When  I  visite<l  the  rtMtkenes  for  the  purpo.sc  of 
examininjr  the<lead  bodies  it  was  with  extreme  ddlicidty  that  t*arcasses 
could  b(>  ftaind  fresh  enou^di  to  permit  of  a  satisfactory  examimition. 
I  examine<l  a  Iarj»e  nundier  of  car«*»ss«'s.  All  showed  an  absence  of 
fatty  tissm;  between  the  skin  and  muscular  tissue.  The  omentum  in 
all  cases  was  destitute  of  fat.  These  are  the  p«»sitious  where  fat  is 
usually  present  in  all  aninuils.  Wcll-ncuirished  yonn^  animals  always 
have  a  large  amount  of  fat  in  these  localities.  The  few  carcasses  which 
were  foun«l  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation  were  examined  nuue  thor- 
ouffhly.  The  stonuu'hs  were  found  emi>ty  and  contracted,  but  jire- 
sented  uo  evidence  of  dise-ise.  The  intestines  were  empty,  save  iu  a 
few  «*aHes,  where  small  amounts  of  fet-al  nuitter  were  found  in  the  large 
intestines.  .\  careful  examination  of  the  intestines  failed  to  discover 
any  evideiu;e  of  disease.  The  heart,  lun<;s,  liver,  and  kidneys  were  in 
a  healthy  condition. 

Such  is  the  evidence  on  which  I  have  found<'d  my  opinion  that  the 
cause  of  the  great  nxutality  during  I.S'.M  among  the  yjumg  seals  on 
St.  Paul  Island,  Bering  Sea,  was  caused  by  the  deprivation  of  mothers' 
milk.  The  result  of  my  investigation  is  that  there  was  great  mortality 
exclusively  among  nursing  seals.  Second,  the  I'anse  of  this  mortality 
seemed  to  have  been  abated  pari  passu  witli  the  abntenient  of  sea  seal- 
ing.   Third,  the   presence  of  emaciated,  sickly  looking  pups  which 


■m^^— ^^""MlBtlW^ 


164 


SHAL    LIFl':    l)N    THK    PUIHI  .OF    ISLANDS. 


i    i 


w«i«!  itpimrt'ull.v  <k\seited  by  tlieii-  mothers.  Fourth,  the  phiiiip, 
Lealthy  iiitpciiranct!  of  all  the  |>up.s  I  saw  iiur»iii^'.  I'^itth,  the  eiuadated 
uoiiditioii  of  the  dead.  Sixth,  the  absenee  of  fo<)d  in  the  istoinauhs 
and  their  eoiitraeted  coiHlitioij.  Seventh,  the  absence  of  dijjested  food 
ill  tlie  intestines.  Hi/;htli,  the  absence  of  men  feeal  matter,  save  in 
KUiall  amounts  in  a  lew  eases.  Minth,  tlie  absenee  of  struetural 
chanj,'es  in  the  viscera  or  otiier  parts  of  tlie  bo«iies  to  account  for  the 
death. 

J.  C.  S.  Akjckl^,  Ph.  B.,  M.  1). 


iM'jtositinii  of  Hen  11/   W,  HI  Holt. 

("IT^    OK    \VAslllN(i TON, 

i)is1rii:t  of  dnhimhia,  ss : 

Menry  VV.  I'ibott.  beinj;-  duly  swuin,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  a  resi- 
dent of  l'U!Veh\nd.  Ohio,  where  1  was  Ixnii;  am  Kl  years  of  ajjfe,  and 
am  a  citi/eii  oJ  the  IJniled  States. 

1  first  visited  the  i'ribilof  Ishunls  in  Apiil,  1872,  under  the  joint 
appointment  o.'  the  I'nited  States  Treasury  Depaitnn-nt  and  of  the 
Snrilhsonii'U  Institution,  and  residid  thtsreon  until  Auj;us;,  IS7.'?.  In 
18'i i  I  m.ide  anothei-  prolonjifd  visii  under  the  authority  of  a  special 
act  of  Congress.  I  visited  tiie  islands  ajjain  brlelly  in  IS7t»,  and  during 
JNIay,  Jiuu',  'lul\.  and  Au^iusl.  under  authority  oi"  a  spej-ial  act  of  Con- 
gress, in  IS'.Mi.  Durinj;-  each  visit  I  carerully  studied  the  seal  life  on 
these  islantls,  and  i n vest ijia ted  the  habits  of  the  fur  seals.  In  these 
;  ears  1  also  \isitcd  the  various  islands  in  and  around  Heriufj  Sea,  the 
.eading  ports  and  inhabited  places  on  the  mainland  and  islands  of 
Alaska  in  the  Tacilic  Ocean,  as  als(»  the  ports  of  British  (Jolumlua  and 
the  I'uited  Slates;  witnessed  the  methods  of  pclajiic  sealiuf;^,  con- 
versed with  many  pelaj:ic  seal  hunters,  shipmasters,  and  fur  traders, 
and  sought  in  all  possible  ways  to  acquaint  myself  fidly  with  seal  life 
ami  the  taUiiiii'  of  seals. 


t'l.lMAIIC    l'<lNlilTI<)\8   OI     l>l!IIUI.<>l'    ISI  .\M»« 

The  Tribiiof  Islands  posL,esH  a  peculiar  climate.  There  are  but  two 
seasons,  winter  and  summcM-;  the  former  begins  with  Ni>vember  and 
ends  w'tti  .April,  the  mean  tempeiatuiti  being  lib'^  to  li«»'^  F.  above  zero; 
8umi:!e>  livings  oidy  a  slight  elevation  in  the  temjterature,  between  15^ 
or  L'O  ,  s,,  that  tlie  mean  temperature  of  that  i  eason  is  40^  to  MP. 
With  the  opening  of  the  summer,  about  the  Ist  of  May,  a  (!ol<l,  moist 
fog  settles  down  upon  these  islands,  and  is  ever  present  until  tlie  latter 
part  of  October.  It  is  doul)tless  to  this  renuirkably  damp  and  sunless 
atmosphere,  ;.ogether  with  the  isolatiim  of  thes«>  islands,  and  the  fact 
that  fnnn  tl'^eir  foiniation  they  are  rapidly  drained,  that  the  seals  seek 
thi'na  islands  to  breed;  in  fai^t,  it  is  necessary  that  such  a  sunless  and 
moist  climate  with  a  low  temperatuie  should  exist  tor  this  species  of 
I'ur  seal  when  on  land,  and  it  becomes  highly  important  that  they  should 
be  so  protei'ted  as  to  make  their  chosen  home  as  free  from  unnecessary 
niolestatum  as  possible.  It  is  i\i\\U'  certain  that  the  seal  herd  whi(;h 
jiereunially  fre«pientsthe  I'ribilof  Islands  has  no  other  tttrrestrial  haunt, 
and  now  nev  r  lands,  even  temporarily,  on  any  other  terra  tirma  in  or 
boun<ling  the  Tacilic  Ocean  or  Ih'iing  Sea. 

VVhei;  all  the  climatic,  topographi(\d,  aiul  other  facts  are  considered, 
which  are  so  remarkably  favorable  to  st'al  lile  on  the  Fribilof  Islands, 


SEAL    LII'K    ON    TIIK    rRIIHUU'    ISLANDS. 


IGfl 


plain  p, 
laciated 
tomachs 
ted  lood 

save  in 
ruetural 
t  lor  the 

M.  I). 


in  a  resl- 

;i<'i',  and 

the  Joint 
d  of  the 
ST.'t.     In 
[I  special 
(Idnrin;; 
tot  Con 
al  life  on 
In  these 
Si'a,  tlie 
"ilantls  of 
inltia  and 
[w^,  <'on- 
trade  IS, 
seal  life 


but  two 
her  and 
>ve  zero; 
ween  l^P 
to    UP. 
d,  moist 
le  latter 
sunless 
the  faet 
Mils  seek 
dess  and 
)ecie8  of 
>y  should 
ie«M'ssary 
id  which 
al  liaunt, 
•nia  in  or 

nsidered, 
Islands, 


and  which,  with  the  exception  of  the  Coniniaiuler  islands  of  Ifussiii, 
can  not  be  tound  anywhere  else  in  tin'  Northern  Pacilic  (tr  lierinj;  Sea, 
the  rciisons  are  plain  why  these  islands  liiive  been  selected  by  the  fur 
seals  for  their  brcedinj:'  resorts,  since  reprodnetinn  of  tlieir  Uind  can 
not  be  ctfectc«l  in  tlie  sen. 

My  personal  observation  and  study  of  seal  life  dnrlnjj  the  piist 
twenty  years  have  led  nu'  to  the  ci-rtain  «'onclusi<Mi  thai  all  tin-  herd  of 
fur  seals  [iUiUoihlnutt  iirsiniift)  which  now  make  their  aniiu;il  nii<>ratioii 
from  and  back  to  the  I'ribilof  Islands  (de.s(ril)ed  hereafti'i)  were  all 
born  in  .Inne  and  July  (annually)  upon  th4>  I'ribilof  Islands,  pass  the 
tirnt  four  months  of  their  existence  on  rhese  islands,  musing'  at  irrej'U- 
lar  intervals,  learning  to  swim,  and  in  shedding;  their  fetal  coats  of 
black  hair  Ibi-  their  sea<;oin}>'  Jackets  of  Indr  and  far.  leaxe  in  Novem- 
ber, and  annually  return  there  to  spend  from  four  to  six  months  of  each 
year.  In  my  published  ob.servations  of  LSTl*  an<l  ISTl  I  lluuiyht  it 
possible  there  ini<>'ht  be  some  conunin};lin<>'  of  the  I'ribilof  seals  with 
the  seal  herd  of  tlie  Kussian  Islands,  luir  from  my  snbsetpu'iit  study  of 
their  mijiratlons  and  of  th'  "arietal  ditferences  in  the  herds  in  the  two 
localities,  it  is  now  very  clear  to  nni  that  they  never  nniiffle  on  the 
islands,  (-ach  herd  keeping  tt>  its  own  side  of  the  ocean  and  annnally 
resortinji'  to  its  <»wn  llxe<l  bre«'ding  ni'onmls. 

AHun.M.  (IF  nil':  mi. is. 

Between  the  1st  ami  "»tli  of  May  a  few  of  the  adult  mah's  (bulls)  nniy 
he  fonnd  upon  the  breeding  gronmis  <ui  the  I'ribilof  Islands,  but  many 
(tf  them  may  be  seen  swinuning  a  short  «listance  from  the  shore  for  sev- 
eral (lays  before  landing.  The  method  of  hmding  is  to  ronu'  collectively 
to  these  rookeries  which  they  o(rcnj»ied  the  fornu'r  season,  but  whether 
a  bull  always  takes  up  the  same  position  or  stiiv<'s  to  do  so  I  was  unable 
to  gather  sullitnent  data  to  determine,  niy  opinion  bt'liig  to  the  onitrary. 
After  lamling,  the  bulls  tight  furiously  for  positions  npon  the  rookeries, 
the  place  of  advantage  being  nearest  the  sea. 

I  .\Kri\<i  u\   iiiK  ifooM:i{ii>. 

All  the  bulls,  IVom  the  tinn'  they  have  established  tiiemsdves  upon 
the  breeding  grounds,  do  not  h'av«'  them  lor  a  single  instant,  night  or 
day,  noi  tlo  they  until  the  end  «>f  the  lirecding  season,  which  closes 
sonu'  time  between  the  1st  an-'  Kith  of  August  as  a  iiile.  The  bulls 
therefore  for  the  space  of  thr«'e  or  lour  months  abstain  entirely  from 
food  of  any  kind  or  water.  When  they  do  return  to  the  water  they  are 
greatly  ennu-iatcd  and  hu^k  life  and  activity.  But  the  fenniles,  diiectly 
t<>  the  contrary,  feed  at  frequent  iidervals  during  the  suckling  period, 
and  at  the  eiul  of  the  season  are  as  sleek  and  fat  as  when  they  tiist 
hauled  oiJ. 

AUIil\  Al.   ul     rilK    IdWs, 

The  cows,  or  fenniles,  begin  to  conn^  up  from  the  sea  during  the  lore 
part  of  .Inne,  aiul  after  continual  battles  between  the  rival  bulls  are 
iina'ly  settled  upon  the  rookeries.  All  the  females  of  'J  years  of  age  or 
older  "haul  up"  on  the  breeding  rookeries,  whether  they  are  pregnant 
or  not,  and  during  the  period  from  dune  until  the  middle  of  August 
they  may  be  found  coining  and  going  almost  ciuitinuously  to  and  from 
the  rookeries,  except  a.  few  barren  e<»ws,  which  1  will  mention  here- 
after. The  pregnant  cows  lain)  upon  the  islands  from  ..istinetive  knowl- 
edge that  their  period  of  gestation,  which  is  ab(mt   twelve  monthS) 


\m 


ON   THE    PHIBILOK    ISLANDS 


Pl 


ItM-kiiiji  only  a  A*\r  <la,ytt,  hem  eoine  to  iiii  end.  Ah  tlie  jMips  (the  young 
ae;iis)  (!an  nor  be  Imhmi  in  ttU**  wati^r,  tlie  female's  instinct  causes  her  t« 
seek  th«'  lanti,  iipon  wjiieh  iwr  youiiy  is  broujiht  forth.  s«)nu'!tiuies  in  a 
few  lionrs,  but  usually  in  a  day  or  two.  aft^r  lan«lin;;. 

The  bulls  on  rhe  lookeriesare  .*t  ;i«ast  (>  years  of  age,  that  beiii^' about 
th«'  time  when  rliey  attain  th»*-'  ,''o\vth.  »he  a^e  of  puberty  being 
pr<)babl>  altout  .">  y.-ars.  The  r#rmaii.«ler  of  the  nnile  seals.  l)eintr  those 
y<Minj;er  an<l  less  ixMwerful.eaJled  -  baeheJors,"  i  will  reJier  to  later.  The 
t;ows  probably  reach  th»'ir  gi»'»wth  betweei.  4  ami  •*•  years,  but  give  birth 
to  their  first  ^»np  w\iru  .i,  so  f«at  -a^wa  J  ^««rH  *At\  are  found  upon  the 
bivedin;:  gn)n«Ml<s:  they  are  rlw*  JinMU*^. 

X*  the  cows  i>H«#  up  on  the  shores  nb^y  mf  Met  by  the  bulls,  who 
coax  and  nrj^e  vhew  ->»ward  tlieir  <twn  pot*»rioit  otf  the  rookeries.  Dur- 
ing tills  process  rlie  MM»st  liiltet  tights  occnrrei"  b^nween  the  bulls  for 
j^wseshioii  of  the  eow.  '(  1.S7U-IM74;  those  iiea.iv>«*  rjt4>  water  jieing  the 
most  advantageously  |i><  >«ted,  obr^iineii  the  greafWHt  number  for  their 
harems,  snutetinies  having  as  mans  .i^s  *4hir  ."lOctwws  in  th«'ir  pcwsession, 
while  those  farther  iniaii<l  i«»nld  obtain  sonietinu's  oiilj  J  or  .'t:  it  was 
v«'ry  ditlicnlt  t(»  li\  the  average  niiiuber -j^' com's  ii.  a  loHem  in  IST'J- 
1H7I,  but  I  estimated  it  at  about  !.'>  or  'JO. 

l'K.I.\<il<:   iMlllo.N    IMI-O'^^'llllf. 

In  the  act  of  coition  on  t|ie  breeding  rookeries  I  have  nti^^.r<l  the  tact 
that  no  etfecti\(>  eoitioii   took  pI'M-e  until  the  tow   <' as  bi'oUl||^     >    toor 
laid  agaiiisr  an  ine<|iia!it,\  «»f  th*-  rookery  or  tVagnu'iit  of  tli«  1191        t  uit, 
in  spite  of  the  Inilk  «•!'  the  tnaW'  being  so  great  and  vk^MmM  tt\><  n  the 
female  a    *U*'  lies  n|*irti  her  bellv.  tin-  orgasms  are  s«>  rapid  mwS  violeni 
that  sln'  i-.  shoAcd  forw.ird   mdeK>  soii**  if  >strnei ion  holds  her  ,\\  jdace. 
This  fHrt  is.  I  lM»4J4'\e.  sufti<  iei«1  to  satiety  anyone  who  cai'el'iill\  ronsid 
«'rs  the  mattcF  -tfeiit  it  is  :i  ph\>.i4-al  impossibility  for  these  .seal'  to  <opn 
late  ill  til*'  wat*y      In  my  opinion   th»ie  i>  im>  cdiieeivable  po.«  ■  i<M'   in 
whieh  etVe'ual  euition  ♦an  fake  place  in   the  water.     I  also  <»</.♦  ■«  vH 
that  the  perio'l  of  eoimection  in  tlieearly  part  ol  tb#«»e-i son  InstC   '    ''' 
eight  to  font  te*-!!  iHMini-ri.  ai  d  in  the  latte.  p»it.w|icn  the  Itull  w.i.    ..  / 
as  vi;:oi-oiis.  fr<»«>  Umt  bwsix  minutHv^ 


I H I    y* 


'I'he  pup  when  boniean  not  s\»lm.  If  he  is  thrown  a  rod  or  two 
the  water,  his  liead,wlii<'h  is  heavy,  will  immediately  sink,  and  his 
terior  parts  rise  to  the  surface      HiiHfH-ation  is  only  a  matter  of  a 


; 


SKAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


167 


iiiiiiutes.  Until  he  is  alinoKt  six  \veek.>  oUl  a  pu)i  can  not  live  in  the 
water,  lie  then  bejjins  to  try  the  water,  never  fioiofj;  intentionally 
beyond  liis  depth:  soon  liebe(ton)e»  holder  and  strikes  out,  nsin^  at  HrHt 
only  liiH  lUppers;  then  he  ^rows  more  and  more  expert,  until  finally  the 
sea  alonj;shore  is  his  frequent  abidinj;  pla<'e.  The  yoaiiH;  seal,  there- 
tore,  up  to  the  time  it  leurns  to  swim,  is  a  land  animal — in  iu>  way  a 
tull-th'd^ed  amphibian;  and  it  requires  tour  months  of  suckling  by  its 
niotlier  on  the  laml  before  it  becomes  able  to  shift  for  itself  and  is 
abandoned  by  its  parents. 

ItAKItKN    I'KMAI.KS. 

Whenever  a  female  ceases  to  breed  ov  is  barren  she  hauls  up  with 
the  bachelors,  and  no  longer  goes  on  the  breeding  grounds;  she,  how- 
ever, can  be  easily  disfinguislied,  and  whenever  «)ne  becanu'  mixed  in 
a  drive  the  natives  ]>ointed  her  out  to  me  in  187i;-IS7l.  The  whole 
nund)er  of  barren  cows  was  then  very  inconsiderable. 

tNATTArni:i>  mai.k^. 

lichind  the  harems  then;  were  always  a  number  of  idle  and  vigorous 
bulls  in  i<S72-IS7t,  who  were  unable  to  obtain  any  consorts,  but  they  luul 
t/O  (losevtire  battle  to  nmintain  their  ])osition  at  ail. 

lilMOKIiANI/.ATIoN   OK  THK    ItOOKKIIIICH. 

liet  wi^en  the  L'oth  of  July,  when  the  rutting  season  closes,  and  the  oth 
or  Stli  of  August,  the  harems  have  changed  from  their  nu^thodical  com 
|)act  disposition  on  the  nxtkcries.  The  old  bulls  begin  to  leave;  the 
pups  are  gathered  into  pods  or  groups.  The  cows,  pups,  and  idle  bulls 
iieforc  mention  ,1  now  take  possession  of  the  rookeries  is  a  disiudered 
manner,  togctlici  with  a  large  contiii;:ciit  of  thebaclmlor  seals,  who  have 
not  thus  far  been  permitted  to  ,'and  on  the  bleeding  grounds  by  the  other 
niiilcs.  Ily  the  middle  of  August  three  fourths  of  the  ,'ows  spjmd  the 
greater  part  of  tlicir  time  in  the  water,  only  coming  on  shore  at  irregular 
ititervals  to  nurse  their  youiij;.  Tlie  food  of  tiie  fur  seals  is  inaiidy  lish, 
K(piids  and  crustaceans,  and  iiioriiers,  while  nursing  their  young,  I  am 
satislied. go  great  distancesin  Bering  Sea  for  tiiis  foot! — ."•(>,  HKI,and«iveii 
L'(M>  miles  away  Irom  the  I'rilulof  Islands  foi  that  sultsistcnce. 

swrMMiNti  <)!   si;ai>. 

I  am  unable  to  state  |>ositivt  ly  how  rapidly  a  seal  can  swim,  but  f 
have  seen  sipiads  of  youn;.v  bachelors  follow  tjie  revenue  cutter.  /tV/i 
ainr,  upon  which  I  was,  swiiuming  alon;;side  and  around  the  vessel  for 
hours,  when  she  was  moving  at  tiie  rat(M*l'  14  knots  an  hour.  .My  «>pinion 
is  tliat  the  itaehelors  an<t  those  cows  \s  liicli  are  not  hoa\  y  with  pups  can 
travel  through  the  water  fnun  IS  to  L'O  miles  an  hour  tor  many  consecu- 
tive hours  without  pausing  to  rest. 

liOLLirSCniCKlK,    OR    IIACUKI.OU    M'lAI.S. 

The  mah'  fur  seals  under  the  age  of  (i  years  are  not  allowi'd  to  land 
upon  the  breeding  grounds  by  the  older  and  stronger  males,  aiMl  so  are 
coiiipelled  to  herd  by  themselves.  These  seals  are  called  holliischickie 
or  itaehelors,  and  the  places  whi(;h  they  occupy  on  land  are  called  haul- 
ing grounds,  in  contradistiiu-titui  to  tln^  breeding  ronkeries.  It  is  from 
this  class  of  seals  that  the  killable  seals  are  selected. 


I 


I 


u 


A  '' 


5 

I 


i 
i 


•i     I 


i'  II 


168 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


I.OCATlNd    TIIK   IIAUMNd   OIIOINns. 

Tlu'  liiuiling  yi'ouiuls  are  located  on  the  low.  IVee  bea«;lios  not  o<;cu- 
pied  by  the  breeiliii^  ^rouiiiiis,  or  else  iiihiiid  behind  Mie  harems.  In 
the  hitter  ease,  huies  are  leit  b«!tweeii  thi^  harems  by  tlie  ohl  bulls  for 
tlie  baehelors  to  pass  to  and  from  the  sea.  In  ISTl'  I  noticed  one  of 
these  lanes  on  the  I'olavina  rookery  and  the  one  at  Tolstoi  and  the 
two  at  the  IJeef  r(»okery,  but  when  I  returned  in  1S7I  the  lanes  had 
been  entirely  closed  u|>.  I»ut  the  otlu'r  locations  on  unoceu]>ied  beaches 
are  the  most  favoicd  haulin;;'  ^n)nn(l>.  'i'iie  biichclors  when  on  land 
can  b«-  readily  sej>aiated  into  their  se\«'ral  class«'s  as  to  n^".  by  the 
color  of  their  coats  and  sizes. 

'  imn  iN«i  TIIK  si:ai>  to  tut.  kii.i  ixi.  (.iioinos. 

Only  th«'  bachelor  seals  of  from  iJ  to  .")  years  of  a^je  have  been  killed 
by  the  lessees  of  the  islands.  No  female  has  been  ()r  is  allowed  !<)  be 
taken;  a  few  have  been  killed  by  accident.  A  number  of  seals  are 
driven  from  the  hauling'  jjrounds  to  the  killin;^'  grounds  after  being 
separated  tVom  the  rest  by  the  natives.  They  can  l»e  driven  safely  at 
the  speed  of  half  a  mile  an  hour,  providing  the  weather  is  reasoind)ly 
wet  and  .-old.  On  arriving  at  the  killing  grounds  they  are  killed  with 
clubs  and  tln'ir  skins  removed.  During  my  visit  to  the  islands,  in  1S!)0, 
1  was  led  to  the  coni-lusion  that  some  unnec<'ssary  loss  of  life  had  been 
oc<-asioned  by  excessive  driving,  and  that  the  methods  of  culling  the 
herd  must  be  abolished;  but  tins  loss,  which  is  liad  enough,  bears  in> 
<;oni])arison  in  its  injurious  etTect  upon  the  herd  to  that  loss  by  reason 
of  indiscriminate  slaughter  which  is  i!illict<'<l  upon  the  fur  seal  herd 
unchecked  by  ]>elagic  hunting.  Ol  this  1  will  speak  later.  Heside.s, 
the  injurious  ellect  of  excessive  driving  can  be  easily  corrected,  it 
w^as  stopped  in  IS'.K),  and  has  been  stdl  further  restrictetl  since  on  the 
ishnxis. 

wiaoiiT  AMI  si/v:  ok  mai.s. 

.\  bull  when  full  grown  weighs  between  100  and  .jOO  pounds,  some- 
times even  (iOO,  and  measures  from  (>  to  7  led  in  length.  The  female 
weighs  from  70  to  \'2i\  pounds,  and  measures  I  tu  i.^,  U'vt  in  length. 
The  bachelors,  over  1  year  and  u|)  to  .">  ycais  old.  weigh  from  ">0  to  2(K) 
]>ounds.  and  arc  trom  4  to  •*>.]  or  <»  feet  in  length. 

ItKrAKTCKK    Ol      I'lir.    SI  AI-. 

Abmit  the  1st  of  Novend)er  the  great  mass  of  tin'  cows  and  bachelors 
begin  to  depart,  ai.d  the  pups  lollowing  from  the  islands,  going  south- 
ward, the  old  ludls  having  nearly  all  lueeeded  them  in  September  and 
October.  Some,  however,  remain  as  long  as  the  ice  and  snow  will  i)er- 
mit,  and  when  the  winters  are  mi!<l  and  little  h-c  is  abiuit  the  islands, 
which  (X'casionally  occurs,  fur  seals  are  seen  there  until  late  in  .lanuary 
iu  snndl  nundters,  a  few  hundreds  at  the  most. 

Tin:    MIOHATION   Ol     Till      I'KIHII.ol'    M'.AI.    IIKKh. 

To  this,  my  attidavit,  i  appeml  a  track  <'hai  t '  of  the  path  traveled  by 
the  Pribilof  fur-seal  herd  in  the  North  l'a<'ill(!  Oiean  from  the  time  it 
leaves  the  seal  islands  and  ISering  Sea  in  th*'  late  autumn  until  it 
reenters  Hering  Sea  in  .lune  or  Jth  to  loth  of  July  folhiwing.  l''rom 
records  kept  at  Tnalai-ka  and  I'mnak  for  the  last  eighty  years,  a>id 
from  other  informati<Hj,  1  believe  it  to  be  a  fuct,  \v«ll  settiiid,  that  the 


I 


•  "Not  Inrnished." 


.Iw  ~ii*,,4(«„« 


somc- 
fcinale 

h)  to  l.'(M) 


ii'lH'lors 
south- 

j<M-  iiiid 
ill  per- 

slillldH, 

iiiiuary 


i>I«'(l  by 
tiiiio  it 
until  it 
I'roin 
rs,  and 
hat  the 


SKAL    LII'K    ON    THK    I'RIIULOI'    ISLANDS. 


169 


fur  seals  n*yulaily  pass  out  t'nun  the  wati-rs  of  Hcriiijr  Sea  into  the 
North  I'atMlie  l>y  the  middle  or  end  of  Noveinher  as  a  l)ody:  that  these 
animals  do  not  turn  to  the  eastwaid  and  up  l>y  the  p<>ninsular  and 
Kadiak  coast,  Wut  keep  directly  south  till  Inst  to  view. 

I'"r()m  ship  captains  who  liave  sailed  durin;;  the  last  twenty  yeai's 
between  San  Kran«'iH«"o  and  IMif^et  Hound.  I  liave  learned  that  wiiile 
makinn  out  from  San  l-'rancisco  from  the  Sound,  a  lonn  westerly  reah, 
they  have  seen  Iar;;e  nuinhers  ot'  fur  seals  St>(»  (»r  more  miles  at  sea  in 
.lanuary  or  late  December  movinj;  toward  the  Ciilifornia  Coast.  Karly 
iti  .January  the  lirst  stra;.;filers  be;;in  to  a|»|>ear  <tlf  the  California  Coast 
and  by  the  middle  of  I'diriuiry  the  main  body  of  the  heid  ariives 
simultaneously  oil  between  Santa  Barbara  and  (.'ape  .Mendocino,  l-'rom 
this  point  the  projLi;ress  of  the  herd  iu)rlliward  is  indicated  on  the  chart 
hereto  attached.'  The  fact  of  this  annual  iniiiration  ol  the  I'ribilof  fur- 
seal  herd  and  the  n)ute  there«>f  is  stated  frcm  knowledjj**  derived  from 
my  own  study  in  the  Hehl,  i;nd  from  the  testimony  of  those  traders  .iud 
mariners  who  responded  to  m,\  in<piiries  at  i'nalnska.  Cmak,  .Sannak, 
Beleovskie,  Kadiak,  Nuehek,  Vakutat,  Sitka.  Kort  Simpson,  Victoria, 
I'ort  Townsend.  /.nd  Astiu-ia. 

TUK  iiKitn  visrr  oxi.v  thk  im  ack  or  iukik  imktm. 

Fi-oi'.i  all  tin-  facts  that  have  come  to  my  knowledfje  in  relation  to  the 
annual  migration  of  the  fur  .seal  herd,  and  also  Iroin  information  care- 
fully (gathered.  I  am  convin<-ed  and  believe  that  the  Tribilof  herd  of  fur 
seals  now  never  lanil  upon  any  other  coast  or  islands  sive  the  I'ribi- 
lof <.;roup,  the  land  of  their  birth.  At  no  lime  alon^°  the  coast  does  the 
I  jnl  approach  nearer  than  }j;unshot  of  the  .shore,  and  is  olten  KM)  t'tl'(H) 
miles  distant  therefrom. 

(iitow  iM  OK  I'K.i.xtiic  si:.\r  ixo. 

When  1  lirst  visiti'd  .Maskan  waters  in  l.st».")~(»(»,  and  a;.;ain  iii  i.sTli, 
peia};i<'  .sealing  was  almost  unknown,  except  by  hulians  in  canoes  aloii^ 
the  North  Pacific  Coast  and  the  catch  w.is  small,  from  "•.(lOO  to  Itt.tMM) 
annually.  In  l-SS."*  it  bej;an  toassunu*  lar^^er  proportions,  for  while  men 
then  embarked,  and  in  ISSti  the  number  of  vessels  en;;a;ted  with  white 
crews  in  jM^la^fie  seabn;;  was  17;  the  numliei' in  iS'.iOwas  42,  ;indin  1S".»1, 
Ht)  known  craft;  and  i:)robably  10  or  \-  more  clearing  for  *■  whidin<;and 
tradinji,"'  where,  in  fiM-t,  they  intende<l  to  seal. 

The  distim-tive  etlWrs  of  open-\vat«'i'  killinj;  on  the  seal  lienl  may  be 
Ix-tter  understtKxl  by  »\.aminin^^  the  manner  in  which  pelagic  .sealing  is 
now  carried  on. 

WANNKK   ol     CKI.AtiK     sK.M.INti. 

A  seiUinj;  s<'hooner  is  -ieldom  over  SO  or  under  U(  tons  measurement, 
einployiuff  l."»  or  L'O  men.  The  vessel  sails  well  into  the  track  of  the 
rni^ratin^  lierd  of  fur  seals.  iOach  boat,  to  the  number  ot  7  or  S,  is 
manned  with  two  men,  one  of  whom  rows:  tin-  other  sits  mi  the  bow 
with  his  shotgun  «)r  lille  and  j^affpole.  The  lioat  also  contahs^  .i  s..;all 
ke^;  of  water,  some  provisions,  ammunition  locker, skinnin;:  k. lives,  and 
an  «'.\tra  pair  of  oars  and  sail.  Thes<'  boats  are  let  down  over  the  side 
of  the  vessel,  and  row  out  oih'  after  the  other  to  tin;  windward,  taking 
nji  positions  just  so  far  from  «'iM'h  other  as  to  be  in  hail  of  the  one  next 
to  tlu'iii  toward  the  schooner:  in  this  way  they  can  cover  »»,  7,  or  8 
mih>.s,  and  the  fuithermost  may  be  out  of  si;;ht  of  the  s<  homier. 


■'Ik- 

,i  ii. 


I 


!'         1 


ill 

It^n  1 

>  *'  Not  t'liriiiaked." 


ITT 


170 


SEAL    LIFE    OX    THE    PUIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


When  tliu  hunts  have  taken  tlieir  position  tlio  oarsman  just  i^cepHtlie 
boat^H  nose  to  tlie  winil,  aiil  tli«>  liuiiter  keeps  a  lookout  tor  seals. 

A  t'ur  H(sil,  when  dist^overcd  by  the  hunter  in  theoj  i^n  ocean,  is  either 
sleepin;*'  or  teeWinfj;,  ami  so  tlie  only  ciaHsilication  by  these  linnters  is 
"tee»b'rs"  or  *' sleepers."  It  is  an  absolute  impossibility  for  the  hunter 
to  determine  the  sex  or  the  aye  of  any  fur  seal  when  in  the  water,  until 
it  iH  dia^^ed  into  the  boat. 

in  swimminj:;  tlie  seal  is  always  sultmeryed  several  feet  below  the  sur- 
faee.  The  seal  also  devours  its  foo<l  beneath  the  water.  It  is,  however, 
compelled  to  eome  up  every  three,  live,  or  lifleen  minutes  to  breathe, 
rising:  head  and  slioulders  above  the  water  for  a  Hecoiid  or  two.  If  the 
seal  rises  very  near  the  hunter's  boat  it  will  dive  ayain  too  ipiickly  to 
bo  shot  at,  but  it  it  raises  .'SO, ")(»  or  100  yards  from  the  boat,  it  will  ])iiUHe 
•A  moment — lony  enou;;'h  for  the  hunt<>r  to  shoot  at  it. 

If  the  seal  is  not  hit  or  is  wounded  it  at  once  dives  and  can  never  be 
seeured;  if  it  is  kllle<l  by  the  shot  it  sinks,  and  nidess  the  iioat  is  m(»ved 
up  in  a  minute  or  two  t«>  the  spot  where  the  animal  sank  the  eareass  will 
be  invisible  from  the  surfiu;e.  If,  however,  the  seal  hap])ens  to  be 
wounded  so  as  t<»  be  stunned  or  da/ed,  it  will  thmnder  on  the  surface 
of  the  water  until  sei'ured.  KiXcepI,  therefore,  in  the  last  peculiar  man- 
ner of  wonndiufj,  the  seal  hunter  never  known  whether  he  has  ndssed, 
wounded,  or  killed  the  seal.  Provided,  howev«'r,  the  boat  van  be  rowed 
immediately  to  the  sp(»t  where  the  seal  was,  whiiih  depends  on  the  aceu- 
ra«'y  of  Mxinjr  the  spot — necessarily  a  most  dirt'  "ult  nmtter — the  hunter 
may  perceive  the  sinkiii};  body,  if  the  seal  was  killed,  some  I,  <»,  or  8 
feet  below  the  surface.  In  that  case  he  reaches  down  with  his  ^atV  and 
fastens  on  to  the  carcass  ami  drays  it  up  to  the  boat.  Seals  wounded 
either  fatally  or  sliyhtly  are  nev<'r  found.  They  instantly  dive  and 
swim  away,  to  perisli  soonei'  or  later. 

TMK    W.\*TK   Ul'    Mil:. 

A  hunter  takes,  .say,  LMM>  cartri<lj;es  when  he  leaves  the  .sclioctuer  in 
the  moiiiiiiy,  and  after  pcrliaps  sixteen  horns'  work  returns  to  the  v«'s- 
Hel  with  all  these  expended.  If  for  these  lie  can  sho\v  10  or  1*2  skins  it 
Is  c(msidered  a  yood  day's  woik.  The  pelayic  hunter  <  ertainly  kills  and 
fatally  wounds  a  very  Im  j^e  niimbei  i»f  aninnils  which  he  never  secures 
tin*  l>odies  of,  the  nunil>cr  hit  and  secured  dependiu}'-  \«'ry  largely  upon 
the  retrieving  skill  ot  the  hunter.  From  c«Miversations  1  have  had  with 
pelayic  hunters,  1  am  of  the  o]»iiijoii  that  a  larye  majority  of  them  do 
not  yet  oiu'  out  of  evi-ry  li\i>  that  they  shoot  at  within  and  lieyond  a 
ranye  of  ."»o  vards.  .\t  .io  to  ."io  vards'  clistance  they  ani  almost  .sure  to 
hit  them  iltlie,\  use  biu-Usliot.  No  hnntci'  who  uses  a  yuu  can  tell  the 
exact  nuiiiltcr  lu'  secures,  as  ompared  with  the  nundier  he  kills  or 
fatally  wounds,  lie  can  not  f»«»s.vil)|y  tell  tin'  truth,  even  if  he  wants 
to  do  so.  He  ii>nan>  bla/es  :i\va.\  at  every  seal  that  rises  within  ranye 
to  a  hundred  yards  or  even  lartlu'r. 

The  Indian  hunters  accumpaiiyiny  a  sealiny  schooner  yeneially  u.se  a 
tijyyle  licaded  sprar,  tasti'iied  to  tlic  canoe  by  a  line  which  they  use. 
After  a  storm  tiie  seals  sleep  more  than  at  any  other  time,  and  it  is 
then  the  Indian  hunt(>rs  are  let  down  in  tlieii'  canoes  ami  paddle 
otV  to  the  windward,  the  hunter  standiny  or  sqnattiny  in  the  bow, 
spear  in  hand,  lookiny  for  the  protrudiny  nose  <d'  a  sleepiny  seal. 
WIu'U  a  "slee|»er"  is  seen,  the  canoe  is  silently  paddled  as  near  the 
aninnd  as  possible,  tin*  spear  is  thrown,  and  if  the  .seal  is  stru(!k  she 
is  dragyeii  into  the  eam)e  by  the  line.  .\n  Imlian  hunter  secures 
nearly  every  seal  he  strikes;  but  it  is  also  indiscriminate  slauyhter,  as 
he  ean  not  distiuguish  the  age  or  sex  of  the  "sleeper'*  before  striking  it. 


> 


SI.AL    LIl  r,    ON    THK    PIJlBFLoF    iSI.ANhS. 


171 


I'llOlllltlTIDN    IN    ItKlilNti    SUA    .\NI>    NOKIII    IV\(II  l(      MlK-SAItY. 


After  ciin't'iilly  exiiiiiiiiiii^  tliu  situation,  actiiiil  records,  and  trust- 
Avortliy  testimony  of  men  en;>ii;4'ed  in  sealin};,  with  wimni  I  havu  eon- 
vers'  d,  and  also  from  l<n<)\vled;ie  of  tiic  niitriiitory  lialtit  and  peeuliar 
4:ireiiinstane4;s  of  seal  life,  I  am  of  tiie  opinion  that  unchettiied  pehi;>iu 
seaiiiiK  is  sure,  speedy  destruction  of  the  I'ribilof  herd  of  fur  seuLs; 
that  if  allowed  to  continue,  and  the  lleet  increases  in  nundterof  veMsels 
and  increased  skill  u.  hunters,  even  though  the  present  modus  vivendi 
should  remain  in  force,  it  would  result  in  the  utter  commercial  ruin  uf 
the  herd ;  that  in  order  to  preserve  the  seals  from  (;otnplete  destruction, 
as  a  commercial  factor,  it  is  necessary  that  pelagic  sealing  should  not 
oidy  be  prohibited  in  Hering  Sea,  but  also  in  the  North  ra<iilc,  from 
the  1st  of  May  until  the  end  of  October,  annually.  The  pcia;;ic  huntera 
t<)  day  kill  at  least  !>0  per  iient  <m)ws,  the  {jreat  majority  beiiiff  with 
youn;;,  nearly  ready  for  <lelivery,  in  the  Pacitic  Ocean. 

As  the  vl.ysical  conditions  are  such  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  to 
discrimi.iate  in  matters  of  sex  or  nfHi  when  shooting,'  or  spearing  in 
the  water,  it  is  evi<lent  that  pelagic  sealing  can  not  i>e  regulated  in  the 
slightest  degree  beyfuid  its  complete  prohibition  within  c(>rtain  lindts. 
A  /.one  or  belt  of  'M  or  even  more  ndles  about  the  I'ribilof  Islands  will 
be  entirely  inettective.  No  pelagic  sealing  can  be  pt'rmitted  in  llering 
Sea  with  safety  to  the  preservation  of  the  herd,  and  the  pnddbition 
should  extend  into  the  North  I'acilic  to  a  period  sullic-iently  early  (at 
least  by  the  1st  of  May)  in  the  season  to  protect  in  great  measure  the 
pregnant  female  seals  as  they  pass  along  up  the  coast. 

The  visit  which  I  nmde  to  the  I'ribilof  Islands  in  1S!)0  satisfied  me 
that  a  very  great  tiecrease  had  taken  place  in  the  seal  h»*rd  which 
annually  resorts  to  those  islands.  My  observations  in  1S7L',  1.S74,  and 
187(5  led  me  to  the  con(!lusii)n  that,  pidvided  matters  were  conducted 
in  tiie  seal  islands  as  tliey  were  then.  1()(),(HM>  male  seals  under  ."»  years 
of  age  might  be  safely  taken  each  yeai'  without  injury  to  tiie  regidar 
biith  rates  or  natural  increase  of  tiie  herd,  providt-d  no  abnormal  cause 
of  destiiK'tion  occurred,  lint  in  IS'.tO  I  found  an  entirely  ditlercMit  (!ondi- 
titai  of  affairs  existing.  Thisdecii'iise  I  atliibiite  in  tin'  gieatest  nu'as 
lire  to  the  pelagic  sealing  abov»'  UK'utioned.  Its  cIVect  has  l)«'«'n  so  gn'at 
tliat  there  is  demanded,  in  my  opinion,  a  cessation  of  all  killing  on  the 
islands,  except  for  the  necessities  of  the  natives  for  a  few  years,  as  well 
as  the  permanent  |noliibitioii  of  pelagic  sealing,  as  already  indi<'ated, 
thus  giving  an  o|)poitunity  for  tin-  herd  to  reestablish  itsi'lf  approxi- 
mately to  its  ntninal  coiiditioiss.  W'iien  tiie  killing  is  again  permitted 
on  the  islands  for  commercial  purposes  the  regulations  of  the  'freasury 
l>e|)artment<'aii  l»e  rigidly  enforced. overdrivingcan  easily  he  prevented, 
and  the  present  killing  of  pups  liy  the  natives  f(»r  food  slioiihl  be  pro 
hibited.  at  least  until  the  lierd  shall  have  reached  the  form  ami  condi- 
tion which  I  found  during  l.s7l.'-IS7(!. 

NVitki  .Aiich  regulations  in  force,  and  with  pelagic  sealing  dis<-oiiiinued, 
it  may  l)e  conlidentl.N  anticipated  that  within  a  few  years  this  species, 
so  valuable  to  the  human  race,  will  be  icstored  to  a  condition  which 
will  render  it  valuable  auw  again  to  tli<^  comnu'rce  ol'  the  civilized 
world;  and  this  restorati<»n  will  piove  enduring. 

ni;NJ{^  VV.  Klliott. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me.  a  notary  i>ublic  in  and  for  the 
JUstrict  of  I'idundua,  this  l.Uh  day  of  April.  ISJH', 

[L.  s.]  Seveli.on  A.  Bkown. 


ipf 


Hi 


iPi 


i£m 


r 


172 


SKAL    IJFK    ON    THE    PKIIUhOF    ISI-ANDS. 


Unitki)  Statks  Toast  and  <Jeoi>ktio  Sirvky. 

Stfomtr  MrArthin-,  linrmlnr  9,  ]S9i'. 
Hon.  John  \V,  Fostkk, 

Scvirttirif  of  iStiii),,  WasliiniifoH,  />.  r. 

Siu:  I  liiivctlu'lioiiortoforwiird  tli«'iil1i<liivit  (l«'sir<'{l,aii(l  will  toiwiird 
tbe  duplicate  tomorrow, 

\Ve  aiiclioiod  oil"  Se<*liat  villajrc  at  ',\.'.\0  p.  in.  April  20.  Our  native 
chit'f  came  alouffside  and  was  riMpu'sted  to  conu'  on  hoard  in  tlie  niorii- 
in;;  and  bring  with  liini  soin4>  ol'tlie  rliict'  men  of  Mie  village,  lie  had 
))lanned  to  f^o  liuntin;;:  wild  j^eese,  whieli  were  l'.yin«;-  at  the  time;  so  I 
])roniised  him  •<'$  in-  $"»  for  his  loss  of  time  and  to  aci'iunpany  us  to  other 
villages.  We  took  their  testimony  in  the  moi'uing  of  the  iMst,  and  ran 
to  another  village,  anchoring  at  I4K45  a.  m.,  took  testimonv  and  left  at 
l.L'O.  Anchored  olV  Ichielet  at  li.4(»  and  left  at  ljr».  An«'linre<l  off 
Taylor  Island  at  7.J(»  ]>.  m.  and  left  for  Port  Townsend  at  10  ]>.  m. 

Two  to  three  dollars  were  given  to  each  head  chief  and  (Mie  ilollar 
each  to  the  others  for  their  loss  of  time  and  ivitness  te*-  after  testimony 
was  given.  All  that  was  requested  of  them  was  to  answer  the  «|uestion8 
truthfully.  Tlu^  white  storekee]>er  was  on  hoard  but  a  few  minutes,  and 
was  invited  to  take  a  glass  of  beer  or  liquor.  The  pi-iest  dined  on  board, 
and,  I  believe,  took  a  drink  aiul  some  claret  wine.  We  were  not  long 
enough  in  any  one  place  to  intoxicate  anyone  if  we  had  been  foolish 
enough  to  do  so,  I  sincerely  believe  they  would  give  the  same 
teHtimony  to  an  ICnglish  paity  at  any  time. 

There  were  four  commissioned  oHicers  of  the  Navy  present  during  the 
testimony,  and  as  nniny  of  the  witnesses  could  speak  and  understand 
Knglish,  all  weie  satisMetl  of  tlu'ir  truthfulness. 
Verv  I'espeet fully, 

W.  V.  Kav, 
Liciitntoiit,  I'liili'^l  Sfiilts  Snt'if,  Cotniintinliinj. 


IttiHmtiiin  oj'  W,  /'.  linji. 

Statk  OI"  (.Ialuokvma: 

W.  I*.  Kay,  being  <luly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am  an  ollicer  in 
the  Tnited  States  Navy,  holding  the  grade  of  lii'utenant.  Under 
instructions  from  Washington  I  went  from  Port  Townsend  to  l(ar<;lay 
Bound,  on  the  west  coast  of  Vancouver  Island,  April  1!>,  l.S!>2,  in  the 
steamer  McArlliitr,  of  the  Hinted  States  ('«)ast  Survey.  I  returned  to 
Port  Townsend  three  days  later.  Tlie  object  of  my  visit  to  Barclay 
Sound  was  to  procure  inibrmation  in  the  form  of  atlidavits  as  to  the 
habits  of  the  fur  seals,  to  be  used  in  the  pending  arbitration  with  (ireat 
Hritaiu.  1  visited  the  various  points  in  that  vicinity  inhabited  by  the 
Indians,  and  took  the  testimony  of  a  number  of  these  people  and  of 
the  priest  of  the  village.  For  greater  convenieiuie  I  took  the  testimony 
aboard  the  steamer,  and  I  agn-ed  to  pay,  and  <lid  pay,  each  witness  a 
reasonable  sum  for  attendance,  which  sum  «lid  not  exceed  the  usual  fee 
allowed  a  witness  in  a  court  of  Justice,  The  total  amount  disbursed 
by  me  in  obtaining  the  testimony  of  these  witnesses  was  .*.■{."»,  which 
amount  was  distributed  among  l.">  men.  It  was  made  up  partly  of  the 
amount  i>aid  to  each  individual  witness  on  account  of  his  attendance 
on  board  my  vessel,  ])artly  of  sums  paid  out  to  men  wh(»  undertook  to 
ascertain  the  whereabouts  of  (;ertain  of  the  witnesses  and  secure  their 
attendance  as  above.  Kach  witness  received  a  plug  of  tobacco.  No 
other  gratuity  of  any  sort  was  dispensed. 


jL..^. 


SEAL    LIKE    ON    THE    I'KIIULOI'    ISLAND!^. 


173 


At  no  time  during  my  stay  at  llarirlay  Suiiiid  was  any  intoxiciitiu); 
liquor  (liHpt'nseil  to  any  iiativ«'  witiu'ss,  nor  was  any  witness  nn<h'r  the 
influence  of  licpior  at  the  time  wlieii  1  took  his  testimony.  We  were 
not  more  than  two  and  a  lialt'  iionrs  at  any  one  vilhi^e. 

The  testimony  wiiich  1  obtained  was  };iven  in  every  instiinee  willin^^ly 
and  elieerfnlly.  Neither  tlie  witness  tees  nor  tlie  <;ratnities  aho\  e  men- 
tioned formed  any  part  of  tlieeonsideration  for  the  <>ivin^of  tliis  testi- 
mony, and  I  tirmly  Itelievt^  thi^  same  statenu'iits  will  lie  made  to  anyone 
visiting;  tlie  plaee  for  information  it  any  time. 

.lust  iM'fore  leavin<f,  Chief  Ohaiiie.  chief  of  police,  stated  that  he  and 
his  peo]ile  liad  ;:'iven  food,  clothing',  shelter,  and  protection  to  nniny  ship- 
wrecked Americans,  and  he  requested  blue  cloth  enough  to  make  a  uni- 
form suit,  as  he  «'oidd  not  procure  any  tln-re.  It  was  y:iveii  to  him  as  a 
s)ij;lit  acknowled};ment  of  his  kindness  tn  «mr  people  in  distress. 
Value,  *  10. 

W.  v.  Hav, 
l/initi'Hiiul,  rnittil  StatfH  Stirif. 
<'onnnnii<liiiji  Cntist  Surrri/  iShtinitr  MrArlliiir. 

Sworn  to  before  nu'  tiiis  Uth  day  of  heircmbcr.  IS'.H'. 

[.SEAL.j  .\.   S.    M  AOOttNALI). 

Ao/rt///  I'lihlir  ill  mill  fur  Alamnla  Coiinty,  Stnlv  of  i'nlij'oriiiii. 


Ihposilion  of  (',  I..  Hoojur. 

DiSTRIO""  Ol-  COI.I  MHIA, 

('it J  of  \Vanhiiijiton,  sm: 

Per.sonally  appeared  before  me  t'.  1..  Hooper,  who.  beinji'  didy  sworn, 
dejioses  and  says:  I  am  "iK  years  «»f  aif.^';  a  resident  of  Oaklainl,  Cal., 
and  am  an  ollic«'r  in  the  United  States  K'Vi'nui'-Miirine  Service,  hohling 
the  jirade  of  captain,  and  iromnnindin^  the  I'uited  States  n^venue- 
steamer  Vorinii. 

In  obe<lience  to  instructit»ns  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  I 
cruised  in  the  North  I'adllc  Ocean  fr(»m  .March  S)  to  .May  l«»,  1H1H',  for 
the  purpose  of  investigating;  the  habits  of  the  fur  seal  when  at  sesi. 
During  these  investigations  1  had  «>«-(;asion  to  take  the  depositions  of  a 
nund)er  (»f  natives  and  white  men  familiar  with  the  subje(;t. 

Durin;;  a  jxu'tion  of  Septend)er,  all  of  ()<-tober,  and  a  portion  of 
November  these  investij^ations  were  continued  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Aleutian  An^hipelatro,  and  a  number  of  de|»ositions  were  takeu  also 
from  the  mitivesol'  the  Aleut  villafjes  situated  ther<'on. 

No  depositions  were  taken  by  me  from  the  natives  of  N'aiu'onvor 
Island,  nor  from  the  natives  from  any  other  localities  except  as  pre- 
viously iiulicated. 

In  no  instance  was  liquor  in  any  form  ^-iven  by  me,  or  by  anyone  on 
my  vessel,  to  any  artisint;  in>  alliant  was  under  the  intluence  of  licpior 
wlien  his  statenn>nt  was  made;  no  undue  intluen<-e  of  any  sort  or 
descii|)tion  was  used;  no  {jratuities  were  jjiven;  oidysnch  witness  fees 
were  paid  as  would  be  a  fair  compensation  for  lo.ss  of  tinu'  when  sucli 
loss  of  tinu'  actually  occurred,  and  the  testimony  obtained  was  given 
freely  ami  willingly. 

Two  huiulred  and  eighty  depositions  were  taken,  and  the  aggregate 
foes  paid  was  $()l>.r)(). 

C.   L.   HOOPKB. 

Subscribed  ami  sworn  to  before  me  this  13th  «lay  of  December,  1802. 

[SEAL.]  SEVELLON   A,  BEOWN. 


TTT 


M 


III' 


174 


SKAL    LIKE    ON    THE    FUIKILoF    ISLANDS. 


IfepoHttion  of  Williaia  II.  Willitnnn. 


UlSTIlK  T   OK  C'OLUMIJLV, 

Cifif  of  Wtmliiiuiton,  sm: 

Personally  apiH'iii'Hl  before  me  Williiiiii  II.  VViUiiiiiis,  who  lieiii);  duly 
Hwuni,  tlepoMes  and  sayH:  I  leHiWe  at  VVflliiiKton,  Ohio:  I  am  ")«  years 
of  age,  and  am  I'liited  States  Tieasuiy  ajjent  in  eharjje  of  tlie  I'rihilof 
iHlands. 

I  have  seen  several  newspaper  articles  in  whi(;h  I  am  charged  with 
bavin^r  ''suborned  Indian  testimony,"  with  employing;  >*uiifair  means'' 
in  obtaining  midenie  from  Indians,  ami  that  ronrlusive  proof  of  thiH 
miseondintt  has  been  procured  by  Major  Sherwoo*!  of  the  Dominion 
police. 

The  fa«-ts  in  connection  with  the  procuring'  of  these  depositions  are 
aH  foUows:  l)uriii<;  the  summer  of  1S*)L*  I  had  occasion,  in  aiccordance 
with  instructions  from  tlic  Secretary  of  the  Trt'asury,  to  take  the  depo- 
sitioiisof  certain  natives eoncerinn;;  the  subjects  of  seal  life  and  sealinj; 
at  sea.  The  Indians  from  whom  I  took  depositions  were  the  Makah 
Imiiaiis  at  the  Makah  A^^ency,  two  Nitmit  Indians  at  the  same  place, 
and  the  mitives  on  the  I'rilulof  Islands.  No  depositions  weie  taken  by 
nie  from  any  other  natives,  and  1  was  never  at  Harclay  SoumI,  on  the 
wetst  of  N'aiu-onvei'  Ulaml,  or  on  the  west  coast  of  liritish  Cobunbia. 
In  takin;>'  depositions  from  the  Makah  Indians  the  oidy  sum  of  money 
l)aid  was  •*«:!..■»(>.  whicli  was  j;iven  by  me  to  Chestoqua  l*et«'rson,  son  of 
the  chief,  f»»r  his  services  as  interpreter  for  two  ami  one-half  days.  On 
the  IM'ibilof  Islands  the  sum  of  $'>  was  paid  to  Simeon  Melivedof,  a 
lUitive  and  school  teacher  on  the  island,  for  four  day8*  services  as  a 
copyist.  These  wt-re  the  (udy  sums  of  money  paid  by  me  to  Indians  or 
to  natives,  or  to  anyone  in  Alaska. 

In  no  instam-e  was  any  litpuir  ;:iven  to  an  aMiaiit  by  me,  nor  by  any 
one  either  directly  or  imlirectly  associated  with  me;  nor  was  any  athant 
under  the  intluence  of  liquor  when  his  deposition  was  made  or  verilied; 
and  no  undue  intiuenee  of  any  sort  or  description  was  employed.  No 
{gratuities  in  any  form  were  {fiven.  The  testimony  obtained  was  not 
oidy  fr<>ely  and  willin;j;ly  given,  in  all  instances,  but  often  voluntarily. 
This  was  especially  true  of  the  two  Nitnat  Indians. 

In  the  case  of  the  natives  at  the  Makah  Ajj;em!y,  the  depositions  were 
taken  in  the  othce  of  the  Indian  aj^ent,  Glynn,  and  under  his  personal 
knowledge,  lie  is  a  radical  in  his  opposition  to  the  giving  of  intoxi- 
cants to  natives,  and  had  anyone  attempted  to  otter  one  of  the  Indians 
licpior  he  woidd  have  been  at  (Mice  ejected  from  the  agency. 

Wm.  II.  Williams. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me  this  20th  day  of  December,  1892. 
JSKAL.J  Chas.  S.  Ill ohks.  Xotary  Pnhlic. 


Additional  depoHition  of  WHUkhi  II.  WHliamn. 

DisTRif'T  OF  Columbia, 

Citt/  of  Waxliinjiton,  ss: 

I'ersonally  appeared  before  me  William  II.  Williams,  who,  being  duly 
sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  reside  at  Wellington,  Ohio;  am  of}  years  of 
age,  and  am  United  States  Treasury  agent  in  charge  of  the  Pribilof 
Islands. 

During  the  suininer  of  18!)2  I  luul  occasion,  in  act'ordance  with  instruc- 
tions from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  to  take  the  depositions  of  cer- 


1."     ! 


..I. 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    THK    I'KIIUIA'F    ISLANDS. 


I7r> 


tain  wliit«iiiiMi  rdiHttM'iiiiif;  tlieBiibiertoCHeiiliii^iitstsi.  TlicilcpositioiiH 
went  taken  in  Vi(;toria  iVoni  sliip  captains,  seainun,  boat  piiliei-H  and 
Htoerors,  s«'al  iiuntcrs.  and  otliern  intcrestiMl  in  seulinfj;,  anion;?  tlirni  the 
vice-president  of  tlie  Seah'rs'  AsHocialion.  All  <l<'positioii8  \v»Me  taken 
and  veritled  before  tlie  llnited  States  consid.  Myers,  at  Vic'toiia.  TliiM 
was  the  only  plare  in  wliirli  I  took  depositions  in  Itritish  ('olntid>ia.  In 
no  instance  was  any  liipior  ^jven  by  nie  to  an  atliant;  nor  was  any  alliant 
under  the  intlnent*'  of  li(|nor  when  his  deposition  watt  made  or  veiitied; 
and  no  nndne  intliience  ot  any  sort  or  description  was  employed.  No 
gratnities  were  yiven.  'I'he  testimony  oiitaincd  was,  in  all  instances, 
not  only  ;;iven  freely  and  wililn;;ly,  bnt  oltcn  voliintaiily.  The  iisnal 
witness  tees  (in  this  case  raniL;in);  from  ^l  to  m.'S)  were  paid,  and  oidy  in 
three  instances  was  the  latter  sum  jfiven.  the  usual  pric«'  bein;;  ^-. 

VVm.    II.    NV  1 1, LI  VMS. 

Sul»scril)ed  and  s\v<»rn  to  before  ne  this  LM»th  day  of  December,  lHt»ii. 
I8I;AL.|  (JitAS.  S.    Ill  tillKS,  Xotarif  I'lihlic. 


IS  were 

M'sonal 

intx)xi- 

xlians 

AMS. 

•,  1H92. 
ihlic. 


Ih-fKtMttiint  offlomplt  Murrtty, 

DlsrilK  T   OF   COLIIMIUA. 

City  of  W'onlii Hilton,  hh  : 

Personally  appeared  before  me.loseph  Murray,  who.  beiii}:  <Iuly  sworn, 
deposes  and  says:  I  reside  at  Fort  ('ollins,  Culo.;  I  am  ■*»0  ycais  of  aj^e, 
and  am  the  tirst  assistant  Treasury  ay:ent  at  the  I'libilof  Islands. 

In  obedience  to  instrnrtions  iVtun   the  Set-retary  of  the  Treasury,  I 


■<te: 


Alltoti 


th 


d( 


accompanied  tlie  Kish  <' 
by  that  vessel  during  th(>  month  of  April,  IS!L',  and  took  de|>osition8 
from  the  mitives  of  Cooks  Inlet  and  Prince  William  Sound.  I  also  took 
deiMtsitions  in  Kodiak,  Victoria,  Port  Townsend,  ami  .Seattle  from  white 
men.  In  no  instance  was  any  li<pior  ^iven  to  an  aftiant;  nor  was  any 
atliant  under  the  intluence  of  liquor  wlien  his  statement  was  made  or 
verilled;  and  no  undue  intluenceof  any  sort  «tr  description  was  employed. 
No  <-ompensation  whatsoever  was  ;;iven  by  the  (Joveinment  to  any 
native  or  other  person  for  any  purpose,  and  the  testimony  obtainetl  was 
in  all  instances  given  freely  and  willingly. 

.FoSKI'lI    MURBAV. 

Snbscribe<l  an<l  sworn  to  before  nie  this  21st  day  of  hecend>er,  18*.Hi. 
JSI'.AL.)  .losKl'll  A.  IvlN.si.KV,  Xotary  I'ulilic. 


DESTRl^CTION    Ol"    FKMALi;    SKALS. 

Textimony  of  Amerintii  furriers, 

Kelative  to  nnitter  of  d<q)letion  of  seal  herds  of  the  Pribilof  Islands, 
this  most  deploi-able  fact  is  due  in  our  opinion  in  great  part,  if  not 
en'' cly,  to  the  action  of  sealers  in  the  indiscriminate  killing  of  these 
aiiimai  vhile  in  transit  to  and  from  these  islan<ls  for  breeding  puri)oses, 
til'  fem:i'es  being  killed  in  much  greater  ])roportionate  numbers,  owing 
to  t]<<Hv  less  aggressive  nature  and  their  being  less  able  to  escape. 
Wh;!!j  o  1  their  way  to  these  islands  the  cow  (female)  seal  is  in  a  condi- 
tion of  pregnancy,  the  period  of  gestation  ending  shortly  after  their 
landing.  If  intercepted  and  killed  while  iu  this  condition  the  loss  is 
obvious.     (G.  G.  Gunther's  Sons.) 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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^ 


A 


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1.0 


1.1 


1.25 


I'-  li^ 

I.    ^ 

1.8 


U    116 


^^ 


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n 


7 


y 


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Photograplil 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

(716)  S73-4S03 


I 


ITT- 


■m 


176 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


At  that  time  (ISOij)  be  made  his  ]>urchasers  from  the  Iiitliaiis  on  the 
western  coast  of  the  American  continent,  who  ofil'ered  to  liim  only  the 
skins  of  female  seals;  that  the  ])rice  he  originally  ])ahl  for  them  waf-  as 
low  as  oO  cents  per  skin;  that  he  offered  the  Indians  a  much  hijjher 
price  for  male  skins,  and  was  tohl  by  them  that  the  male  seals  could 
not  be  caught,  and  that  many  Indians  whom  he  has  personally  seen 
kill  seals,  and  from  whom  he  has  bouglit  skins,  have  told  him  that  male 
seals  and  the  young  cows  were  too  active  to  be  caught,  and  that  it  was 
only  the  female  seals  heavy  with  young  whicli  they  could  catcli.  The 
uuiles,  for  instance,  as  deponent  was  told  by  the  seal  hunters,  come  up 
to  the  surface  of  the  water  after  diving  ofteu  as  nuich  as  a  mile  from 
the  place  they  went  down,  whereas  the  females  can,  when  pregnant, 
hardly  dive  at  all. 

Deponent  says  that,  from  his  own  observation  of  live  seals  during 
many  years,  and  from  liis  personal  inspection  of  the  skins,  he  knows 
the  difference  between  tlie  skin  of  a  female  seal  and  a  male  seal  to  be 
very  marked,  and  that  the  two  are  easily  distinguishable.  The  skin  of 
a  female  shows  tlie  marks  of  the  breasts,  about  which  there  is  no  fur. 
The  belly  of  the  fenntle  s(;al  is  barren  of  fur  also,  whereas  on  a  male  the 
fur  is  thick  and  evenly  distributed.  Tlie  female  seal  has  a  much  nar- 
rower head  than  the  male  seal,  and  this  difference  is  apparent  in  the 
skins;  also  that  the  dillevences  between  the  male  a';d  female  seals'  skins 
are  nuirked;  that  there  is  now  and  always  has  bce^i  a  difference  in  the 
price  of  the  two  from  oOO  to  "jOO  per  cent.  For  example,  at  the  last  sales 
in  London,  on  the  U2d  day  of  February,  1S1>2,  tliere  were  sold  .30,000 
female  skins  at  a  price  of  40  shillings  apiece,  and  l.'},000  male  seals  at  a 
price  of  130  shillings  apiece,  on  an  average. 

Second.  That  from  the  year  LS({4  down  to  the  ])resent  day  deponent 
or  his  tirm  have  been  large  purchasers  of  seal  skins  on  the  western 
coast  of  America  from  the  Indians  and  residents  on  the  British  coast; 
and  deponent  believes  tiiat  he  has  handled  nearly  three-fourths  of  the 
catch  fnmi  that  time  down  to  tlie  present.  That  during  the  whole  of 
this  i)eriod  he  has  purchased  from  .'iO,000  to  40,000  seal  skins  a  year,  and 
that  he  has  personally  inspected  and  pliysically  handled  the  most  of  the 
skins  so  bought  by  him  or  his  tirm. 

That  from  the  year  1880  he  has  been  in  the  habit  of  buying  skins 
from  American  and  l^higlish  vessels,  engaged  in  what  is  now  known  as 
poaching,  and  that  he  has  persomilly  inspected  every  cargo  bought,  and 
seen  unloaded  from  the  ])oaching  vessels,  and  subsecjueutly  seen  and 
superintended  the  unpacking  of  the  same  in  his  own  warehouse;  that 
the  most  of  the  skins  mentioned  as  purchased  by  him  have  been  bought 
from  the  poaching  vessels,  and  that  of  the  skins  so  bought  from  the 
vessels  known  as  poachers  deponent  says  that  at  least  90  per  cent  of 
the  total  number  of  skins  were  those  of  female  seals,  and  that  the  skins 
of  male  seals  found  anuing  those  <!argoes  were  the  skins  of  very  small 
animals,  not  exceeding  2  years  of  age;  and,  further,  that  the  age  of  the 
seal  may  be  told  accurately  from  the  size  of  its  skin. 

Third.  That  the  skins  bought  at  Vi(!toria  from  the  poaching  vesseli 
are  shipped  by  liim  largely  to  the  firm  of  CM.  Lampson  &  Co.,  in  Lon- 
don, who  are  the  largest  selleis  of  skins  in  the  world,  and  the  agents 
of  dei)onent's  hrm;  that  he  has  been  through  the  establishment  of 
C.  M.  Lampson  tS:  Co.,  in  London,  very  frequently;  that  he  has  fre- 
quently heard  stated  by  the  superintendent  thereof  that  the  great  major- 
ity of  the  skins  received  by  them  from  what  is  called  the  ''Northwest 
catch" — that  is,  the  northwest  coast  of  Victoria — are  tlie  skins  of  seals 
caught  by  vessels  in  the  open  Facilic  or  the  Bering  Sea,  and  that  a 


SEAL   LIFE    ON   THE    PUIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


177 


i  on  tlie 
ouly  the 

I  bi fiber 
lis  could 
illy  iseeu 
II at  male 
it  it  was 
jh.  The 
come  up 
lile  from 
regnant, 

s  during 
le  knows 
ieal  to  be 
le  skin  of 
is  no  fur. 
male  the 
luch  nar- 
Mit  in  the 
sals'  skins 
lee  in  the 
last  sales 

Id  ;i(),ooo 

seals  at  a 

deponent 

i  western 

isli  coast; 

hs  of  the 

wiiole  of 

year,  and 

ost  of  the 

ling  skins 
known  as 
lugbt,  and 

seen  and 
luse;  that 
in  bought 

from  the 
ler  cent  of 
Ithe  skuis 
jery  small 

ge  of  the 

^g  vessels 

in  Lon- 

lie  agents 

fhment  of 

has  fre- 

Mt  major- 

lorthwest 

Is  of  seals 

Wd  that  a 


large  proportion  of  said  skins,  amonntiiig  to  at  least  tM>  i)er  cent,  were 
in  liis,  the  said  superintendent's,  judgment  obviously  the  skins  of  female 
seals. 

Fourth.  That  deponent  has  Ireciuently  recpiested  the  captains  of  the 
poaciiiug  vessels  sailing  from  Victoria  and  other  ports  to  obtain  the 
skins  of  male  seals,  and  stated  that  he  would  give  twice  as  much 
money,  or  even  more,  for  such  skins  than  he  would  pay  for  the  skins 
of  fenudes.  Kach  and  all  )i'  the  captains  so  approached  laughed  at 
the  idea  of  catching  male  seals  in  the  open  sea,  and  said  tiiat  it  was 
impossible  for  them  to  do  it,  and  that  they  could  not  catch  male  seals 
unless  they  could  get  upon  the  islands,  which,  except  once  in  a  long 
while, they  were  unable  to  do,  in  conse(iuence  of  the  restrictions  imposed 
by  the  United  States  Government;  because,  tliey  said,  the  males  were 
more  active,  and  could  outswim  any  boat  which  tlieir  several  vessels  had, 
and  that  it  was  culy  the  female  seals  who  wore  heavy  with  young  which 
could  be  caught.  Among  the  cai>tains  of  vessels  with  whom  deponent 
has  talked,  and  who  have  stated  to  him  that  they  were  unable  to  catch 
anything  but  females,  are  the  following:  Captain  Catlicart,  an  Ameri- 
can, now  ab(mt  7.j  years  of  age,  who  commanded  the  schooner  iSan 
Dietfo,  imd  who  subse(iuently  connnanded  other  vessels;  Capt.  Harry 
Harmson,  Capt.  George  VV".  Littlejohn,  Capt.  A.  Carlson,  Gustav  Sund- 
vall,  and  others,  whose  names  he  does  not  now  remember.  (Ilerman 
Liebes.) 

I  tind  in  handling  the  skins  taken  in  Bering  Sea  that  the  teats  of 
those  from  the  cow  seals  are  much  larger  and  much  more  developed 
than  from  the  ones  taken  in  the  North  Paciitic  before  they  have  given 
birth  to  their  young;  and  the  fur  (Ui  the  belly  of  the  former  is  thinner 
and  i)oorcr  than  on  the  latter,  as  a  result,  1  suppose,  of  the  heat  and 
distention  of  the  udder  consequent  upon  giving  milk.     (Isaac  Liebes.) 

In  my  examination  of  skins  offered  for  sale  by  sealing  schooners  I 
found  that  over  W)  per  cent  were  skins  taken  from  females.  The  sides 
of  the  female  skins  are  swollen,  and  are  wider  on  the  belly  than  those 
of  the  males.  The  teats  are  very  discernible  on  the  females,  and  it 
<!an  be  plainly  seen  wliere  the  young  have  been  suckling.  The  head  of 
the  females  is  also  much  narrower.      (Sidney  Liebes.) 

I  have  read  the  albdavit  of  John  J.  riielan,  verified  the  18th  day  of 
June,  IS!):;.  1  was  present  at  the  exanunation  of  seal  skins  therein 
referred  to.  While  Phelan  insi)ected  all  of  these  seal  skins,  I  assisted 
him  in  the  insi)ection  of  about  three-fourths  of  them.  1  know  that  of 
tiiose  insi)ected  Jointly  none  were  improperly  classed  as  the  skins  of 
female  animals.     (Chas.  10.  ]Mc('lennen.) 

I  was  visiting  in  San  Francisco  in  the  winter  of  1S!)()-01,  and  I  worked 
in  a  fur  store  during  several  montlis  of  my  stay  tiiere,  and  I  was  called 
on  to  liandh;  ami  inspect  thousands  of  the  skins  taken  by  schooners  in 
Bering  Sea,  and  they  were  nearly  all  cow  seal  skins.   (Anton  Melovedoff.) 

In  buying  the  catch  of  schooners  engaged  in  the  sealing  business  I 
liave  observed  that  fully  oO  per  cent  of  them  were  females,  and  had 
either  given  birth  to  their  young  or  were  heavy  in  pup  when  killed, 
wliicii  was  easily  observed  by  the  widtii  of  the  skin  ;)f  the  belly  and  the 
small  head  and  development  ot  the  teat.    (It.  II.  Sternfels.) 

The  first;  consignment  was  i>laced  in  cold  storage  at  the  Central  Stores 
in  New  York  City.     A  short  time  since  I  consented,  at  the  retjuest  of 
the  United  States  (iovernn)ent,  that  this  consignment  be  examined,  in 
S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  I  12 


178 


SEAL    LIFE   ON    THE    PKIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


order  to  tletciiniiie  how  luany  female  skiiKs  it  contained.  To  perform 
the  examination  I  detailed  John  J.  J'helan.  This  man  has  been  in  the 
emi)l<)y  of  my  father  or  of  myself  since  the  year  18(18.  J  rejjfard  him 
as  one  of  the  most  e()nii)etent,  trustworthy  men  in  our  service.  J  have 
read  an  aftidavit  verified  by  him  on  the  18th  of  June.  1  agree  entirely 
with  what  he  says  eoncejiiinfi'  his  experience  in  the  handling-  and  dress- 
ing of  skins,  and  from  what  J  know  ot  his  character  and  ability  I 
believe  that  evervthing  stated  by  him  in  this  aHidavit  is  correct.  (Geo. 
II.  Treadwell.) 

It  is  true  that  the  Northwest  Coast  catches  have  of  late  years  placed 
upon  the  market  a  certain  number  of  good  skins  which  cimld  be  pur- 
chased at  i)rices  far  below  those  for  which  tiie  skins  of  the  Alaska 
catch  wcie  sold.  liut  1  realize  that  this  can  not  continue  to  be  the 
case,  for  it  is  a  matter  of  common  knowledge  among  furriers  that 
these  Northwest  Coast  catches  are  composed  mainly  of  the  skins  of 
female  animals,  and  I  understand  that  the  killing  of  the  seals  is  rapidly 
impairing  the  v.ilue  of  the  herd.    (ISamuel  Cllmann.) 

I  have  for  many  years  personally  examined  numerous  shipments  of 
Northwest  Coast  skins  purchased  at  Victoria.  I  have  had  such  expe- 
rience in  handling  fur-seal  skins  as  enables  me,  readily  in  most  cases, 
but  always  upon  careful  examination,  to  distinguish  a  female  skiu  from 
a  male  skin,  and  I  know  it  to  be  a  fact  that  a  very  large  proportion  of 
the  skins  in  such  shipn)ents  are  those  taken  from  female  animals.  It  is 
also  true  that  a  large  number  of  skins  in  many  of  these  shipments  are 
rendered  almost  valueless  through  the  numerous  bullet  holes  which  they 
contain.     (Samuel  Cllmann.) 

I  have  observed  that  by  far  the  larger  ])ortion  of  skins  purchased  by 
me  were  taken  from  female  seals.  Not  less  than  eight  out  of  every  ten 
were  from  cows  with  pup  or  in  milk.     (C.  T.  Wagner.) 

During  the  i)ast  two  years  1  have  handled  large  numbers  of  North- 
west Coast  skins  (i.  e.,  skins  of  animals  taken  in  the  I'acific  Ocean  or 
in  Bering  Sea).  I  have  assorted  all  of  them,  and  iu  doing  so  have 
spe(!ially  noticed  the  fact  that  a  very  large  proportion  were  skins  of 
female  animals.  To  determine  this  fact  in  the  case  of  dressed  skins  I 
see  whether  there  are  any  teat  holes.  I  never  call  a  skin  a  female  skin 
unless  1  can  lind  two  such  holes  on  either  side.  These  holes  can  be 
easily  distinguished  from  bullet  or  buckshot  holes,  of  which  there  are 
generally  a  great  number  in  Northwest  Coast  skins.  In  the  case  of  a 
shot  hole  it  is  always  evident  that  the  surrounding  fur  has  been  abruptly 
cut  off,  wliile  around  the  edge  of  a  teat  hole  the  fur  gradually  shortens 
as  it  reaches  the  edge  and  naturally  ceases  to  grow  at  the  edge.  I  have 
just  looked  over  an  original  case  of  00  dressed  and  dyed  Northwest 
Coast  fur  seal  skins,  which  have  been  lately  received  from  London,  and 
were  still  under  seal  ])laced  on  them  in  London.  I  found  that  of  these 
90  skins  !)  only  were  those  of  male  animals.     (Wm.  Wiepert.) 

Deponent  further  says  that  the  skins  of  the  Northwest  catch  are 
almost  entirely  the  skins  of  females;  tluat  the  skins  of  males  and  the 
skins  of  females  may  be  as  readily  distinguished  from  each  other  as 
the  skins  of  the  dilf'erent  sexes  of  any  other  ar.  inals  when  seen  before 
being  dyed  and  dressed,  and  that  the  reason  why  the  skins  of  this 
catch  are  almost  exclusively  females  is  that  the  male  seal  is  much  more 
active  and  much  more  able  to  escape  from  the  boats  engaged  in  this 
manner  of  hunting  than  the  female  scmI,  and  that  a  large  number  of 
the  female  seals  included  in  the  Northwest  catch  are  of  animals  heavy 


N 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THp:    PlillJILOF    ISLANDS. 


179 


pel' form 
'11  ill  the 
aid  him 
I  have 
entirely 
id  dress- 
ability  I 
t.    (Geo. 

IS  phiced 
be  i)ur- 
e  Alaska 
o  be  the 
iers  that 
skins  of 
s  rapidly 

mients  of 
ich  expe- 
3st  cases, 
ikiu  from 
)ortion  of 
ills.  It  is 
neiits  are 
hicli  they 

;hased  by 
every  ten 

of  North- 
Ocean  or 
so  have 
skins  of 
d  skins  I 
nale  skin 
s  can  be 
there  are 
use  of  a 
abruptly 
shortens 
I  have 
)ithwest 
don.  and 
of  these 

atch  are 
s  and  the 

other  as 
?n  before 
s  of  this 
vn'h  more 
d  in  this 
mnber  of 
als  heavy 


with  yonn}>'.  A  larj^e  number  of  females  are  also  cau{>ht  ou  their  way 
from  and  to  the  Pribilof  Islands  and  their  feedinj?  grounds  before  and 
after  the  delivery  of  their  young  on  those  islands.     (C  A..  VV' illiains.) 

A  statement  is  attached  thereto,*  prepared  by  deponent,  giving  his 
estimate  of  the  number  of  female  seals  killed  by  [lelagic  hunting  in  the 
\nifit  twenty-one  years.     (C  A.  Williams.) 

That  for  the  last  tifteen  years  he  has  had  consigned  to  him  by  fur 
sealers  from  .S,0(K)  to  Kt.OOO  seal  skins  annually,  for  tlie  purpose  of 
<lressing  and  <lyeing  tiie  same;  that  about  ">0  per  cent,  of  the  skins  so 
received  by  him  eame  from  London  in  casks  marked  as  they  are  cata- 
logued by  C.  -M.  Lampson  <S:  Co.,  and  are  the  skins  belonging  to  what 
is  known  as  the  Northwest  catch ;  and  deponent  is  informed  and  believes 
that  the  Noi  til  west  catch,  as  the  term  is  used  in  the  trade,  means  the 
skins  of  seals  caught  in  the  open  sea  and  not  upon  the  islands.  Another 
reason  for  tiiis  belief  is  the  fact  that  all  of  the  skins  ot  the  Northwest 
catch  contain  marks  showing  that  the  animal  has  been  killed  by  bullets 
or  buckshot,  the  skins  being  ])ierced  by  the  shot,  whereas  tlie  skins 
killed  en  the  American  and  liussian  islands  are  killed  on  land  by  clubs 
and  are  not  jiierced. 

That  of  the  skins  of  the  Northwest  cat(!h  coming  into  his  hands  for 
treatment  jirobably  all  are  the  skins  of  tiie  female  seal,  and  that  the 
same  can  be  distinguished  from  the  skins  of  the  male  seal  by  reason  of 
the  breasts  and  of  the  thinness  of  the  fur  around  the  same  and  upon 
the  belly,  most  of  the  females  being  killed  while  they  are  bearing  their 
young,  and  the  fur  therefore  being  stretched  and  thinner  over  that  part 
of  the  body;  and  also  for  the  furt'.ier  reason  that  the  head  of  the  female 
seal  is  much  narrower  than  thatof  the  male  seal,  and  that  this  jioint  of 
ditleience  is  obvious  in  the  skins  of  the  two  classes;  that  of  the  total 
number  of  skins  received  by  him  about  -J")  per  cent  are  the  skins  of  the 
Alaska  and  Copper  catches;  that  all  the  skins  of  the  Alaska  catch  are 
male  seals,  and  an  overwhelming  proportion  of  the  Copper  catch  are 
likewise  male  skins;  that  the  remainder  of  the  skins  sent  to  deponent 
for  dressing  and  dyeing,  as  albresaid,  are  received  by  him  through  the 
house  of  Herman  Liebes  v\:  Co.,  of  San  Francisco,  and  others,  the 
majority,  however,  from  Herman  Liel)es  ^S:  Co.  The  skins  received 
from  the  latter  sources  are  from  each  of  the  three  catches  known  to  the 
trade  as  the  Cojiper.  Alaska,  and  Northwest  catches,  although  the  major 
part  thereof  belong  to  what  is  known  as  the  Northwest  <'at(h,  and  are, 
as  in  the  c(se  of  the  skins  received  fioni  London  of  that  t-atch,  all  skins 
of  the  female  seal.     (dos.  1).  Williams.) 

In  examining  and  ]>urcli:isiiig  seal  skins  from  schooners  in  their  raw^ 
state  I  have  ol)served  that  '.'(»  jter  cent  of  their  catch  are  females.  I 
know  that  to  be  a  fact,  because  the  heads  of  the  females  are  smaller, 
the  bellies  large.,  and  the  teats  can  be  plainly  seen.  The  teats  show 
more  plainly  when  the  skin  is  dressed  and  dyed.  In  examining  the 
skins  taken  by  sealing  schooners  1  have  found  most  of  them  ]ierforated 
with  shot,  making  them  much  less  valuable  thereby;  t)»rmerly  more  of 
then  used  to  be  killed  with  a  ritle.  which  did  not  injure  the  skin  as 
imich.     (JNlaurice  Windmiller.) 

The  destruction  of  the  seals  in  the  North  Tacilic  Ocean,  as  well  as  in 
the  IJering  !Sea,  is  largely  conilned  to  iemales.  This  fact  can  not  be 
dis|iuted  successlully.     1  made  on  examination  of  the  reports  of  the 


Not  t'lirniNbed. 


'I       "• 

III 


180 


SKAL    LIFH    ON   THE    PKIIJILOF    ISLANDS. 


j>entl(Miieii  wlio  liiiiulled  »he  North  I'acitic-  collection,  iij)  to  and  incliul- 
iug  the  year  ISSjj,  and  all  a^i'ieed  that  the  skins  wen*  nearly  all  from 
females.  It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  explain  that  tlie  snuillei'  value 
of  tlie  female  seal,  especially  after  tlie  birth  of  her  i)up,  is  in  a  measure 
due  to  the  wearing  of  the  fur  around  the  teats.  'Ihe  amount  of  mer- 
chantable fur  bein^'  reduced  to  that  extent,  makes  it  necessary  for  the 
handlers  of  skins  to  observe  carefully  whether  pelts  are  male  or  female, 
as  well  as  tlieir  <>eneral  (U)ndition.  They  make  a  complete  classilication, 
and  bein^'  experts  in  their  business  are  not  likely  to  make  mistakes. 
(Theo.  T.  Williams.) 


I   :  ]■■ 


PELAUIC   SEALING. 

Deposition  of  Maurice  Windmiller,  fiwrier,  San  Francisco. 

State  of  California, 

Citif  and  County  of  San  Francisco,  us: 

Maurice  Windmiller,  having  been  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  My 
age  is  40;  I  resale  in  San  Francisco;  my  occu])ation  is  that  of  a  furrier. 
I  liave  been  engaj>ed  in  the  fur  business  all  my  life,  and  uiy  father  was 
a  furrier  before  me.  I  am  an  expert  in  dressed  and  undressed,  raw,  and 
made-up  furs,  and  also  a  dealer  and  manufacturer  in  the  same.  1  have 
bought  and  examined  large  numbers  of  fur-seal  skins  during  the  last 
twelve  years  caught  by  sealing  schooners  both  on  the  American  and 
Russian  side  of  the  North  Pacific  and  Bering  Sea,  and  I  can  easily  dis- 
tinguish one  from  the  other. 

The  Russian  seal  is  a  smaller  seal,  and  the  fur  is  not  as  close  as  the 
fur  of  the  Alaska  seal,  nor  as  good  quality.  They  are  an  entirely  dif- 
ferent henl  from  those  on  the  American  side,  and  their  skins  have  pecu- 
liar characteristics  by  which  it  is  not  ditticult  to  sei)arate  them.  In 
examining  and  ])urciiasing  seal  sicins  from  the  schooners  in  their  raw 
state  I  have  observed  that  i)0  per  cent  of  their  catcli  are  females.  I 
know  that  to  be  a  fact  because  the  heads  of  the  females  are  snmller, 
the  bellies  larger,  and  the  teats  can  be  plainly  seen.  The  teats  show 
more  ])lainly  wlien  the  skin  is  dressed  and  dyed.  In  examining  the 
seals  taken  by  sealing  s(;h()oners  I  have  found  most  of  t!;om  i)erforated 
with  shot,  making  them  much  less  valuable  thereby.  Formerly  more 
of  them  used  to  be  killed  with  a  rifle,  which  did  not  injure  the  skins 
as  nuich. 

Maurice  Windmiller. 


general  seal-skin  industry. 
Deposition  of  Josciih  I).  Williams,  furrier,  Neir  York. 

State  of  New  York, 

City  and  Count}/  of  Neir  YorJc,  ss: 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRII'.ILOF    ISLANDS. 


181 


.  iiirlnd- 
all  tVoin 
er  value 
rneiisiire 
of  mer- 
{  for  the 
i-  feinale, 
licatiou, 
listakes. 


0. 


lays:  My 
a  furrier, 
tber  was 
raw,  and 
,  1  have 
:  the  last 
iean  and 
lasily  dis- 

se  as  the 
;irely  dif- 
ive  pecu- 
heni.     In 


i 


leir  raw 
ales.  I 
smaller, 
ts  show 
ning  the 
rforated 
ly  more 
le  skins 

ILLER. 


years  of 
n,  in  the 
of  dress- 
vast,  and 
las  been 
he  has 


dressed 
same 


and  dyed  seal  skins,  and  that  \\h 


father  was  eiifjaged  in  the 
business  before  him;  that  for  the  last  lifteen  years  he  has  had 


consigned  toliim  by  fur  dealers  from  8,()()()  to  10,000  seal  skins  annually 


til 


that  about  50 


f 


for  the  purpose  of  dressing  and  dy< 

cent  of  tlie  skins  so  received  by  him  came  from  Lomlon  in  casks  marked 
as  they  are  catalogued  by  C  M.  Lamps()n  «S:  Co.,  and  are  the  skins 
belonging  to  what  is  known  as  the  Northwest  catch;  ami  deponent  is 
informed  and  believes  that  the  Northwest  '-atch,  as  the  term  is  used  in 
the  trade,  means  tlie  skins  of  seals  caughr  in  the  open  sea,  and  not 
up<m  the  islands.  Another  reason  for  tliis  belief  is  tlie  fact  that  all  of 
the  skins  of  the  Northwest  catch  contain  marks  showing  that  the  ani- 
mal had  been  killed  by  bullets  or  buckshot,  the  skins  being  pierced  by 
the  shot,  whereas  the  skins  killed  on  the  American  and  Itussian  islands 
are  killed  on  land  by  clubs  and  are  not  pierced. 

That  of  the  skins  of  the  Northwest  catch  coming  into  his  hands  for 
treatment  probably  all  are  the  skins  of  the  female  seal,  and  that  the 
same  can  be  distinguished  from  the  skins  of  the  male  seal  by  reason  of 
the  breasts  and  of  the  thinness  of  the  fur  around  the  same  and  upon 
the  belly,  most  of  the  female  seals  being  killed  while  they  are  bearing 
their  young,  and  the  fur  therefore  being  stretched  and  thinner  over  that 
part  of  the  body:  and  also  for  the  further  reason  that  the  head  of  the 
female  seal  is  jnuch  narrower  than  that  of  the  male  sea',  and  that  this 
jioiiit  of  difference  is  obvious  in  the  skins  of  the  tw()  classes.  Thnt  of 
the  total  number  of  the  skins  received  by  him  about  2."»  per  cent  are  the 
skins  of  the  Alaska  and  Copi)er  catch.  That  all  the  skins  oi"  the  Alaska 
catch  are  male  seals,  and  an  overwhelming  jiroportion  <>r  the  Copper 
catch  are  likewise  male  skins.  That  the  remainder  of  the  skins  sent 
to  deponent  for  dressing  and  dyeing  as  aforesaid  are  leceived  by  him 
through  the  house  of  Herman  Liebes  tS!:  Co.,  of  San  Francisco,  and 
others,  the  majority,  however,  from  Herman  Liebes  cV:  Co.  The  skins 
received  fnmi  the  latter  sources  are  from  each  of  the  three  catches  known 
to  the  trade  as  theCojiper,  Alaska,  and  Northwest  catch,  although  the 
major  i)art  thereof  belong  to  what  is  known  as  the  Northwest  catch,  and 
are,  as  in  the  case  of  the  skins  received  from  London  of  that  catch,  all 
skins  of  the  female  seal. 

Joseph  I).  Williams. 


DESTRUCTION   OF  FEMALE  SEALS. 

Testimony  of  British  /nrrier,^. 

I  can  also  tell  by  examining  a  skin  whether  it  has  been  taken  from  a 
female  or  a  male.  1  have  examined  and  sorted  a  great  many  thousand 
skins  taken  from  sealing  schooners,  and  have  observed  that  they  are 
nearly  all  females,  a  few  being  old  bulls  and  yearlings.  A  female  seal 
has  a  smaller  head  and  a  larger  belly  when  with  young  than  a  male  seal, 
and  the  fur  ou  the  belly  when  with  young  is  much  thinner,  and  the  fur 
on  the  belly  part  where  the  teats  are,  in  consequence  ot  being  worn,  is 
not  worth  nuich,  and  has  to  be  cut  oil"  after  being  dyed.  (George 
Bantle.) 

The  skins  of  the  nuile  and  female  animal  aro  readily  distinguishable 
from  each  other  in  the  adult  stage  by  reason  of  the  difference  in  the 
shape  of  the  heads.  That  the  Copper  and  Alaska  skins  are  almost 
exclusively  the  skins  of  the  male  aniunil,  and  the  skins  of  the  North- 


182 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THK    PRIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


west  catch  are  at  least  80  per  cent  of  the  skins  of  tlie  female  animal. 
That  |>rior  to  and  in  ])vei>aration  for  niakinfj  this  deposition  deixnient 
says  he  carefully  looked  through  two  larj^e  lots  of  skins  now  in  his 
warehouse  for  the  especial  purpose  ^f  estimating  the  percentage  of 
female  skins  found  aujong  the  Nortnwest  catdi,  ami  he  believes  the 
above  estimate  to  be  accurate.  That  the  skins  in  the  Northwest  catch 
are  also  pierced  with  shot  and  spesir  marks,  in  consecpience  of  having 
been  kiiled  in  the  (tpen  water  instead  of  upon  land  by  club.  (U.  S. 
Bevington.) 

And  in  tlie  same  way  deponent  thinks,  from  his  own  personal  experi- 
ence in  handling  skins,  that  he  would  have  no  difficulty  whatever  in 
separating  the  skins  of  the  Xorthwest  catch  from  the  skins  of  the 
Alaska  catch  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  they  are  the  skins  almost 
exclusively  of  females,  and  also  that  the  fur  upon  the  bearing  female 
seals  is  much  thinner  than  up(m  the  skin  of  the  ninle  seals;  the  skin 
of  the  animal  while  i»regnant  being  extended  and  the  fur  extended 
over  a  large  area.     (Alfred  Fraser.) 

That  the  said  firm  can  distinguish  very  readily  the  source  of  pro- 
duction of  the  skins  when  tiie  latter  are  in  their  undressed  state;  that 
for  several  years  besides  the  skins  of  the  regular  companies,  such  as 
the  Alaska  Company  (American  concessionaire)  and  the  Copper  Com- 
pany. (Russian  concessiiinaire),  the  said  firm  has  bought  quantities  of 
skins  called  Xorthwest  Coast,  Victoria,  etc.  That  these  skins  are  those 
of  animals  raught  in  the  oi)en  sea  by  persons  who  apparently  derive 
therefrom  large  profits,  and  nearly  tliree-quarters  of  them  are  tiiose 
of  females  and  pups,  these  probably  being  less  ditticult  to  take  tlian 
males;  that  these  animals  are  taken  by  being  shot.  Tliat  the  seals 
taken  by  the  Alaska  and  Copper  cinnpanies  are  nndes:  the  destruction 
of  which  is  much  less  i)reindicial  to  the  i)rcservation  of  the  race,  and 
which  furnish  the  best  skins,  tliese  being  much  finer  iind  more  furnished 
with  down;  that  they  are  killed  on  the  islands  with  clubs.  That  every 
animal  killed  by  ball  or  shot  bears  the  traces  of  sacli  slaugliter,  which 
marks  greatly  depreciate  the  value  of  the  skin.     (Eniin  Hertz.) 

An  essential  jmint  of  difference  between  the  skins  of  the  Xorthwest 
catch  and  the  skins  of  the  Alaska  and  Co[)per  Island  catches  consists 
in  the  f;ict  that  most  of  the  Xoi'thwest  skins  are  the  skins  of  the  female 
seal,  while  the  Copper  and  Alaska  skins  are  of  the  male  seal.  Deponent 
has  ina<le  no  computation  or  exaiiiiniition  which  would  enable  him  to 
say  specifically  what  proportion  of  the  Xorthwest  catch  are  the  skins 
of  the  feniiile  seal,  but  it  is  the  fact  that  tlie  great  majin-ity,  deponent 
would  say  7")  to  80  per  cent,  of  the  skins  of  this  catch  are  the  skins  of 
the  female  animal.  The  skins  of  the  fennile  seal,  for  instance,  show  the 
marks  of  the  breast,  and  the  fur  on  the  belly  is  thinner,  and  the  whole 
of  the  fur  is  also  tiner,  lower  in  pile;  that  is,  the  libers  comimsing  the 
fur  are  shorter  than  in  the  case  of  the  male  seal.  Another  means  of  dis- 
tinguishing the  female  skins  from  the  skins  of  the  male  lies  in  the  fact 
that  the  skins  of  the  female  are  narrower  at  the  head  and  tail  and  i)ro- 
portionately  wider  in  the  belly  than  the  skins  of  the  male  seal.  Another 
means  of  distinguishing  the  seals  of  the  Northwest  catch  from  those  of 
the  Coi)per  Island  and  Alaska  catches  consists  in  the  fact  that  nearly 
all  the  skins  of  this  catch  have  holes  in  them,  which  dejjonent  under- 
stands is  caused  by  the  fact  that  the  seals  from  which  they  are  taken 
have  been  shot  or  si)eared  in  the  open  sea,  and  not — as  is  the  case  with 
the  seals  from  which  the  skins  of  Copper  Island  and  Alaska  catches 
are  taken  and  killed — with  clubs  upon  land.    (Walter  E.  Martin.) 


\ 


SKAh    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIRILOF    ISLANDS. 


183 


>  iiniinal. 
leponent 
w  in  his 
iitage  of 
evts  the 
iat  catch 
f  having 
.     (U.  S. 

,1  expcri- 
itovcr  in 
s  of  the 
•1  almost 
Lj  female 
the  skin 
extended 

e  of  pro- 
ite;  that 
,  sucli  as 
|)er  Coui- 
ntities  of 
iire  those 
ly  derive 
ire  those 
ike  than 
the  seals 
traction 
ace,  and 
iirnished 
nit  every 
n;  which 

orthwest 

consists 

e  female 

)oponeut 

him  to 

lie  skins 

cponent 

slcins  of 

ihow  the 

le  whole 

)sing  the 

IS  of  dis- 

the  fact 

and  1)10- 

Vuother 

those  of 

it  nearly 

it  under- 

re  taken 

ase  with 

catches 
in.) 


I 


i 


Both  the  Coi)per  Ishmd  skins  and  the  Alaska  skins  are  almost  exclu- 
sively tlie  skins  of  the  nnile  seals,  ami  the  dilference  between  tiu'  skin 
of  a  male  seal  vnd  a  temale  seal  of  adult  aj^e  cm  be  as  readily  seen  as 
between  the  st  ms  of  diH'erent  ..oxes  ot  other  animiils.  That  tlu^  North- 
west skins  are,  in  turn  di:'.tin;;uishable  from  the  (Joppcr  Islan<l  and 
Alaska  skins,  lirst  by  leason  (»t  the  fact  tinit  a  very  lar^e  proportioii 
of  the  ;idult  skins  are  <>bvii)nsly  tiie  skins  of  female  animals;  second, 
because  they  are  all  pierced  with  a  spear  or  hiir|M)on  or  shot,  in  (tonse- 
quence  of  bein;>'  killed  in  open  sea,  and  n«)t,  as  in  the  case  of  < 'opjier 
Island  and  Alaska  skins,  bein<;'  killed  upon  land  by  clubs;  third, 
because  the  Noithwest  skins  are  cured  upon  vessels  i>y  the  crews  of 
which  they  are  killed,  n|»on  which  there  are  not  the  same  facilities  for 
Hayinjj-  or  saltinj;'  the  skins  as  there  are  upon  land,  where  the  Copper 
and  Alaska  skins  are  flayed  and  salted.  The  .Japanese  skins,  which,  I 
think,  are  now  include<l  in  the  Noithwest  catch,  are  distinguishable 
from  the  other  skins  of  the  Northwest  catch  by  beingyellower  in  color, 
having  a  much  shorter  pile,  because  they  are  salted  with  tine  salt,  and 
have  plenty  of  blubber  on  tlie  pelt.  That  the  skins  punjhased  by 
deponent's  firm  are  handed  over  by  it  to  what  are  called  dressers  and 
dyers,  for  the  purpose  of  being  dressed  and  dyed.    (Henry  I'oland.) 

That  the  differences  in  the  skins  of  the  adult  male  and  the  adult 
female  seals  are  sw*  marked  as  the  ditfereiice  l)etweeii  the  skins  of  the 
two  sexes  of  the  other  animals,  and  that  in  the  Northwest  catch  from 
85  to  IK)  per  cent  of  the  skins  are  ol  the  fennile  animal.  Deponent 
does  not  mean  to  state  that  these  ligures  are  mathematically  accurate, 
but  they  are,  in  his  Judgment,  api>roximateIy  exact,     ((leo.  lUce.) 

1  should  estimate  the  proportion  of  female  skins  included  witliin  the 
Northwest  catch  at  at  least  7")  per  cent,  and  1  shouhl  not  be  surprised 
at,  nor  be  inclined  to  contradicit,  an  estimate  of  ujjward  of  '.M>  ])er  cent. 
My  sorter,  who  actually  handles  the  skins,  estimates  the  number  of 
female  skins  in  the  Northwest  catch  at  1K>  percent.  One  means  of  dis- 
tinguishing the  skins  of  the  Noithwest  catch  from  those  of  the  other 
catches  is  the  fact  that  they  are  pier^-ed  with  shot  or  sjjcar  holes,  having 
been  killed  in  the  open  sea,  and  not.  as  in  the  case  of  the  ('opjier  and 
Alaska  catches,  killed  ui)on  land  with  clubs.     (William  C  B.  Stamp.) 

The  nund)er  of  Jai)anese  skins  averages,  deponent  shouhl  say,  about 
6,(100  a  year,  although  there  is  a  good  deal  of  Huctuation  in  tlie  <puintity 
from  year  to  year,  and  deponent  says  that,  like  the  other  skins  included 
in  the  Northwest  catch,  they  are  ]>rincii»ally  the  skins  of  female  seals, 
not  easily  distinguishable  from  the  skins  taken  tbuii  the  herds  fre(pient- 
ing  the  eastern  part  of  the  I'aci tic  Ocean  and  Bering  Sea,  except  by 
reason  of  their  being  princi|)ally  speared  instead  of  shot.  The  most 
essential  difference  between  the  Northwest  skins  and  the  Alaska  and 
Copper  catches  is  that  the  Northwest  skins,  so  far  as  they  arc  skins  of 
adult  seals,  are  almost  exclusively  the  skins  of  female  seals,  and  are 
nearly  always  [tierced  with  shot,  bullet,  or  si)ear  holes.  The  skins  of 
the  adult  fenuile  seals  maybe  as  readily  distinguishable  from  the  skins 
of  the  adult  nude  as  the  skins  of  the  different  sexes  of  other  animals; 
that  practically  the  whole  of  the  adult  Northwest  catch  seals  were  the 
skins  ot  fenuile  seals,  but  the  skins  of  the  younger  animals  included 
within  this  Northwest  catch,  of  which  we  have  at  times  considerable 
numbers,  are  nuich  more  difficult  to  separate  into  male  and  fenudo  skins, 
and  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  1  ccmld  distinguish  the  male  from 
the  female  skins  of  young  animjils.    A  certain  percentage  of  young 


'    '  m 


m 


s 


184 


SEAL    l,IFE    ON    TIIF-    I'RIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


aiiiiiiiils  is  iifniiid  anioii^'  the  ooiisigimieiirs  received  by  us  at  the  be<;iii- 
liiiif;  of  eaeh  season,  wliieh,  we  niHlerstaml,  and  are  iiitbniied,  are  the 
skins  of  seals  eanjiht  in  the  Pacilic  Oeean  oil"  the  west  enast  of  America, 
but  a  much  smaller  pereentafie  of  such  small  skius  is  found  amonj;'  the 
consijiiinient  hiter  in  tlie  season,  which  we  are  informed  are  of  seals 
eanglit  in  the  Ijering  tSea.    (Hmil  Tei(;lnnanu.) 


From  C.  M.  Lampson  cO  Co.  to  V.  A.  WilUnms,  August  :J2,  />x'^ 

London,  64  Queen  Stijekt,  E.  C, 

Deau  Sir:  We  beg  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  favor  of  the  10th 
instant,  inclosing  draft  of  a  paper  to  be  subndtted  to  Congress  on  mer- 
chant marine  and  fisheries. 

We  have  read  the  i)aper  with  a  great  deal  of  interest  and  consider 
that  it  ]daces  the  matter  in  a  thorougldy  impartial  way  bef(»re  its  readers. 
It  has  been  so  carefully  jyrepared  and  goes  into  all  details  so  fully  that 
we  can  add  but  little  to  it.  There  are,  however,  one  or  two  points  to 
which  we  beg  to  <lraw  your  attention,  and  which  you  will  (ind  marked 
in  red  ink  on  the  paper.  ♦ 

When  speaking  of  the  sui)ply  of  fur  skins  we  would  suggest  mention- 
ing the  following  localities: 

C((}ie  of  Qoitil  Hope. — From  some  islands  v)tt  this  cape,  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Cape  Governnu'ut,  a  yearly  supi)ly  of  from  r»,(KM)  to  8,000 
skins  is  derived.  All  these  skins  come  to  the  Loiulon  market,  part  of 
them  being  sold  at  jmblic  auction,  the  remainder  being  dressed  and 
dyed  for  account  of  the  owners. 

Japan. — The  supply  from  this  source  has  varied  very  much  of  late 
years,  amounting  sometimes  to  ir>,()(l()  skins  a  year,  at  others  to  only 
5,000.  Last  year,  we  understand,  the  Japanese  CJovernment  })assed 
stringent  laws  prohibiting  the  killing  and  importa'iDU  of  seals,  with  the 
view  of  protecting  seal  lile  and  enc<iuraging  rookeries,  and  the  conse- 
quence has  been  that  this  year  very  few  skins  have  come  forward. 

Vauvourer  I.slantl. — I'or  many  years  past,  indeed  long  before  the  for- 
mation of  the  Alaska  Company,  regular  supplies  of  fur  seals  in  the 
salted  and  parchment  state  have  come  to  the  London  market,  killed 
mostly  ott"  Cape  Flattery.  The  (piantity,  we  should  say,  has  averaged 
at  least  10,000  per  annum.  This  catch  takes  i>lace  in  the  months  of 
March  and  A])ril,  and  we  believe  that  the  aninmis  from  which  these 
skins  are  derived  are  the  females  of  the  Alaska  seals.  Just  the  same  as 
those  caught  in  the  Bering  Sea. 

Had  this  (pnmtity  been  materially  increased,  we  feel  sure  that  the 
breeding  on  the  I'ribilof  Islands  would  have  suflered  before  now;  but 
fortunately  the  catch  must  necessarily  be  a  limited  one,  owing-  to  the 
stormy  time  of  the  year  at  which  it  is  made  and  the  dangerous  coast, 
where  the  seals  only  for  a  short  time  are  f  uiid.  It  must,  however,  be 
evident  that  if  these  animals  are  tbllowed  into  the  Bering  Sea  and  hunted 
down  in  a  calm  sea  in  the  (piietest  months  of  the  year,  a  practically 
unlimited  quantity  of  fenmles  might  be  taken,  and,  as  y(m  say,  it  would 
be  only  a  few  years  till  the  Alaska  seal  was  a  thing  of  the  past. 

0.  M.  Lampson  &  Co. 

C.  A.  Williams,  Esq.,  New  London. 


%EkL 

LIFI 

;    ON    THE 

I'KIBILOF 

ISLANDS. 

185 

TEST1M(>N\ 

KELATIXG 

TO    THE    OENERAL    SEAL-SKIN   IN1)U!« 
(iUEAT   nUlTAlN. 

«TUY  IN 

Deposition 

of  II.  S. 

lievinfftoit,  head 
/iirri,'r.s, 

of  til c  Jinn 
London. 

of  Ilevinffton 

tl: 

Morris, 

II.  S.  Hevinytoii,  J\l.  A.,  Immiij''  duly  sworn,  doth  depose,  and  say: 
Thai:  he  is  40  years  of  aj^e  and  a  subject  of  Her  Ilritannie  Majesty,  and 
is  the  head  of  the  firm  of  IJevinyton  tS:  Moiri  v  doinj;'  business  as  fur 
merchants  and  manutjuiturers  at  28  (!annon  stieet,  in  tlie  city  of  Lon- 
don; tiiat  his  said  firm  was  founded  in  tlie  .i  «'ar  172(),  an<l  has  been 
continue<l  in  the  same  family  diiriny  the  wliol  ;  of  tlu'se  years  down  to 
the  present  tinu*,  and  lias  been  enjiayed  duriny  the  wlioU'  of  the  period 
since  17i'<J  in  the  same  business,  <lealin<;'  in  furs  aiul  leather;  that 
deponent  has  been  in  tlu^  business  ever  since  the  yeai'  IST.'i.  l)urin<;; 
tlie  wh(»Ie  of  the  period  since  tliat  date  his  said  firm  has  been  in  the 
habit  of  buying  fur-seal  skins,  and  he  knows  from  his  general  knowl- 
edge of  the  business  that  prior  to  that  time  they  were  in  the  habit  of 
buying  seal  skins  ever  since  they  became  an  article  of  commerce;  that 
deponent  has  personally  handled  many  thousands  of  skins  of  the  fur 
seal,  and  by  reason  of  that  i'-.wX  and  of  his  experience  in  his  business, 
has  a  general  knowledge  of  the  history  of  the  fur-seal  skin  business 
and  a  general  and  ])recise  knowledge  of  the  several  kinds  of  skins 
which  now  and  for  many  years  last  past  have  come  upon  the  London 
market;  that  since  dejjonent  has  been  in  business  skins  coming  ujxui 
the  London  market  have  been  princii)ally  divided  into  three  classes, 
known  as  the  Alaska  catch,  the  Copper  catch,  and  the  Northwest  catch. 
8mall  supplies  have  also  been  receive<l  fiom  the  Southern  Sea,  and 
Lobos  Islands,  Kalkland  islands,  and  Cape  Horn,  but  the  skins  arriving 
from  these  last-mentioned  localities  make  U)  figure  in  the  market;  that 
what  is  known  as  the  Alaska  ('atch  <'onsists  of  skins  of  seals  which  are 
killed  upon  the  I'ribilof  Islainls,  in  the  Bering  Sea,  and  the  Copper 
catch  of  skins  which  are  killetl  upon  the  Cojiper  and  Hering  islands, 
in  Russian  waters. 

That  the  Northwest  skins  consist  of  skins  taken  from  animals  which 
are  caught  in  the  open  Pacific  Ocean  off  tin;  coast  of  IJiitish  Cohunbia 
or  in  the  liering  Sea;  that  tlie  differences  between  the  three  several 
sorts  of  skins  last  mentioned  are  so  marked  as  to  enaltle  any  i)ersou 
skilled  in  the  business  or  accustomed  to  handle  the  same  to  readily 
distinguish  the  skins  of  one  catch  from  those  of  another,  especially  in 
bulk,  and  it  is  the  fact  that  when  they  reach  the  market  the  skins  of 
eadi  class  come  separately  and  are  not  found  mingled  with  those 
belonging  to  the  other  classes.  Tlu^  skins  of  the  Co|)per  Island  catch 
are  distinguished  from  the  skins  of  the  Alaska  and  Northwest  catch, 
which  two  last-nuMitioncd  classes  of  skins  api)ear  to  be  nearly  allied  to 
each  other,  and  are  of  the  same  general  character,  by  reason  of  the 
fact  that  in  their  raw  state  the  Copper  skins  arc  lighter  in  color  than 
either  of  the  other  two,  and  in  the  dricnl  state  th*^re  is  a  inarke<l  ditler- 
ence  in  the  appearance  of  the  fur  of  the  Copi»er  and  the  other  two 
classes  of  skins.  This  diH'erence  is  difhcult  to  descril)e  to  a  jterson 
unaccustomed  to  handle  skins,  but  it  is  nevertheless  clear  and  distinct 
to  an  expert,  and  may  be  generally  described  by  saying  that  the  Co|)per 
skins  are  <)f  a  <!lose,  short,  and  shiny  fur,  jiarticularly  down  by  the  flank, 
to  a  greater  extent  than  the  Alaska  and  Northwest  skins.  The  skins 
of  the  male  and  female  aninnil  are  readily  distinguished  from  each  other 
in  the  adult  stage  by  reason  of  the  <l(fference  in  the  shape  of  the  heads; 


III' 


\mi 


186 


8KAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PUIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


that  tlu!  ('opper  n\u\  Alaska  skins  iire  almost  exclusively  the  skins  of 
the  male  animal,  antl  the  skins  of  the  Northwest  eatch  are  at  least  80 
per  cent  ot  the  skins  of  the  fenuile  animal;  thai  [trior  to  and  in  prepa 
ration  for  making  this  deposition,  deponent  says,  he  carefully  looked 
throuj-h  two  iarjie  lots  of  skins  now  in  his  wareliouse  for  the  special 
])urpos(^  of  estimating  the  ])erceiitage of  female  skins  found  among  the 
Northwest  catch,  and  he  believes  the  above  estimate  to  be  accurate. 

That  the  skins  in  the  Northwest  catch  are  also  pier(!ed  with  siiotand 
spear  niaiks,  in  (MUiseijuence  of  having  been  killed  in  the  open  water 
instead  of  upon  land  by  clu  s;  that  the  business  of  dealitig  in  fur  seal 
skins  in  the  city  of  Loudon  iias  become  an  established  and  important 
industry,  I )e|)onent  is  informed  that  practically  all  the  seal  skins  in 
the  world  are  sold  in  L<;ndon,  and  the  number  runs  ui*  in  the  year  to 
between  100,0(10  and  L'00,000,  averaging  considerably  over  ir.0,000  a 
year.  These  skins  are  sold  for  the  most  jnirt  either  by  the  lirm  (»f  (J.  M. 
Lampson  «S:  Co.,  through  their  brokers,  (.ioad,  lligg  «S:  Co.,  or  by  the 
firm  (»f  Culverwell,  Brooks  «S:  Co.  At  the  auction  sales,  which  are 
advertised  two  or  three  times  in  the  year  by  these  lirms,  skins  are 
bought  by  <lealers  from  all  over  the  world,  who  are  present  either  in 
pers(ui  or  by  jtroxy.  The  next  stage  in  theiuilustry  is  the  dressing  and 
dyeing  of  the  furs,  ami  practically  the  whole  of  these  fur-seal  skins  sold 
in  London  are  dressed  and  dyed  in  that  city.  The  principal  firms 
engaged  in  that  business  aie  C.  V\\  ^Lartin  iV:  Sons  and  (reorge  Hice. 
Deponent's  own  tirm  dress  a  small  number  oi  skins,  and  have  dressed 
in  one  year  a^*  many  as  2.S,0(K>,  and  lormerly  tlyed  large  numbers  of 
skins,  but  do  not  now  <lyeskinvS,  as  the  secret  of  the  present  fashionable 
color  is  n«)w  in  the  hands  of  other  tirms.  Alter  having  been  dressed 
and  dyed,  the  skins  of  the  fur  seal  are  then  passed  into  the  hands  of 
fur  merchants,  by  whom,  in  turn,  they  are  passed  to  furriers  and  dra- 
pers and  retail  dealers  generally.  Deponent  estinuites  the  total  num- 
ber of  persons  engaged  in  one  way  or  another,  directly  or  indirectly,  in 
the  fur  seal  industry  in  the  city  of  London  to  be  at  least  li,(iOO  or  3,000, 
many  of  whom  are  skilled  lalnu-ers,  all  receiving  high  wages. 

That  a  large  amount  of  capital  is  also  invested  in  the  business  in  the 
city  of  Londcm,  and  the  juecise  value  of  the  industry  can  be  estimated 
by  reckoning  the  amount  expended  in  the  various  ])rocesses  which 
dei)onent  has  enumerated  upon  each  skin.  For  instance,  after  the  skins 
arrive  at  the  Fjcuidon  market  they  are  vsold  at  the  sales  at  prices  which 
in  the  year  18?)0  average<l,  say.  <S0  shillings  apiece.  The  commissions  on 
the  selling  of  the  goods,  including  warehousing,  insurance,  and  so  forth, 
deponent  believes,  amount  to  (»  per  cent  of  the  price  obtained.  That 
the  amount  paid  for  dressing,  dyeing,  ami  machining  eacli  skin  aver- 
ages, say,  10  shillings.  These  processes  take  together  about  four  or  live 
months.  The  next  expeiuliture  ujton  the  skin  is,  say,  an  average  of  "» 
shillings  at  least  for  each  skin  for  cutting  up,  and  that  thereafter  there 
will  be  an  average  of  at  least  from  3  to  4  shillings  per  skin  expended  in 
quilting,  lining,  and  making  up  the  jackets  or  other  garments,  showing 
a  total  expenditure  upon  eacdi  skin  for  labor  alone,  in  the  city  of  Lon- 
don, of  ifo  shillings  in  addition  to  the  percentage  paid  for  brokerage, 
before  the  processes  of  manufacture  began,  and  the  most  of  this  money 
is  actually  ])aid  out  in  wages. 

Deponent  says  that  in  the  above  estimates  he  has  given  the  bottom 
figures,  and  that  the  amount  actually  exi)ended  upon  the  skl:i8  in  the 
city  of  London  undoubtedly  averages  a  larger  sum.  This  would  make 
on  an  average  of  200,000  skins  a  year,  which  is  not  excessive,  a  total 
expenditure  annually  in  the  city  of  London  of  £250,000,  minus  the 


'i 


^ 


i 


i 


8r,AL    I.Il'i;    ON    THE    I'KIHILOF    I81.AMJS. 


187 


amounts  paid  for  I'littiii}^'  and  making  up  in  resp«'ct  to  tlie  skins  sent  to 
tlie  Initod  IStatt'S. 

JJeiMMient  fiutluT  says  tlnit  the  jut'servation  of  the  stMl  licrds  and 
tlie  continued  supply  of  fur-seal  skins,  wliieli  furtlieiniore,  it  is  impor- 
tant should  be  constant  and  regular  in  supply,  is  absolutely  necessiiry 
to  the  mainteiiniH^e  of  this  industry.  Deponent  says  that  the  reason 
for  this  <>)>inion  is  shown  in  the  history  of  last  season's  business.  For 
instance,  at  the  October  ssile  the  prices  of  skins  were  very  hi^'ii.  as  a 
sliort  supply  was  expected.  Tiu'  skins  purchased  at  that  sale  were 
then  put  into  the  hands  of  the  dressers  and  dyers,  where  they  wouhl 
be  retained,  as  above  stated,  in  process  of  treatment  four  or  five  months. 
Durinj;'  this  interval  it  apiieaied  that  instead  of  there  beinj,'  a  short 
supply  the  poaehinj;  vessels  had  caujiht  a  liii}>e  nund)er  of  skins,  ."il^OUO 
or  ()(>,()( to,  which,  beinjj  unexpectedly  plumped  on  the  nuirket,  brcuight 
the  price  (h)wn  so  that  tliere  was  a  loss  of  perhaps  2."i  shilling's  per  skin 
on  the  skins  boujiht  at  the  October  sales;  and  deponent  further  says 
that  it  is  of  course  obvious  that  the  business  cati  not  be  maintained 
unless  the  herds  are  preserved  from  the  destrimtioii  which  hits  over- 
taken the  South  Sea  herds,  which  formerly  existed  in  such  larye  nun»- 
bers,  and  so  intportant  has  the  seal-skin  bii-^iness  become  that  if  the 
herds  were  exterminated  depone:it  says  it  would  hardly  be  worth  while 
to  remain  in  the  fur  business. 

Deponent  says  while  he  <lo«'s  not  wish  to  express  any  opinion  upon 
the  nuitters  which  are  in  controversy,  th.  t  nevo'theless,  h)okin«i  at  the 
question  of  ])reserviii<f  the  seals  from  a  iuitural-history  piiint  of  view 
alon^',  and  haviuj^  no rejjard  whatever  to  the  lights  of  any  individuals 
or  uiitioMs,  but  looking  at  the  matter  simpl\  frmn  the  j»oint  (d"  view  of 
how  best  to  preserve  the  seals,  he  Ims  no  hesitati(tn  in  sayiny  that  the  beat 
way  to  accomplish  that  object  vv(mld  be  to  prohibit  absolutely  the  kill- 
ing of  all  seals  except  upon  the  islands,  and  furthermore  to  linut  the 
killing'  of  seals  on  the  islands  to  the  male  species  at  pariicular  titues, 
and  to  limit  the  numbers  of  the  males  to  be  so  killed.  If,  howevtn',  the 
rights  of  individuals  are  to  be  (-onsidered,  and  sealing  in  the  ojten  sea 
is  to  be  allowed,  then  deponent  thinks  that  the  nundter  of  vessels  to 
be  sent  out  by  each  country  ougiit  to  be  limited,  and  tin^  nund)er  of 
seals  which  may  be  (taught  by  each  vessel  should  be  si)ecitied. 

Deponent  says  that  one  reason  why  he  thinks  the  killing  of  seals  in 
the  o|)en  sea  slu)uld  be  prohibited,  and  all  killing  liiiuted  to  tlie  islands, 
is  because  deponent  is  of  the  opinion  that  when  seals  are  killed  in  the 
open  sea  a  large  nund)er  must  be  killed  which  are  not  recovered,  and 
consecjuently  that  the  herds  niust  sutler  nuich  greater  loss  than  is 
measured  by  the  skins  of  the  seals  caught  or  connng  to  market. 

Deponent  further  says  that  one  reason  for  this  oi)inion  is  tliathehas 
had  some  small  experience  in  shooting  hair  seals  in  the  Scilly  Islands, 
and  has  himself  personally  killed  hair  seals  at  a  distance  of  40  or  50 
yards  whicdi  sank  before  he  could  reach  tliem.  Hair  seals  are  of  the 
same  general  fannly  as  fur  seals,  and  he  has  no  doubt  that  the  same 
thing  occurs  and  must  occur  when  the  fur  seals  are  killed  on  the  open 


sea. 


Herbert  Shelley  Bevinciton,  JM.  A, 


18<s 


SEAL    lAVK    ON    TllK    PHIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


ii 


DepoHltion  of  Alfred  Francr,  mciithcr  of  firm  of  C.  M.  Lumpnou  tl"  Co., 

fiirrirrn,  London. 

State  of  New  York, 

Citjl  and  County  of  Xeir  York,  .ss: 

Alfred  I'V^scr,  being  duly  sworn,  ssiys: 

(1)  That  lie  is  si  subject  ol"  Her  Britannic!  ^lajesty  and  is  r»2  years  of 
age  and  resides  in  the  trity  of  Brooklyn,  in  the  State  of  New  York. 
That  lie  is  a  nieiiiber  of  the  fiiin  of  ().  M.  Laiiipson  »I^  Co.,  of  London, 
and  has  been  a  member  of  said  linn  for  about  thirteen  years;  prior  to 
that  time  he  was  in  the  employ  of  said  linn  and  took  an  active  part  in 
the  management  of  the  business  of  said  firm  in  London.  That  the  busi- 
ness of  C  ^l.  Lampson  &  (Jo.,  is  that  of  merchants,  engaged  princi- 
pally in  the  btisiness  of  selling  fur  skins  on  c(tmniission.  That  for 
about  twenty-four  years  the  tirm  of  C.  M.  Lampson  &  (.'o.  have  sold 
the  great  majority  of  the  whole  number  of  seal  skins  sold  in  all  the 
markets  of  the  world.  That  while  he  was  engaged  in  the  management 
of  the  business  of  said  linn  in  Loiulon  he  had  personal  knowledge  of 
the  character  of  the  various  seal  skins  sold  by  tiie  said  tiiin,  fiom  his 
personal  iiispeittion  of  tiie  same  in  their  warehouse  and  from  the  phys- 
ical handling  of  the  same  by  him.  That  many  hundred  thousands  of 
the  skins  sold  by  C.  M.  Lampson  tS:  Co.  have  i)liysically  passed  through 
his  hands,  and  that  since  his  residence  in  this  country  he  has,  as  a 
membei- of  said  firm,  had  a  general  and  detailed  knowledge  of  the  char- 
acter and  extent  of  the  business  of  said  lirni,  altliough  since  his  resi- 
dence in  the  city  of  New  York  he  has  not  iihysically  handled  the  skins 
disposed  of  by  his  tirm. 

That  during  the  last  year  or  two  a  large  number  of  skins  have  been 
sold  in  London  by  the  tirm  of  Culverwell,  Brooks  v^  Co.,  and  that  said 
tirm,  as  deponent  is  infiu'ined  and  believes,  have  securi'd  the  (uinsign- 
meiit  of  skins  to  them  during  the  period  aforesaid  by  advancing  to  the 
owners  of  vessels  engaged  in  what  is  n»>w  known  as  pelagic  sealing 
sums  of  money,  wliicli  is  stated  to  be  ijfl't  i)er  skin,  as  against  ship- 
ments from  Victoria  of  such  skins. 

(2)  That  the  seal  skins  which  have  been  sold  in  London  from  time  to 
time  since  deponent  lirst  began  business  have  been  obtained  from 
sources  and  were  known  in  the  market  as — 

{a)  The  South  Sea  skins,  being  the  skins  of  seals  principally  caught 
on  the  South  Shetland  Islands,  South  Ceorge  Islands,  and  Sandwich 
Land.  That  many  years  ago  large  numbers  of  seals  were  caught  upon 
these  islands,  but  in  conseciuence  of  the  fa«'t  that  no  restrictioiis  were 
imposed  on  the  killing  of  said  seals,  they  were  i)ractically  exterminated, 
and  no  seal  skins  ajipeared  in  the  market  from  those  localities  for  many 
years.  That  about  twenty  years  ago  these  islands  were  again  visited, 
and  for  five  seasons  a  considerable  calcli  was  made,  amounting,  during 
the  whole  live  seasons,  to  about  3(),0(K)  or  40,000  skins.  Among  the 
skins  foiMul  in  this  catch  were  those  of  the  oldest  males  and  the  small- 
est pups,  thus  showing,  in  the  Judgment  of  deponi-nt,  that  every  seal 
of  every  kind  was  killed  that  <'onld  be  reached.  That  in  coiise(]ueiiee 
thereof  the  rookeries  on  tliCvSe  islands  were  then  completely  exhausted. 
Once  or  twice  thereafter  they  were  visited  without  result,  no  seals 
being  found,  and  about  five  years  ago  they  were  again  revisited  and 
only  .'{(»  skins  were  obtained.  Deponent  is  informed  that  all  the  South 
Sea  skins  were  obtained  by  killing  seals  upon  the  islaiuls  above  men- 
tioned, and  that  it  is  obviously  everywhere  nuu'h  easier  to  kill  seals  ui)on 
the  land  than  in  the  water;  and,  in  the  Judgment  of  the  deponent,  the 
seals  of  the  above-mentioned  islands  were  thus  entirely  exterminated 


J 


SKAL    LIKK    OX    TIIK    I'lillill.OF    INLANDS. 


189 


the 
iliiig 
<hi[»- 

to 
lom 

njilit 

wicU 

upon 

were 

tt'd, 

lany 

ted, 

ring 

the 

ijiU- 

seal 

eiice 

tod. 

k-als 

and 

Mith 

iieu- 

1)011 

the 
Kited 


because  of  the  entire  abseiiee  of  any  protet-tioii  or  of  any  restriction  of 
any  kind  whatever  ui»on  the  nniiibi'r,  aj;'e,  or  sex  of  seals  killed,  and 
not  merely,  as  deponent  understands  has  been  claimed  by  some  author- 
ities, because  tliey  were  killed  on  land  instead  of  in  o])cn  sea,  which, 
moreover,  in  that  locality,  deponent  is  informed,  is  piactically  impos- 
sible, by  reason  of  the  roughness  of  the  sea  and  weather. 

(/>)  A  considerable  number  of  seal  skins  were  formerly  obtained  upon 
the  Falkland  Islands;  how  many  deponent  is  not  able  to  state. 

{(')  That  a  certain  number  of  seals  were  also  caujilit  at  Cape  Horn, 
and  that  more  (u-  less  are  still  taken  in  that  vicinity,  thoujuh  the  whole 
number  has  been  very  greatly  reduced. 

(</)  That  at  the  present  time  and  for  many  years  last  past  the  skins 
coming  to  the  market  and  which  are  known  to  (tommeice  have  come 
from  the  following  sources:  l>y  far  the  most  important  are  the  Northern 
I'acitic  skins,  which  an^  known  to  the  trade  under  the  following  titles: 

The  Alaska  catch,  wiiich  are  the  skins  of  seals  caught  on  the  I'ribilof 
Islands,  situated  in  IJering  Sea.  For  many  years  past  the  whole  of  the 
skins  caught  upon  these  islands  have  been  sold  by  (h'ponent's  lirm,  and 
a  statenn'iit  of  the  nund)er  of  skins  so  sold  in  each  year  is  appended 
hereto  and  marked  Exhibit  A,  showing  the  aggregiite  of  such  skins 
sold  from  the  yeai'  1870  to  the  year  ISMl,  inclusive,  as  1,877,1>77. 

The  Coppercatiih,  being  the  skins  <d'  seals  caught  upon  what  ar«^  known 
as  the  Commander  Islands,  being  the  islands  known  as  (.'opper  and 
Bering  islands.  All  the  skins  so  caught  have  been  sold  by  deixment's 
tirm  in  the  city  of  London,  and  the  total  nund)er  of  such  Copper  catch 
from  the  year  1S7-'  to  ISOl!  a|)peais  upon  the  statement  whii'li  is  hereto 
annexed  and  imirked  ICxhibit  15,  showing  the  total  so  sold  during  such 
years  of  7G8,0!»»;  skins.  :::X:^ 

The  Northwest  cat«'h,  being  the  skins  ot  seals  caught  in  the  <)i)en  sea 
either  of  the  l*acili(r  Ocean  or  the  llering  Sea.  These  skins  were 
originally  caught  exclusively  by  the  Indians  and  by  residents  td"  the 
colony  of  Victoria  and  along  the  coast  of  the  IJritish  possessions.  A 
statcinentof  the  total  nund)er  of  the  catch  from  tln^vear  1S(»8  to  IS81, 
inclusive,  is  appended  hereto  and  marked  lOxhibit  0,  showing  a  total  of 
l.">;j,;)lS.  That  statement  is  divided  into  three  heads:  First,  the  salted 
Northwest  coast  skins;  second,  the  dried  Northwest  coast  skins,  both 
of  which  were  maiidy  sold  tiirough  <leponenfs  llrm  in  London;  and 
third,  salted  Northwest  coast  skins,  dressed  and  dyed  in  London,  but 
not  sold  there.  It  will  be  noticed  that  in  the  years  1871  and  JS7-  an 
unusjially  large  itroportion  of  dried  skins  ai)i>eai'ed  to  have  been 
marketed.  Tiiose  skins  were  purchase<l  in  this  year  from  the  Ameiican- 
Jvussian  Company  and  sold  when  the  Americans  took  possession.  l\»r 
the  years  1S71  and  187L*,  therefoie,  the  surplus  skins  over  the  aveiage 
for  the  other  years  siiould  be  rejected  in  a  ('(>m|»nlaf ion  of  the  general 
avcragi^  of  seals  killed  during  tiie  years  from  IStlS  to  ISSI,  inclusive. 

I'rom  the  year  lSSr>  to  the  year  18!tl  the  inunbcf  of  skins  included  in 
the  Xortliwest  catcli  i'normonsly  increased,  and  a  statement  of  such 
skiiKj  is  hereto  annexed  ami  marked  Fxliibit  I  >,  showing  a  total  of 
;i')l.!>.;L',  and  is  <livided.  like  the  statement  marked  I'iXhibit  (!,  into  tiii'ce 
heads:  The  salted  Ncuthwest  coast  skins,  the  dried  Northwest  coast 
skii;  .  and  the  sailed  skins  dressed  and  dyed  in  London  but  not  sold 
there.  The  majority  of  the  lirst  two  classes  weie,  as  in  tlie  previous 
case,  sold  by  depouiMit's  lirm.  The  great  majority  of  these  skins  appear- 
ing in  tlu'  last  nu'iitioned  statement  are  the  skins  caught  by  vessels  sent 
oat  from  the  Canadian  proviin-es;  man\  also  by  vessels  sent  out  from 
San  I'lancisco,  Port  Townseml,  and  Seattle,  and  a  few  from  vessels 
sent  out  from  Yokohama;  the  majority,  however,  are  sui>posed  to  have 


I 


'A 


I  . 


y 


I  > 


190 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


been  caught  by  vessels  sent  out  from  liritisli  harbors.  A  hujje  number 
of  the  skins  included  in  Exhibit  D  have  been  consigned  to  C.  M.  Lamp- 
sou  »S:  Co.  by  the  lirm  of  Herman  Liebes  &  • 'o.,  of  San  Francisco.  In 
estimating  the  total  number  of  the  Northwest  catch  it  should  also  be 
nu'utioncd  tliat  something  like  ;{(),()00  skins  beh)nging  to  that  catch  have 
been  dressed  and  dyed  in  tiie  United  States,  which  have  not  gone  to 
London  at  all. 

{€}  Hesides  the  Alaska,  Cojipcr,  aid  Nortliwest  skins  tliere  iire  also 
a  certain  nn<iiber  of  skins  airiving  in  London  kuow]i  as  the  Lobos 
Island  >kins,  although  tlie  same  are  not  liandled  l»y  the  tirm  «»f  C.  M. 
Lainpson  tS:  Co.,  but  the  total  number  of  which,  from  ilie  year  187U  to  the 
year  18*.M,  inclusive,  is,  as  appears  from  the  caialogucs  ot  sales,  247,777. 
The  Lobos  Island  skins  are  tiiose  of  seals  killed  on  the  Lobos  Island, 
belonging  to  the  Republic  of  Uruguay;  and  deponent  is  informed  and 
believes  that  there  is  no  open  sea  sealing  in  the  vicinity  of  such  island, 
and  that  the  aninuds  are  protected  on  tiie  island  as  they  are  on  the 
Russian  and  Pribilof  islands,  by  prohibition  from  the  killing  of  females 
and  limiting  the  number  of  males  killed  in  each  year.  A  statement  of 
the  seals  killed  on  Lobos  Island  is  hereto  annexed  and  marked  Exhibit 
E,  from  which  it  appears  that  there  is  a  regular  annual  supply  obtained 
from  that  source,  which  sliows  no  diminution. 

{/)  There  are  also  a  certain  nund)erot  skins  sold  in  London  obtained 
from  rookeries  at  or  near  the  Cai)e  of  Good  Hope,  the  exact  number  of 
which  deponent  is  not  able  to  state,  but  which,  he  is  informed,  shows 
a  steady  yield. 

The  statements  marked  A,  B,  C,  I),  and  E,  hereunto  appended,  have 
been  carefully  prepared  by  me  persomiUy,  and  the  figures  therein 
stated  have  been  compiled  by  me  from  the  several  sale  catalogues  of 
C.  M.  Lam])son  »S:  (Jo.,  and  others  from  my  private  books  which  I  kept 
during  all  the  years  covered  by  the  statements,  and  1  am  sure  that 
these  statements  are  substantially  accurate  and  truly  state  the  respec- 
tive numbers  of  the  skins  caught  and  sold  which  they  purport  to  state. 

(.3)  The  great  majority  of  the  skins  sold  from  tiie  Northwest  catch 
are  the  skins  of  female  seals.  Deponent  is  not  able  to  state  exactly 
what  proportion  of  such  skins  are  the  skins  of  females,  but  estimates 
it  to  be  at  least  85  i)er  cent,  and  the  skins  of  females  are  readily  dis- 
tinguishable from  those  of  the  males  by  reas(m  of  the  fact  that  on  the 
breast  and  on  the  belly  of  the  bearing  female  there  is  comparatively 
little  fur,  whereas  <m  the  skins  of  the  male  seals  the  fur  is  evenly  dis- 
tributed: and  also  by  reason  of  the  I'act  that  the  female  seal  has  a  nar- 
row head  and  the  male  seal  a  broad  lead  and  neck;  and  the  skins  of 
this  catch  are  also  distinguishable  fr  )m  the  Alaska  and  Copper  catch 
by  reason  of  the  fact  that  seals  are  killed  by  bullets  or  buckshot  or 
si)eared,  and  not,  as  on  the  I'ribilof  and  Commander  islands,  by  clubs. 
Marks  of  such  bullets  or  buckshot  or  spears  are  clearly  discerimble  in 
the  skins,  and  there  is  a  marked  dilferenee  in  the  coranunH'ial  value  of 
the  female  skins  and  of  the  male  skins.  This  fact,  that  the  Northwest 
skins  are  so  largely  the  skins  of  females,  is  further  evidenced  by  the 
fact  that  in  many  of  the  early  sales  of  such  skins  they  are  dassilled  in 
deponent's  books  as  the  skins  of  females. 

(4)  Dei)onent  further  snys,  that  in  his  Judgment  the  absolute  prohibi- 
tion of  pelagic  sealing, i.e.,  the  killing  of  seals  in  thoopei:  sea,  whether 
in  the  Noilh  Tacilic  or  the  Bering  Sea,  is  necessary  to  the  preservation 
of  the  se  tl  herds  now  surviving,  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  niost  of  the 
females  so  killed  are  heavy  with  young,  and  that  necessarily  the  increase 
of  the  species  is  diminished  by  their  killing.  And  further,  from  the  fact 
that  a  large  number  of  females  are  killed  in  the  Bering  Sea  while  on 


t 


i 


biive 


/ 


SEAL    LUF.    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


191 


the  searrli  for  food  after  tlie  birtli  of  tlieir  youiiji'.  and  tliat  in  (ionse- 
queiice  thereof  the  pups  <lie  for  want  of  nourishment.  l)ei)onent  has 
110  i)ersonal  liuowledye  of  the  ti-ntli  of  tliis  statement,  but  lie  has  infor- 
mation in  respeet  of  the  sanu'  from  persons  wlio  have  been  on  tlie  I'ri- 
bih)f  Islands,  and  he  believes  the  same  to  be  ti  ne.  Deponent  farther 
says  that  this  (»pinion  is  bascci  n])on  the  assnin])tion  iliat  tlic  present 
restriction  imposed  by  Kussia  and  th"  United  States  on  the  killing  of 
seals  on  theii-  'espective  islands  are  to  be  maiiitaine<l,  otlier\vis<'  it 
would  be  necessary  to  imj)ose  su<*h  restrictions  as  well  as  to  prohibit 
pelagic  sealing  in  order  to  preserve  tlie  herds. 

(5)  Deponent  is  further  of  the  opinion,  from  his  long  observation  ami 
handling  of  the  skins  of  the  several  catches,  that  the  skins  of  the 
Alaska  and  Coi)]ter  <!atches  are  readily  distinguishable  from  each  other, 
aud  that  the  herds  fn»m  which  such  skins  are  obtained  do  not  in  fact; 
intermingle  with  each  othei-,  because  the  skins  classitled  under  the 
head  of  Copper  catch  are  not  found  among  the  ('(Uisignments  of  skins 
received  *rom  the  Alaska  catch,  and  vi(!e  versa. 

(0)  Deponent  further  says  that  the  distinction  between  the  skins  of 
the  several  catches  is  so  nmrked,  that  in  his  JudgnuMit  he  would,  for 
instance,  have  had  no  dithculiy  had  there  been  included  among  1(H»,0()0 
skins  in  Alaska  catch  1,0(K(  skins  of  the  ()()pper  catch, in  distinguishing 
the  1,000  C<)i)per  skins  aud  senarating  them  from  the  {tl),(MiO  Alaska 
skins,  or  that  any  other  person  with  etjual  or  less  experience  in  the 
handling  of  skins  would  be  ecpially  able  to  distinguish  them.  Aud  in 
the  same  way  deponent  thiidis,  from  his  own  personal  experience  in 
handling  skins,  that  he  would  have  noditliculty  whatever  in  separating 
the  skins  of  the  Northwest  catch  and  the  Alaska  catch,  by  reason  of  the 
fact  that  they  are  the  skins  almost  exclusively  of  females,  and  also  that 
the  fur  upon  the  bearing  female  seals  is  much  thinner  than  i>pon  the 
skin  of  the  male  seals,  the  skin  of  the  animal  while  pregnani,  being 
disteiuled  and  the  fur  extended  over  a  large  area. 

(7)  Deponent  says  that  the  number  of  persons  who  are  employed  in 
the  handling,  dressing,  dyeing,  <'utting,  and  manufacturing  of  seal 
skins  in  the  city  of  London  is  about  2,000.  many  of  whom  are  skilled 
lab(U'ers  earning  as  high  as  £li  or  £4  a  week.  Deitonent  estimates  the 
anumnt  i)aid  in  the  city  of  London  for  wages  in  the  preparation  of  i"ur- 
seal  skins  for  a  manufactui-er's  use,  and  excluding  the  wages  of  manu- 
facturers' employees,  ])rior  to  the  beginning  of  the  i)elagic  sealing  in 
188."),  at  about  .C1(K),0(K)  ])er  annum:  and  depcuient  lurtlier  says  that  in 
his  judgment  if  this  pelagic  sealing  be  not  i>rohibited.  it  is  but  a  (piestion 
of  a  few  years,  probably  not  nioi<'  than  tliree,  when  the  industry  will 
cease  by  reason  of  the  extermination  ol"  the  seals  in  the  same  way  in 
which  they  l.<ive  been  exterminated  on  the  South  Sea  Islands,  by  reason 
of  no  restrictions  being  inii)osed  n\H)U  tlieir  killing. 

Alfked  Fraseu. 


I'.xuiiiii'  A. 
■S«/<ci/  AInshtt  fiw  «(■<(/  fihhin  sold  in  London. 


Vpiir.        Sliins.         Vc;ir. 


SUiiis. 


Viiir.         SltiiiM.  Vciir.         Skiti-i.  Vcnr.         Skins. 


1870 n,  !)0.j 

i«7i mo, 8!tn 

187.' im, 'J8;t 

1H7:1 1()1,  •J48 

1874 00,150 


187.-. |I9,«:U 

1871! 00.  207 

1877 "n.  410 

1878 OH.im 

I87!t 100,  oao 


1(*80 100,101 

1881 on.  irji 

188-.' 100,  1(10 

I88:t I     75,914 

1884 1     00,887 

a  Food  likiim. 


18S.-. 1)9,710 

I8>'0 00,010 

1^87 00,040 

1888 100,000 

1880 100,  000 


,800  S     20,004 

"*™ I    o4,  1.-.8 

1801 l,'),47a 

Totnl..  1,877,977 


m 


'■ 

ftM-  '^Bl<' 

•      1 

■4         ' 

|Ki|!h,^^HI 

f  '■    ■; 

}jpH||lr/f 

^^Kffe'L'  i  ; 

S  i 


I 'IP  ,*f 


4 

'..: 

j    ; 

P! 

1 

192 


SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 

EXHllilT   M. 
Salted  Copper  Inland  fnr-neal  akiim  sold  in  London. 


Year. 

Skins. 
7,182 

Year. 

Skins. 

25,  380 

Year. 

1882.... 

Skins.  ! 

Year. 

Skins.  1 

Year. 
1892 

Skins. 

1872 

1877.... 

39, 

111 

1H87 

54.584 

30, 6:8 

1873 

21,614 

1878 

10, 

000 

1883.... 

30, 

.5011 

1S88 

46,333  ■ 

1874 

30.  340 

187!l 

28, 

211 

1884  .... 

20. 675 

1880 

47,416 

Total.. 

768,  one 

1875 

34, 479 

1H8II 

38, 

885 

1885.... 

1     48, 

029 

IHOO 

95,  480 

1876 

33, 208 

;     1881  .... 

1 

45, 

209 

: 

1886  .... 

j41. 

752 

1801 

17,025 

E.MilltIT  C. 

Salted  Xorthivest  coast  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London  prior  to  pelaijic  sealinij  in  llerinj  Sea. 


Year. 

Skins.        Year. 

Skins. 

Year. 

Skins. 

Year. 

1881  .... 

1882  .... 
1883.... 

Skins. 

.      9, 997 
.     11,717 
.       2,319 

Year. 

1884.... 
Totml. 

Skins. 

i 

1872 

1873 

1,029       1875 

1876..   .. 

1,640 
2,  042 

1878 

1879 

1880 

264 

12.212 

8,939 

9,242 

1874 

4,949       1877 

64.  366 

li 

1 

1 

Salted  Northwest  coast  fur-seiil  skins  dressed  and  dyed  in  London  {but  not  sold  there) 
taken  prior  to  pelagic  sealing  in  Bering  Sea. 


Year. 

Skins. 

Y'ear. 

Skins.         Year. 

578      1878 

1,062       1879 

772      1880  

Skins. 

2,434 

2, 397 
4,  562 

Y'ear. 

1881 

18.82 

1883 

Skins.        Year. 

5,890   1  1884 1 

11,727    1 
2.319         Total.. 

1 

Skins. 

1872 

1873 

1874 

699   1  1875 

40   ;  1876 

122      1877 

9,242 

46, 215 

Dry  Sout 

ku'cst  coast  fur-se 

al  skins  sold  in  London  prior  to  pel 

igic  sealing  in  Ber 

ing  Sea. 

Y'ear. 

Skins.         Year. 

■ 
"-kins.  1      Year. 

14,,-)84  '    1876 

801      I,s;7 

2,772       1878 

1,351      1879 

Skins. 

993 
1   173 

Y'ear. 

Skins.         Y'ear. 

Skins. 

1868 

1809 

1870 

1871 

2, 141 
1,671 

6M4 
12, 405 

1872 

1873 

1S74 

1875 

1880 

18S1 

1884 

680 

321          Total.. 

390  1 

i 

785 

912 
918 

1882  .... 
1883 

42,  767 

Of  tlif  skins  siild  in  1S71  iind  1872  a  very  laiiio  proportion  were  tlie  ncciiiinilalion  of  the  Uiissian- 
American  t'on  pany,  and  sold  by  ilieiu  after  tlie  purchase  of  xVIask.i  l)y  tlii^  L'liiled  Slates. 

I!i;C.Vl'ITlT,ATION. 


Years.      '  Skins. 


Salted  skins  sold  in  London 1872-1884 

Salted  sUins  (In  ssid  and  dyed  in  I.ondoii IS72-1HSI 

Dry  skin.s  sold  in  London.". 1808-1884 


64.306 

40,215 


Grand  total 1.53,348 


KXIIIBIT   D. 


Dry  Northwest  coast  fur-seal  >ikins  sold  in  London  aflcr  ronrncncemenl  of  pelaijic  sealiny 

in  I'tvi  ing  Sen. 


Year. 

188,') 

Skins. 

1,5'Jll 

U7II  ' 
2,843  1 

Year. 

1888 

ISMI 

Skins.  I                  Year. 

li 

l,2"i2       1891 

Skins. 

1,083 

1880 

228 

699  i'              Total 

18b7 

1800 

8,604 

i. 


Skins. 


30,  «;8 
768, 096 


9,242 


64.366 


Skins. 


9,242 


42. 767 


Skins. 


Ii4.  306 
J(i,  lil5 


],">3,348 

si'iiHiig 

I^Uins. 

1,083 
8,  001 


SEAL   LIFE   ON    THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


193 


Salted  Northwest  coa»t  fur-Heal  skins  dressed  and  di/ed  in  London  (but  not  sold  there) 
taken  after  the  commencement  of  pelagic  sealing  in  Bering  Sea. 


Teiir.                           \    Skins. 

t 

Tear.                             i    Skins. 

1 

1885 16,667 

1886 '•      15.087 

1889 

Total 

2,017 

1887 3,589 

39.290 

1888 ;        1,930 

1 

In  addition  to  above,  it  is  estimated  that  from  25.000  to  30,000  skins  have  been  dressed  and  dyed  in 
the  United  States.— E.  T.  R.,,ir.,  notary  public. 

Salted  Northwest  coast  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London  after  commencement  of  pela;tic  sealing 

in  Bering  Sea. 


Year. 

Skins. 

Year. 

Skins. 

1885 

2,078 

17,909 

36,907 

36,818 

39,503 

1890.. 
1891.. 
1892.. 

38, 316 

1886 

54,180 

1887 

28, 298 

1888 

1889 

Total 

254,068 

RECAPITILATION. 


Years. 


Dry  skins  sold  in  London 1885-1891 

Satted  Hkins  drettsed  aud  dyed  in  London,  but  not  sold  there 1885-1889 

Salted  Hkins  dressed  sind  dyed  iu  I'nited  States,  estimated 1885-1889 

Salted  skins  sold  in  London '  1885-1892 


Skins. 


8,604 

39,290 

30,000 

254,068 


Grand  total 331,962 


Exiui'iT  E. 
Salted  Lobos  Island  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London. 


Year. 

Skins. 

6, 956 
8.509 
8,179 
11,353 
13,006 
12,301 
12,295 
14, 865 

Year. 

1881 

1882 

Skins. 

13,  589 
13, 200 
12, 861 
16,  258 
10,  953 
13,067 
11, 068 
20, 747 

;                 Year. 

1 

Skins. 

1873 

1889 

8,755 
18, 541 
15,  834 

4,800 

1874 

1890 

1875 

1883 

1884 

18.X5 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1891 

1876 

1892(1 

1877 

1878 

Total 

247,  777 

1879 

1880 

a  To  date. 


Additional  deposition  of  Alfred  Franer,  member  of  the  firm  of  G.  M. 
LampHon  &  Co.,  furriern,  London. 

State  op  New  York, 

Citii  and  County  of  New  Yorh;  ss: 
Alfred  Fraser,  being  duly  sworn,  says:  I  am  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
C.  M.  Lampsou  &  Co.,  of  London,  aud  the  person  described  in  and  who 
verified  an  affidavit  on  the  1st  day  of  April,  1892,  relating  to  the  fur- 
seal  industry.  The  tables  hereto  annexed,  marked  A,  B,  (J,  D,  E,  aud 
F,  have  been  prei)ared  by  me  from  the  printed  catalogues  of  public  auo- 

8.  Doc.  137,  pt,  1 13 


m 


A  if 


194 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


tion  sales  in  London  of  fur  seal  skins,  and  also  from  my  private  memo- 
randa, and  from  knowledge  and  information  of  the  lur -seal  industry,  I 
believe  them  to  be  correct  in  every  iiarticular.  Said  tables  state  all  of 
the  salted  fur-seal  skins  of  the  Alaska,  Copper,  Northwest  coast,  and 
Lobos  catches,  which,  according  to  the  said  catalogues  and  memoranda, 
were  sold  at  public  auction  in  London  between  the  years  1808  and  1891, 
together  witli  the  average  price  per  skin  obtained  during  each  of  said 
years  for  the  aforesaid  skins. 

Alfred  Fbaseb. 


Exhibit  A. 
Salted  Alaska  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London  from  1870  to  1891. 


Year.        Skins.  Vrnr.         Skins.         Veiir.         Skins.  Vciir.         Skins.         Yciir.         Skins 


C 20, 994 


1870 9,965  i  187.5 !M),  OIU       IH8U 100.  Ifil  1885 '.  !t9,719  ,„„(> 

1871 :  100,896  1876 90,  :;67       1881 99.9:;i  1886 ■  99,»lll  '"' " 

1872 i     9B.28:t  18T7 7."i.4I0       1882 10().  lOit  1KS7 1  90,940  1891 

1873 101,248,  1878 99,911       188:i 75,914  1H88 !  100.000                          

1874 90,1501  1879 100.  036  il  1884 99,  K87  1889 Km,  000  Total. .  1.  877,  977 


158 
i;t,473 


I 


ExiiiiiiT  H. 

Salted  Copper  Island  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London  in  the  years  1870  to  1893. 


Year. 


1870. 
1871. 
1872. 
1873. 
1874. 


Skins. 


12,0.10 
9, 522 
7,182   ', 
21,614 
30,349  j; 


Year. 


Skins. 


1875 34,479 

1876  33, 208 

1877 25. 380 

1878 19, 000 

1879 ;  28,211 


Year. 


Skins. 


Year. 


Skins. 


|- 


1880 38,885  111885 \  48,029 

1881 »5,209  il   1886 41,75J 

1882 '  39,  111  ,;  1887 ,  54,584 

1883 '  36,  500    !  1888 I  46,333 

1884 j  26,675      1880 1  47,416 


Year. 


1890  . 

1891  . 
1892. 


Skin.s. 


95,486 
17  025 
30, 678 


Total..  789,648 

I 


Exhibit  C. 
Salted  Xorthxvest  coast  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London  prior  to  ^yelagic  sealing  in  Bering  Sea. 


Year. 

Skins. 

Year. 

Skins. 

Year. 

1878 

1879 

1880 

Skins. 

264 

12, 212 

8,939 

Year. 

] 

1881 

1882 

,1883 

1 

Skins. 

9,997 

11,717 

2,319 

Year. 

1884 

Total.. 

Skins. 

1872 

1873 

1,029 

1875.... 

i  1876  .... 

1877 

1,646 
.       2, 042 

9,242 

1874 

4,949 

64,366 

Exhibit  D. 


Salted  Northwest  coast  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London  after  commencement  of  pelagic  sealing 

in  Bering  Sea. 


skins. 


SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 

ExiiiuiT  E. 
Salted  LoboB  Island  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London. 


Year. 


I  SkiuB. 


Year. 


Skins. 


Year. 


195 


Skins. 


Skiua. 


i  20, 994 

I    4,158 

i;t,473 


187.1 i  6,.'i9fl 

1874 i  8,509 

1875 8,179 

1878 11,353 

1877 1  13,0H6 

1878 1  12,301 

1879 1  12,295 

1880 :  14,865 

I 


1881 i  13,569  :    1H8B 

1882 13  200  J  1H90 


1883 12,801 

1884 1  16,258 

1885 :  10,953 

1886 1  13,667 

1887 11.068 

1888 20,747 


.1      8,755 
.1    18,541 


1801 ,     15,834 


1802  a  . 


Total. 


4,800 


247, 777 


a  To  date. 
Exhibit  F. 

Salted  Alaska  fur-seal  skins  sold  in  London  in  the  years  1SG8-1S71  taken  prior  to  the 


leasing  of  the  Prihilof  Islands. 


Year. 


1868 
1869 
1870 


Skins.     ; 


28, 220 
121.820 
110.511 


Year. 


1871. 


Total  . 


Skins. 


20,111 


280, 662 


The  following  table,  prepared  by  Hutchinson,  Kohl,  Philipeus  &  Co., 
of  San  Francisco,  lessees  of  the  right  to  take  fur  seals  upon  the  Com- 
mander and  Eobben  islands,  shows  the  number  of  seal  skins  secured 
annually  from  these  respective  islands  from  1871  to  1891: 


Skin». 


95,480 
17  025 
30, 678 

789,648 


ing  Sea. 

Skins. 

9,242 
64, 366 


I  sealing 


Skins. 


38, 315 
54, 180 
28,298 

254, 068 


Year. 


Com- 
mander 
Islands. 


Robben 
Island. 


1871., 
1872. 
1873. 
1874. 
1875. 
1876. 
1877. 
1878. 
1879. 
1880. 
1881. 
1882 


3,014 
29,350 
27, 710 
28,886 
33, 152 
25, 432 
18,584 
28, 198 
38, 749 
45, 174 
.S9, 314 
40, 514 


2, 094 
2,414 
3,127 
1, 528 
2.949 
3,1412 
4,0U2 
3,330 
4,207 
4,106 


Total. 


3.014 
29,  356 
30, 404 
31,300 
36, 279 
26,960 
21,533 
31,340 
42, 760 
48,504 
43,  521 
44, 620 


Year. 


1883. 
!  1884. 
I  1885. 
I  1886. 
i  1887. 
I  1888. 
I  1889. 

1890. 

1891. 


Total . 


Com- 
iiiauder 
I.slauds. 


26,650 
49, 444 
41, 737 
54, 591 
46,347 
47, 362 
52, 859 
53, 780 
5,800 


Roblien 
Island. 


2,049 
3,819 
1,838 


Total. 


28,699 
53, 263 
43,575 
54, 591 
46, 347 
47, 362 
52,859 
53,  780 
5,800 


776, 467 


Tabie  of  annual  seal-skin  supply  compiled  from  table  of  London  trade  sales  as  given  i 

Umil  Teiohmann. 


Year. 


1870.. 
1871.. 
1872.. 
1873.. 
1874.. 
1875.. 
1876.. 
1877.. 
1878., 
1879., 
1880. 
1881. 
1882. 
1883. 
1884. 
1885. 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 


LoboB 
Island. 


Cape 
Horn. 


6,956 
8,507 
8,170 
11. 353 
13,066 
12, 301 
12, 295 
14,386 
13,560 
13, 200 
12,861 
16, 268 
10,953 
13, 667 
11,068 
20,747 
8,765 


6,306 

7,631 

18, 227 

12, 180 

17, 562 

13,164 

11,711 

4,655 

6,743 

3,404 

909 

2,702 

4,403 

3,021 


Northwest 
catch. 


084 

12,495 

16, 303 

981 

7,843 

3,575 

4,097 

1,945 

3,607 

15, 527 

13,501 

16,573 

23,207 

).544 

20, 142 

20,205 

33,075 

43, 339 

40,000 

41, 808 


Alaska  ;  Copper 
catch.    ,    catch. 


9,965 
100,896 
90,283 
101, 248 
90, 150 
99,634 
90,267 


7,182 
21,614 
30, 349 
34,497 
33,298 


75,410  I      25,380 


99,911 

100, 036 

100, 101 

9,994 

100,100 

75,914 

99,887 

99,719 

09,910 

99,940 

100,000 

100, 000 


19,000 
28,211 
38,885 
45, 209 
89,  HI 
30,600 
20,657 
48,929 
41  752 
54,584 
46, 333 
47, 416 


Total. 


10,049 
113, 391 
119, 768 
130, 749 
136,851 
145,867 
145,321 
123, 432 
143,046 
168,240 
184,945 
188,436 
187, 329 
139,474 
160,705 
183,270 
100,213 
211,003 
211.483 
201, 000 


p 

n 

i 

11 

l{j 

t 

¥i 


u 


196 


SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


Table  of  percentuyea  of  annual  Hval-akin  mipply  compiled  from  table  of  London  trade  8ale$ 

as  given  byjunil  Teivhmann, 


Year. 


1870. 
1871. 
1872. 
1873. 
1874. 
1875. 
1876. 
1877. 
1878. 
1879. 
1880. 
1881. 
1882. 
188U. 
1884. 
1885. 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 


Lolios 
Island. 


0.  ()r):i:i 
.ur)t)(i 

.  (I7fi2 
.  1(154 
.  (I8:il 
.  07:!0 

.  II8U4 

.  o7i;u 
.  07u;i 
.  ii9'j;i 

.  (1950 
.  5510 
.0718 
.OSlil 
.  OUKl 
.  04;t5 


Ciiiie 
Hum. 


i.  0440 
.0618 
.  0575 
.  0722 
.  0946 
.  0(i97 
.  11024 

.  o:i»4 
.  o:>;t2 

.  0196 
.  0047 

.oi;)3 

.  0207 
.  0156 


Northwest  1 
oatob.      I 

0.0620    ' 
.110 
.  136 
.  1.162 
.  0072 
.  0246 
.  0282 
.0158 
.00251 
.0927 
.  0730 
.  0825 
.  1233 
.  0685 
.1187 
.113 
.  1795 
.  2047 
.1894 
.2075 


AliiHka 
catch. 

0. 0380 
.890 
.8047 
.  7743 
.  6830 
.6204 
.6113 
.608 
.5944 
.813 
.54)7 
.  5307 
.  5343 
.5442 
.  5821 
.  .•>447  ' 
.  5307 
.  ■*721 
.4728 
.4975 


Copper 
catch. 


0.051 
.059 
.  1053 
.  2364 
.2143 
.  2578 
.  1363 
.1677 
.  2103 
.  2451 
.  2097 
.2616 
.  1631 
.  2084 
.2143 
.2578 
.2190 
.  235,1 


I 


Total. 


1.0000 
1.0000 
1.0000 
1.0000 
1.0000 
1.0000 
l.OOOO 
1.0000 
l.UOOO 
1.0000 
l.OOOO 
1.0000 
1.0000 
1.0000 
1. 0000 
l.OOOO 
1.0000 
1.0000 

1.0000 
1.0000 


CRUISE  OF  THE  LOUIS  OLSEN   IN   THE  BERING   SEA. 


HY  A.  ».  ALKXANDKR. 

On  the  25tli  of  May,  at  Seattle,  I  met  Capt.  E.  P.  Miner,  master  of 
the  American  sealing  schooner  Harry  Dennis,  who,  on  the  same  day, 
had  arrived  tVoni  Japan,  his  vessel  having  been  wrecked  on  that  coast. 
At  the  time  of  meeting  him  he  was  endeavoring  to  charter  another 
vessel,  and  hoped  to  be  in  the  Bering  Sea  by  the  1st  of  August.  Inform- 
ing him  that  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Fish  and  Fisheries 
was  anxious  that  I  should  make  a  cruise  with  him  shouhl  he  succeed 
in  getting  a  suitable  vessel,  he  freely  consented,  and  informed  L'^.s  that 
if  he  found  out  in  time  he  would  let  me  know  by  mail. 

On  the  morning  of  the  28th  I  sailed  in  the  City  of  Topelcn  for  Sitka, 
and  from  there  took  passage  in  the  Crescent  City  for  Unalaska.  Soon 
after  arriving  there  1  joined  the  AlhatroHs,  and  remained  by  her  until 
the  evening  of  the  29th  of  July,  when  I  joined  the  sealing  schooner 
Louis  Olsen,  of  Astoria,  Oreg.,  Captain  Guillams,  master,  who  did  not 
for  a  moment  hesitate  about  giving  me  a  jiassage.  My  reason  for 
joining  the  Olsen  was  on  account  of  not  having  heard  from  Captain 
Miner  as  to  whether  he  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  vessel;  I  was 
also  informed  by  several  sealing  captains  that  he  did  not  get  a  vessel, 
and  in  consequence  Avould  not  be  in  the  sea.  The  time  having  arrived 
when  pelagic  sealing  was  about  to  commence,  I  was  glad  to  accept,  as 
I  thought,  the  only  opportunity  which  would  be  offered  for  the  season. 

The  next  day,  in  latitude  54°  38'  north,  longitude  l(il°  04'  west,  we 
saw  our  first  seals,  20  in  number,  12  of  wliich  were  "sleepers."  Seals 
when  sleeping  are  by  sealers  always  called  by  the  above  name.  In  the 
afternoon  we  saw  6  seals  about  half  a  mile  from  the  vessel  playing  in 
a  bunch  of  seaweed.  The  sea  at  the  time  was  perfectly  smooth  with  a 
light  air  stirring.  Two  hunters  and  my.^elf  started  out  in  a  boat  to 
watch  them  and  see  how  near  we  could  approach  without  disturbing 
them.  We  soon  learned  that  they  were  unusually  tame,  as  we  approached 
near  enough  to  touch  one  with  a  spear  pole  which  was  in  the  boat.  They 
showed  little  signs  of  fear,  notwithstanding  that  we  were  within  30  feet 
of  them  for  fully  five  minutes.    Diving  under  the  seaweed  and  sud- 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOP   ISLANDS. 


197 


denly  thrustiug  their  heads  up  through  it  seemed  to  afford  them  great 
pleasure.  Rolling  over  and  over  in  the  seaweed,  tlieir  trippers  becom 
ing  tangled  in  it,  was  also  a  pleasant  enjoyment.  They  paid  but  little 
attention  to  us  and  seemed  almost  indifferent  as  to  how  near  we 
approached  so  long  as  we  did  so  quietly.  This  caused  the  hunters  to 
exchiim  several  times,  "If  we  only  had  a  gnii  we  could  kill  them  all." 
Under  the  circumstances  it  was  but  natural  that  a  gun  should  be  the 
uppermost  thought  in  their  minds. 

Early  in  the  spring,  both  on  the  Northwest  coast  and  off"  the  coast 
of  .Japan,  seals  are  sometimes  found  which  evince  little  signs  of  fear, 
but  after  one  day's  shooting  on  the  ground  they  be(!ome  very  wild  and 
mistrustful,  and,  like  a  crow  and  some  land  animals,  seem  to  scent  a  gun 
in  the  air.  On  this  particular  occasion  a  kodak  camera  would  have 
given  good  results — it  was  one  opportunity  of  a  thousand. 

The  following  day,  .'Ust,  seals  were  plentiful.  The  wind  being  light 
during  the  previous  night,  oiu"  position  had  changed  but  little. 

On  August  1,  at  a  very  early  hour,  the  spears  were  brought  forth  and 
the  seal  on  them  broken.  While  this  was  going  on  many  remarks  were 
made  in  regard  to  the  first  day's  trial.  Some  of  the  hunters  were  already 
discouraged  and  were  confident  that  they  were  only  wasting  time  by 
attempting  to  use  spears;  the  thought  of  being  obliged  to  adopt  the 
primitive  weapon  of  the  Siwash  Avas  indeed  humiliating  to  them.  A 
few  on  board  felt  more  hopeful  and  were  willing  to  give  the  spear  a  fair 
trial.  Ever  since  leaving  Unalaska  the  hunters  had  been  practicing  at 
throwing  the  spear  pole.  Every  piece  of  ffoating  seaweed  or  other 
object  which  came  within  range  had  been  a  target.  On  several  occa- 
sions the  boats  had  been  lowered  and  a  supply  of  chips  and  small 
pieces  of  wood  taken  along.  These  were  thrown  ahead  of  the  boat  as 
targets  to  throw  at.  It  was  soon  found  that  an  object  that  could  be 
easily  hit  at  a  distance  of  25  or  30  feet  from  the  vessel  was  not  so  easily 
reached  from  a  boat,  as  the  smallest  wave  would  cause  her  to  move  just 
enough  to  cause  the  pole  to  go  wide  of  its  mark.  A  day's  practice 
throwing  from  the  boats  had  the  effect  of  teaching  the  hunters  the 
various  ways  of  holding  the  spear  to  make  more  sure  of  its  hitting  the 
mark  under  the  many  cotiditions  of  sea  and  wind.  All  this  time  spear 
throwing  had  been  carried  on  with  lifeless  objects  for  a  mark.  The 
opportunity  was  about  to  present  itself  to  exhibit  skill  in  throwing  at 
something  that  if  missed  the  first  time  would  not  be  likely  to  remain 
statioTiary  long  encmgh  to  give  the  marksman  another  trial.  A  cool 
head  and  steady  nerves  would  be  the  special  re(iuirements  to  insure  a 
successful  day's  hunt  should  seals  be  plentiful. 

The  1st  day  of  August  did  not  prove  a  success,  so  far  as  sealing  was 
concerned,  the  weatlier  being  too  foggy  to  send  out  the  boats.  Scat- 
tering seals  were  observed  all  day,  but  they  were  all  "travelers;"  that 
is,  they  were  all  moving  in  various  dire(!tions.  Our  noon  position  was 
latitude  5(i°  11'  north,  longitude  172°  01'  west.  The  next  day  seals 
were  less  numerous.  None  were  observed  in  the  forenoon ;  in  the  after- 
noon 12  were  seen ;  all  but  one  were  traveling  to  the  westward.  This 
individual  was  asleep;  a  boat  was  quickly  lowered  and  the  hunter  on 
watch  was  rowed  toward  it.  Before  the  boat  had  covered  half  the  dis- 
tance the  seal  showed  signs  of  waking,  and  shortly  after,  becoming 
aware  of  approaching  danger,  it  disappeared.  Our  noon  position  on 
this  day  was  latitude  57°  21'  north,  longitude  1 73°  46'  west.  Seals  here 
were  not  so  plentiful  as  they  were  farther  south.  In  the  afternoon  we 
hove  to  and  caught  two  cod  in  65  fathoms  of  water.  No  more  seal  life 
was  observed  until  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day,  when  two  sleep- 


1 

i 

1 

■ 

1 

1 

r  ; 

B   |:  ^ 

B 

iii 

': 

f.    Jl 


li 


19S 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'KIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


.    r 


iiig  seals  were  sightetl.  latitude  o7°  ')()'  north,  longitude  173°  48'  west. 
Five  boats  were  sent  out.  They  returned  at  5  ]).  nu,  having  taken 
no  seals,  although  8  had  been  seen,  but  they  were  all  "  travelers." 
Heavy  fog  and  strong  indications  of  tlie  wind  breezing  up  fresh  caused 
the  boats  to  return  earlier  than  they  otherwise  would.  In  the  evening, 
the  vessel  being  hove  to,  several  seals  t'anie  close  alongside.  They 
seemed  to  be  very  curious  to  know  what  we  were.  All  the  spears  on 
boanl  were  repeatedly  thrown  at  them,  but  they  ha<l  the  good  sense  to 
keep  Just  out  of  range.  Whistling  had  the  elVeet  of  enticing  them  close 
aboard,  but  the  sight  of  a  sjiear  or  two  being  aimed  at  them  would  cause 
them,  without  any  apparent  ellbrt,  to  increase  their  distance  by  20  or 
more  feet. 

The  first  seal  ca])turi  d  by  the  OInch  was  on  August  -I,  in  latitude  r>7° 
50'  noith,  longitude  173°  48'  west,  the  same  position  recorded  on  the 
previous  day.  At  8.4.>  a.  m.  sail  was  made,  and  at  10.4r>  tlie  boats  were 
lowered,  two  "sleepers"  having  been  seen.  The  weather  being  foggy 
the  boats  were  so(Ui  lost  to  sight.  The  vessel  was  hove  to,  it  being 
much  easier  for  the  boats  to  keej)  the  bearing  of  the  vessel  than  for 
the  vessel  to  keep  track  of  the  boat.*-. 

As  soon  as  the  boats  had  lett  a  hand  line  was  put  over  in  70  fathoms 
of  water.  An  lumr's  fishing  resulted  in  18  cod.  Their  average  weight, 
as  near  as  could  be  Judged,  was  12  pounds;  the  largest  weighed  not  far 
from  30  pounds.  All  but  two  of  the  cod  were  in  a  healthy  condition. 
These  two  had  soies  on  their  backs  about  the  size  of  a  half  dollar,  whic|i 
bad  eaten  nearly  to  the  backbone.  This  instance  is  mentioned  here  on 
account  of  the  i)art  of  the  tish  wheie  the  sores  weie.  In  both  cases 
they  were  situated  near  the  neck,  directly  over  the  vertebra;  they  were 
as  round  and  smooth  as  if  cut  with  a  knife. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  fog  did  not  lift  during  the  day,  the  boats 
remained  out  until  0  p.  m.  The  result  of  the  day's  liunt  was  12  seals — 
4  males  and  8  females.  One  of  the  seals  had  previously  been  speared 
in  one  of  its  liii)pers,  as  it  was  nearly  severed  from  its  body,  showing 
that  the  seal  must  have  had  a  hard  stiuggle  to  free  itself.  The  largest 
number  of  seals  caught  for  this  first  day's  successfid  hunt  was  taken 
by  two  boats,  they  bringing  in  five  each;  two  other  boats  captured  one 
each,  and  the  renmiuing  two  boats  brought  in  nothing.  The  hunters 
in  these  boats,  on  learning  that  12  seals  had  been  captureil,  indulged  in 
strong  language  at  their  nonsuccess. 

About  ."iO  seals  had  been  observed  from  the  boats,  the  most  of  which 
were  awake.  Only  an  occasional  individual  had  been  seen  dtiring  the 
day  from  the  vessel,  the  fog  being  too  dense  to  see  more  than  an  eighth 
of  a  mile. 

In  no  single  instance  was  the  (irst  seal  si)eared  at  captured ;  it  was 
only  after  repeated  attemi)ts  by  each  hunter  that  one  was  hit.  The 
excitement  caused  by  the  desire  on  the  part  of  each  to  be  the  first 
to  capture  a  seal,  combined  with  the  inexperience  of  throwing  the 
primitive  weai)on,  was  no  doubt  the  chief  cause  of  the  poor  results. 
The  eight  females  captured  were  ail  nursing  seals;  but  little  food  was 
found  in  their  stomachs,  and  that  was  too  much  digested  to  tell  what 
it  consisted  of;  it  was,  however,  placed  in  alcohol. 

In  the  evening,  after  the  seals  had  been  skinned  and  everything  made 
snug  for  the  night,  each  hunter  told  his  experience  during  the  day, 
which,  as  may  be  supposed,  was  more  entertaining  than  instructive. 

On  the  nth  the  wind  and  weather  were  not  suitable  for  sealing;  a 
very  fresh  southeast  wind  prevailed,  and  in  order  to  keep  our  present 
position  the  vessel  was  hove  to  under  easy  sail.    A  large  number  of 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


1!)9 


seals  was  uotieed;  they  were  fmiueiitly  seen  playing  about,  sometimes 
on  tbe  crest  of  a  wave,  and  then  in  the  hollow  of  a  sea.  They  seem- 
ingly had  no  tixed  course,  but  wouhl  swim  in  one  direction  a  half  a 
mile  or  so,  return  and  go  in  an  opposite  way.  It  is  more  than  likely, 
luid  the  wind  been  blowing  a  strong  gale,  they  would  all  have  been 
bound  in  one  direction.  The  wind  continued  fresh,  with  a  rough,  choppy 
sea,  until  the  following  noon,  when  the  fog  which  had  come  in  during 
the  night  lifted  and  the  wind  suddenly  subsided  into  a  calm.  The  boats 
were  put  in  readiness  and  sent  out  for  an  afternoon's  hunt.  Consider- 
ing the  state  of  the  sea  and  the  time  of  starting,  a  fair  afternoon's  work 
was  done,  19  seals  being  landed  on  deck  by  H.30  j).  m.  Fifteen  of  the 
number  were  cows  and  4  males.  Only  <>  had  food  in  their  stoukachs. 
Every  hunter  reported  seals  numerous,  about  half  of  the  nund)cr  being 
asleep.  They  slept  in  uunchesof  (» jmd  8,  and  when  aroused  from  their 
slumber  were  very  tame,  but  owing  to  the  inexperience  of  the  hunters 
with  spears  in  a  comparatively  rough  sea,  the  successful  throws  were  few 
and  far  between.  Had  the  hunters  been  provided  with  shotguns  instead 
of  spears,  it  is  pretty  safe  to  say  that  a  hundred  or  more  seals  would  have 
been  nearer  the  day's  catch.  To  be  compelled  to  see  seals  escape  that 
could  easily  have  been  killed  witii  a  sh(»tgun  brought  forth  fiom  both 
hunters  and  boat  crews  loud  and  imprecatory  language  upon  the  heads 
of  all  those  who  were  instrumental  in  prohibiting  the  use  of  firearms  in 
the  Bering  Sea.  These  men  had  not  been  used  to  seeing  their  prey  get 
away  so  easily,  an<l  to  them  the  sight  was  more  than  exasperating. 
During  the  absence  of  the  boats  a  large  number  of  traveling  seals  had 
been  seen  from  the  vessel  and  also  an  oc<;asional  "sleeper."  One  of  the 
latter  was  observed  close  aboard  a  little  on  our  lee.  It  evidently  was 
sleeping  soundly,  for  neither  the  slatting  of  the  sails  nor  the  blowing 
of  tlie  fog  horn  had  the  ettect  of  awaking  it,  and  it  was  oidy  when  the 
scent  of  the  vessel  reached  its  nostrils  that  it  showed  signs  of  life. 
After  being  fully  aroused  it  di<l  not  exhibit  any  great  signs  of  ahirm, 
but  played  about  not  far  off  for  some  time.  It  seldom  hapi)ens  that  a 
seal  will  show  such  indifference  to  its  surroundings  as  this  one.  The 
captain  and  mate  said  they  had  never  in  all  their  experieiuie  seen  a  seal 
so  tame.  The  general  o])iiiion  on  board  was  that  it  was  due  to  there 
being  no  tirearms  used  or  hunting  allowed  in  the  Bering  Sea  for  the 
past  few  years  that  caused  the  seals  thus  far  observed  to  show  so  little 
fear  of  man. 

The  highest  catch  for  any  one  single  day  was  taken  on  the  7th.  The 
day  commenced  with  a  gentle  breeze  from  the  south,  a»<'i  a  smooth  sea. 
A  light  fog  hung  low  over  the  water  which  prevente^i  the  boats  from 
being  seen  nun'e  than  20  yards.  At  8  a.  m.  the  last  boat  shoved  off,  and 
they  were  not  seen  again  until  evening.  No(m  position :  Latitude,  58° 
30'  north;  longitude,  173°  HO' west.  In  the  forenoon  hand-line  fishing 
was  carried  on.  The  depth  of  water  here  was  00  fathoms.  Six  good- 
sized  cod  were  caught  in  quick  succession;  2  males  and  4  females. 
Their  stomachs  were  well  filled  with  food.  In  the  stomach  of  a  large 
female  was  found  an  octopus;  it  had  been  rei^ently  swallowed,  as  its  skin 
showed  no  discoloration.  Cod  were  abundant;  we  could  have  filled  the 
decks  in  a  day's  fishing  with  a  single  line.  The  abundance  of  cod  may 
have  been  the  cause  of  seals  being  plentiful  in  this  region.  In  the 
evening  the  boats  all  returned  nearly  at  the  same  time,  bringing  in  34 
seals,  30  of  which  were  females.  Twenty-four  of  the  number  had  food 
in  their  stomachs.  The  material,  however,  was  finely  masticated,  and 
hard  to  identify,  but  a  portion  of  it  looked  very  much  like  the  flesh  of 
cod.    If  a  portion  of  the  food  was  cod,  the  question  arises,  did  the  seals 


ihi 


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<  ^ 


iM' 


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T 


200 


SEAL   LIFE    ON   THK    PRIUILOF    ISLANDS. 


dive  to  the  bottom  in  (M)  tUtlioins  of  water  and  brinff  their  prey  to  the 
surface?  As  a  rule  cod  are  found  very  close  to  the  bottom,  especially  in 
deep  water;  in  shallow  places  they  are  sometimes  found  nearer  the  sur- 
face. It  is  not  probable  that  seals  in  this  region  found  an  abundance 
of  cod  or  even  siuittering  ones  near  the  surface.  Just  how  deep  a  seal 
4'an  tlive  and  secure  food  is  a  mooted  question.  Mr.  Henry  Elliott  gives 
them  credit  of  being  able  to  dive  to  profound  depths.  The  writer  has 
conversed  with  a  good  nniny  sealers  on  the  subject,  but  has  never  been 
able  to  gather  any  reliable  information.  Sealers  as  a  rule  are  not  a  very 
observing  class  of  men,  for  the  reason  tlnit  their  interest  is  all  centered 
in  the  commercial  side  of  the  <|uestion,  and  think  little  of  the  habits  or 
other  peculiarities  of  seal  life.  The  most  satisfactory  evidence  the  writer 
ever  had  that  seals  are  deep  divers  was  two  years  ago  on  the  Kairweather 
(iroimd,  a  large  bank  ott"  the  coast  of  Alaska,  while  on  a  cruise  in  the 
revenue-cutter  Coririn.  We  were  about  to  return  to  the  ship  at  the  end 
of  a  successful  afternoon's  hunt,  when  a  large  bull  suddenly  came  up 
close  to  our  canoe,  not  over  'M  feet  away,  with  a  very  large  I'cd  rockfish 
in  its  mouth,  which  it  immediately  i)roceeded  to  devour.  The  fish  was 
alive  and  couhl  be  plainly  seen  struggling  in  the  seal's  mouth.  Our 
position  at  the  time  was  some  75  or  80  miles  ott'shore  from  Yakutat 
Bay.  We  had  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  depth  of  the  water,  but  it 
could  not  have  been  much  less  than  KM*  fathoms.  Ited  rockflsh  is  also 
a  species  that  generally  swims  close  to  the  bottom,  although  like  cod  it 
is  possible  thsit  they  sometimes  feed  near  the  surface.  The  writer  does 
not  maintain  that  seals  can  go  to  the  bottom  in  1(K)  fathoms  of  water, 
but  thinks  they  can  dive  much  deeper  than  is  generally  supposed. 

All  the  hunters  on  this  day  reported  seals  plentiful,  but  could  tind 
very  few  asleep.  Had  the  sun  been  shining  it  is  safe  to  say  that  the 
majority  of  those  with  food  in  their  stomachs  would  have  slept  during 
a  greater  part  of  the  day,  for,  as  a  rule,  seals  with  full  stomachs  sleep 
when  the  sun  is  out,  the  air  warm,  and  the  sea  smooth  or  comparatively 
so.  Their  time  of  sleeping,  however,  is  not  always  when  conditions  are 
favorable,  for  after  a  gale  of  long  duration  they  are  frequently  seen 
asleep  when  the  air  is  cold  and  the  sea  uncommonly  high.  At  such 
times  seals  are  completely  exhausted.  It  is  not  an  infrequent  sight 
during  the  winter  and  spring  months,  at  the  end  of  a  long  and  heavy 
gale,  to  see  seals  sleeping  soundly  in  a  snowstorm,  with  that  por- 
tion of  the  body  out  of  the  water  covered  with  snow.  In  consequence 
of  the  seals  on  this  day  being  restless,  a  great  many  of  the  M  taken 
were  what  is  known  to  sealers  as  "tinners,"  that  is.  seals  about  half 
asleep,  rolling  about  and  scratching  themselves.  Sometimes  "tinners" 
are  hard  to  ap])ruach,  and  at  other  times  very  easy.  A  restless  one  will 
try  very  hard  to  take  a  nap,  but  Just  as  he  gets  comfortably  tixed  some- 
thing disturbs  him;  holditig  its  head  up  he  will  take  a  look  all  around, 
as  if  danger  was  scented  in  the  air.  These  are  hard  to  capture  with 
spears. 

Indians  seldom  pay  any  attention  to  moving  seals  when  hunting  with 
spears;  they  think  it  a  waste  of  time.  White  hunters,  when  they  can 
find  no  sleeping  seals,  frequently  give  chase  to  "tinners"  and  "travel- 
ers," and  in  many  cases  are  rewarded  for  their  trouble.  The  hunters 
on  the  Olsen  soon  tbund  that  few  seals  would  be  taken  on  certain  days 
if  they  only  selected  sleeping  ones.  Many  haphazard  throws  were 
made  at  swinnning  and  tinning  seals,  the  majority  of  which  were  fail- 
ures, but  enough  good  shots  were  nmde  to  make  the  experiment  a  pay- 
ing one. 

For  several  days  seals  had  been  observed  chasing  some  kind  of  fish, 


k 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


201 


f 


and  (lurinjj  tliis  last  day's  hunt  they  were  quite  plentiful.  Oidy  a  single 
individual  would  be  seen ;  it  would  dart  tlrst  in  one  diiectiun  and  then 
in  another,  audoerasionally  wouhl  make  a  desperate  lea|t  out  of  water. 
I'resently  a  seal  would  be  noticed  not  far  off  swimmiuff  as  rapidly  and 
in  as  manydltlerent  <lirections  as  the  tlsh.  On  the  day  in  tptestion,  two 
seals  were  speared,  Just  as  they  eanie  to  the  surface,  eiich  with  one  of 
these  fish  in  its  mouth.  The  seals  did  not  relin(iuish  their  hold  when 
speared,  but  kept  a  firm  };rip  until  knocked  on  the  head.  The  speci- 
mens proved  to  be  Alaskan  pollock.  In  both  cases  the  specimens  of 
flah  8e<;ured  were  brought  up  by  large  males;  one  was  somewhere 
between  H  and  10  years  of  age. 

The  two  following  days,  Sth  and  9th,  the  weatlu-r  was  too  boisterous 
for  sealing;  wind  southeast  and  every  indication  of  a  gale.  We  lay  to 
under  the  foresail  in  order  to  keep  as  near  our  |)resent  position  as  pos- 
sible. A  heavy  sea  set  in  iVom  the  westwanl,  but  the  wind  did  not 
increase  above  a  strong  breeze.  Scattering  seals  were  ab(mt  each  day, 
all  traveling  to  the  westward.  From  observation  we  learned  that  dur- 
ing stormy  weather  seals  traveled  in  an  oi)posite  direction  to  the  wind. 
In  a  gale  it  will  be  found  that  seals  are  far  more  numerous  on  the  lee 
side  of  the  I'ribilof  Islands  than  to  the  wiiulward  of  them.  When  the 
wind  is  heavy  and  the  sea  rough  seals  as  a  rule  travel  from  the  seal 
islands  directly  to  leeward  or  nearly  so.  Just  how  much  the  wind 
changes  the  course  of  the  main  bo<ly  of  seals  would  be  hard  to  say, 
but  so  far  as  our  investigations  extended,  in  connecMon  with  the  travel- 
ing herd  which  came  under  our  notice,  we  are  inclined  to  think  that 
seals  within  100  miles  of  the  seal  islands,  bound  to  the  feeding  grounds, 
will  in  most  cases  seek  the  grounds  to  the  leeward  of  the  group.  Seals 
in  a  gale  take  every  advantage  of  wind  and  'ea.  It  is  necessary  that 
they  should,  for  there  is  evidently  a  limit  to  cheir  endurance. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th  light  winds  prevaile«l,  but  a  choppy  sea, 
combined  with  a  long  rolling  swell  from  the  west  southwest,  rendered 
it  I  titit  for  sealing,  although  scattering  seals  had  been  noticed.  Two 
days  of  idleness  had  made  everybody  on  board  anxious  to  get  out  in 
the  boats.  In  the  afternoon  the  wind  fell  to  a  calm,  and  the  boats  were 
put  over  in  latitude  .IS^  '2T  north,  longitu<le  172'^  46'  west,  and  remained 
out  until  evening,  bringing  in  only  three  seals.  Very  few  were  seen 
from  tiie  boats,  although  they  covered  consideral)le  groun«l  during  the 
day.  Seals  were  equally  scarce  in  the  vicinity  of  the  vessel;  only  six 
were  observed .  One  of  these,  more  bold  than  the  rest,  kei)t  circling 
around  the  vessel,  coming  nearer  each  time.  Finding  that  it  was  inclined 
to  be  inquisitive,  it  was  encouraged  to  make  further  investigations  as 
to  what  we  were  by  continual  whistling  by  those  on  board.  It  was 
finally  enticed  alongside  and  captured,  the  spear  passing  through  one 
of  its  hind  flippers.  A  series  of  photographs  showing  all  the  different 
positions  the  seal  was  in  during  its  struggle  for  liberty  would  have  been 
valuable.  It  fought  bravely  for  life  while  in  the  water,  but  on  being 
hauled  on  board  its  power  was  greatly  lessened.  It  did  not,  however, 
give  up  without  a  desperate  struggle  to  regain  its  liberty.  At  one 
period  of  the  fight  it  drove  everybody  from  the  main  deck,  and  it  was 
only  when  a  noose  was  thrown  over  its  neck  and  its  head  hauled  down 
to  a  ring  bolt  that  terms  of  peace  could  be  made,  which  was  by  knock- 
ing in  on  the  head.  The  catch  of  seals  for  the  day  was  4 — 3  females  and 
1  male;  the  total  catch  lo  date  6J> — 13  males  and  56  females. 

The  next  day  (11th)  the  boats  made  an  early  start.  Everything 
looked  favorable  for  ,  good  day's  hunt,  the  wind  being  light  and  the 
sea  smooth,  two  thiug.^  which  are  almost  indispensable  in  seal  hunting. 


I'.'V( 


i 

1:1: 


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Mi- J  A 


:^:| 


1,1 
•I    p 


fT 


202 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


No  seals  had  been  noticed  during  the  morning,  but  it  does  not  neces- 
sarily follow  that  because  none  are  observed  from  the  vessel  they  are 
not  about,  for  fre<iuently  it  haitpeus  that  good  catches  are  made  when 
not  a  seal  has  been  seen  from  the  vessel.  This  was  not  one  of  those 
exceptional  days;  l.'J  was  the  catch — 3  males  and  U)  cows.  Seals  had 
been  comparatively  plentiful,  but  were  not  inclined  to  sle<^i>  and  were 
too  wild  to  approach.  A  piece  of  an  Alaskan  pollock  was  brought  in 
by  one  of  the  hunters,  it  having  been  taken  from  a  seaPs  mouth  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  two  others  i)reviously  described.  The  shape  of  an 
Alaskan  pollock  would  indicate  it  to  be  a  tish  that  could  easily  escape 
from  a  seal.  It  may  be,  however,  that  seals  do  not  select  a  single  tish, 
but  give  chase  to  a  body  of  them  :ifter  the  manner  of  whales,  sword- 
fish,  and  sharks,  and  out  of  many  suc<!ced  in  capturing  one  or  more. 
The  reason  for  seals  seen  on  this  day  being  so  wild  coiild  be  accounted 
for  only  in  one  way,  they  having  had  little  to  eat.  The  stomachs  of 
those  taken  fully  corroborated  this  theory.  A  series  ot  trials  were 
made  for  bottom  lish,  but  with  negative  results;  we  seemed  to  be 
drifting  over  barren  ground.  The  noon  position  on  this  day  was  o7° 
42'  38"  north  latitude;  ITli^  o2'  west  longitude. 

Our  i>leasant  weather  was  about  to  be  broken  lor  a  considerable 
length  of  time,  tor  on  the  12th  the  day  began  with  a  gale  from  the 
southeast,  accompanied  by  a  heavy  sea.  Lay  hove  to  under  single- 
reefed  foresail  and  trysail.  In  the  afternoon  spoke  with  the  schooner 
Teresa,  of  San  Francisco;  also  saw  tlie  schooner  Kate,  of  V^ictoria, 
British  Columbia,  a  short  distance  away.  Seals  freciuently  seen  all 
through  the  day.  In  the  early  i»art  of  the  night  the  wind  increased  to 
a  heavy  gale,  and  in  the  latter  part  the  wind  decreased  in  force  and 
hiuiU'd  to  the  wcst-scmthwest.  A  heavy  sea  kept  up  all  day.  In  the 
forenoon  a  vessel  was  sighted  low  on  the  hori/.on.  An  occasional  seal 
observe<l ;  phalarojjes  numerous. 

August  If:  Weather  pleasant,  but  wind  fresh  from  the  westward. 
In  the  evening  boarded  the  schooner  Faicii,  of  Victoria,  British  Colum- 
bia. She  reported  losing  a  boat  and  three  men  on  the  llth.  (They 
were  afterwards  jticked  up.)  The  Fairn  had  an  Indian  crew  and  had 
taken  1*0  skins  in  the  sea.  This  news  gave  our  hunters  considerable 
encouragement.  Position,  latitude  ~il°  37'  north;  lougitu«le  173^14' 
west. 

August  15:  Pleasant  weather  in  the  early  part  of  the  day,  but  very 
squally  in  the  latter  part;  sea  rough.  Latitude  57°  IP  north;  longi- 
tude 173°  Wr  west. 

August  16 :  Variable  weather ;  clear  in  the  morning,  thick  and  scjuaily 
in  the  afternoon;  sea  veryrougli.  But  few  seals  seen.  Xoon  position, 
latitude  57°  OP  north;  longitude  172°  30'  west. 

August  17:  At  7  a.  m.  made  sail  and  ran  to  the  southward;  wind 
northwest  and  fresh,  gradually  decreasing  tt>  a  light  breeze  in  alter- 
noon.  A  heavy  fog  canje  in  later  in  the  day.  Position,  latitude  5(5°  54' 
north;  longitude  172°  45'  west.  Continued  on  our  course  until  8  a.  m. 
the  next  day,  at  which  time  saw  a  seal  "  tinning  "  close  by.  A  boat  was 
quickly  manned  and  started  in  pursuit,  but  the  seal  was  on  the  alert 
and  soon  increased  the  distance  between  itself  and  enemy.  Shortly 
after  this  a  "sleeper"'  was  noticed  not  far  off  on  the  weather  bow. 
Another  boat  Vt'as  hoisted  out,  which  was  silently  rowed  toward  the 
coveted  prize,  ^o  attempt  was  made  by  the  hunter  to  thr  »wthe  spear 
until  the  boat  was  within  20  feet  of  it.  It  was  easily  captured.  When 
opened  its  stomach  was  found  to  be  well  tilled  with  food,  which  no 
doubt  was  the  cause  of  its  sleeping  so  soundly. 


12 


i^ 


SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


203 


Later  in  the  clsiy  all  the  boats  weut  out,  but  returned  at  the  end  of 
three  hours  with  only  one  seal.  The  sea  was  smooth  and  but  little 
wind  stirrinfj,  but  the  air  grew  suddenly  chilly  and  the  sky  vei\v  cloudy, 
which  practically  put  an  end  to  the  chances  of  seals  sleeping  for  the 
day.  On  this  particular  occasion  the  hunters  were  very  much  dis- 
gusted on  account  of  not  having  shotguns.  They  claimed  that  with 
guns  the  day's  catcli  at  the  least  calculation  would  have  been  between 
(50  and  70  seals,  instead  of  the  snmll  uumber  of  two.  On  a  day  like 
this,  when  seals  showed  no  inclination  to  sleep,  shotguns  in  the  hands 
of  skillful  hunters  would  have  done  very  destructive  work  to  the  seal 
herd,  for  experienced  hunters  kill  nearly  if  not  quite  as  many  traveling 
seals  during  the  course  of  a  season  as  sleeping  ones.  In  the  early  his- 
tory of  pelagic  sealing  hunters  sought  sleei)ing  seals  only,  but  they 
have  learned  the  n)(>vemeuts  of  the  seal  so  thoroughly  that  traveling 
and  finning  seals  are  almost  as  desirable  as  sleeping  ones. 

Hand-line  fishing  was  carried  on  from  the  vessel  in  00  fathoms  of 
water.  In  one  hour  10  co<l  were  caught,  their  average  weight  being 
about  0  pounds.  It  was  estimated  that  the  largest  would  weigh  30 
pounds,  the  smallest  4  pounds.  In  their  stomachs  were  found  small 
starfish,  i)rawns,  sijuid,  medusa',  and  a  quantity  of  decomposed  fish, 
all  of  wliiirh  was  saved. 

Unfortr.nately  this  was  our  last  day's  hunt.  From  this  time  on  we 
had  stormy  weather  and  heavy  gales.  Kighty- lour  seals  had  been  taken, 
10  males  anti  (tS  l'emale>;.  All  the  females  were  nursing  cows,  except 
one,  which  was  a  yearling.  The  hist  seal  caught  by  the  Olscii  w.i.s  taken 
in  latitude  ~A'P  0")'  north,  longitude  172'^  17'  west. 

Karly  in  the  morning  of  the  lOth  the  weather  was  pleasant,  with  indi- 
cations of  its  l>eing  a  suitable  day  for  sealing,  but  shortly  after  tlie  wind 
began  to  fresluMi  IVom  the  southeast,  gradually  increasing  in  force  and 
hauling  to  the  westward.  Lay  to  under  a  double-reefed  foresail;  heavy 
squalls  at  times.  \oon  jjosition,  latitude  ii'P  '.»{)'  north,  longitude  \1'2'^ 
lli'  west. 

August  L*0:  Heavy  gale  from  the  northwest;  very  high  sea  running. 
Itan  before  tiui  wiml  for  three  hours,  hoping  to  run  out  of  the  heaviest 
part  of  the  gale,  but  no  perceptible  ditt'erenci!  was  felt.  Lay  hove  ta 
until  10  p.  111.,  at  which  time  again  kejit  off  before  the  wind  and  rau 
until  10  a.  m.  the  next  day.  Alxmt  this  time  saw  several  seals,  and 
soon  aftev  ran  close  to  a  bunch  of  seals,  live  in  number,  all  huddled 
together.  It  was  evident  that  they  were  well  tired  out,  or  else  they 
would  not  have  been  asleep  in  such  weather.  Position,  latitude  54"^ 
38'  north,  longitude  l(>8o  01'  west.  In  the  afternoon  sighted  several 
vessels. 

On  the  2-Jd  bore  away  for  Unimak  Pass;  wind  north-northwest  and 
blowing  a  gale,  foUow<'d  by  a  heavy  sea.  On  the  morning  of  the  2;?d 
sighted  the  h)wei  jiart  of  Akutan  Island,  the  top  of  it  being  enveloped 
in  a  heavy  fog.  All  through  the  day  seals  were  plentiful,  many  of  which 
were  asleep.  During  the  past  few  days  enough  seals  had  been  seen  to 
cauije  a  vessel  to  lay  by  and  wait  until  the  weather  should  nu>derate. 
The  captain  thought  that  ba<l  weather  had  set  in  for  the  fall,  and 
accordingly  had  made  up  his  mind  to  go  home.  A  mistake  was  mad© 
in  this  decision,  for  after  we  had  left  the  sea  and  were  on  our  way  home 
good  catches  were  being  made  by  all  the  vessels  that  remained. 

At  0  o'clock  in  the  evening  we  had  left  Unimak  Pass  behind  us,  and 
were  standing  on  an  east  by  south  course.  The  next  day,  when  about 
75  nules  from  the  pass,  saw  a  sleeping  seal,  and  10  miles  farther  on  saw 
two  more.    When  about  200  miles  offshore  salmon  were  noticed  Jjump- 


m 

III 


|!|,^| 


'If? 


204 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


ing.  They  were  so  near  that  we  could  hardly  mistake  the  species. 
Whales  were  also  plentiful. 

For  the  first  two  or  three  days  after  leaving  the  sea  the  weather  was 
pleasant,  but  during  the  greater  part  of  the  voyage  home  heavy  gales 
from  the  westward  prevailed,  which  made  the  captain  all  the  more  con- 
fident that  no  mistake  had  been  made  by  leaving  so  early. 

On  the  evp.ning  of  the  fJth  of  September  we  arrived  at  Victoria,  hav- 
ing been  twelve  days  on  the  voyage  home. 

The  writer  was  very  kindly  treated  by  the  captain,  orticers,  and  crew 
of  the  OImu,  every  effort  being  made  by  them  to  lend  assistance  and 
eoUect  such  material  as  was  desired.  Had  the  Olnen  been  among  seals 
under  favorable  circumstances,  as  many  vessels  were,  the  writer  could, 
■with  the  assistance  of  the  kindly  disposed  crew,  have  gathered  consid- 
erable material;  but  we  were  one  of  the  unfortunate  ones.  It  was 
subsequently  learned  that  during  the  time  we  were  having  exceedingly 
stormy  weather — often  hove  to  in  a  gale — many  vessels  of  the  fleet  that 
were  several  degrees  farther  south  were  having  pleasant  weather  and 
getting  good  catches  every  day. 

Seals  taken  in  the  Bering  Sea  by  the  schooner  Louis  Olsen,  1894. 


Position. 

t 
Number. 

Male. 

Date. 

North  lati- 
tude. 

Wt!8t  longi- 
tude. 

o         /         // 

173    48    00 
173     56    00 
173    56    00 
172    46    00 
172    52     00 
172    17    00 

Female. 

Aug.  4 

6 

7 

10 

11 

18 

0          '           /' 

57  50    00 

58  30    00 
68    30    00 
58    27    00 
57    42    38 
56    05    00 

12  ! 
19  i 
34  j 

4 

13  i 

2  1. 

8 
15 
30 

3 
10 

2 

Total 

84  j 

1 

16 

08 

[Statistics  compiled  by  H.  H.  Mclntyre,  1889.] 

Seal  skins  landed  at   Victoria  from  Bering  Sea,  as  sho'    i  by  the  Victoria  custom-house 

records. 


Schooner. 

1881. 
193 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

980 
1,700 
1,409 

1885. 



1  726 

1886. 

1887.) 

1888. 

1889. 

UsAU  Diecro  f  Aiuericnn) 

327 

908 

1    ID? 

A  lex.  ana  Otter  ( American) 

Mary  Ellen  (British) 

1,773 
1, 244 
1.953 
1,100 
1,385 

3,  559     2, 130 
1,420     l.:u» 

700 

Vandorbilt  (American) 

1,600 

1,187 

Favorite  (iiritish) 

3,  492 

182 

2,000 

1,70C 

(I) 

2,200 
1,465 
328 
1,700 
1,000 
1,  338 

1,8«7 
60? 
900 
440? 
536 

S'zed. 

"I'm 



1,700 

Annie  (American) 

6S0 

Sylvia  Handy  (American) 

614 

Helen  Blum  (American) 

Dolphin  (liritish,  now  American,  J. O. 

Alfred  Adams  (nrltish,uow  the  Lily). 
Black  Diamond  ( British) 

990 
2,377 

786 

800 

65 

I'athflnder  (British) ' 

60 

iiierra(Iiriti8h)  • 

Active  (iJrltisI)     ' 

' 

Annie  Beck  (British) 

1.142 

1,600 

1,700 

194 

630 

S'zed. 
Szed. 
S'zed. 
1.292 

624 
1,000 
1,625 

500 
2,607 
S'zed, 

W.  P.  Say  ward  (British) 



1,600 

Grace  (British,  now  tile  J.  H.  Lewis)  .. 

Penelope  ( British) 

1,054 
780 

1,860 

Mountain  Chief  ( liritish) 





Mary  Taylor  (British) 

Kate  (British) 

"2,'470' 

All 

Triumph  ( liritish) ' 

60 

Lottie  Fa irtield  (British) 

Ada(Briti8h) 





SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS.  205 

Seal  skina  landed  at  Victoria  from,  Bering  Sea,  etc. — Coutinuecl. 


Schooner. 


1881.  <  1882.  1H83.  1884.   1885.   1880.  1887. .'  1888.   1889. 


-r 


■  Juuiiitn  (BritiKh) ' ' 1.0;il) 

Aniiii'  C.Moote  (British) 715 

Viva  (British) :,  06U 

Maggie  Mc  (British) j 1,-I24 

'   "■    ■       450 

520 
500 
40U 
380 


Adele  (German) 1,350/ 

Webster  (American) 

Ol8eu( American)... 

AVttlter  A.  Rich  (AniLrican) | ; 

Allie  J.  Alger  (American) i 400/ 

Newton  (American)  (Vi'iitiire) ' 

J.G.Swan  (American) 

Henry  Dennis  (American) 

Sapphire  (Brltisli) ! 

LiUy  (Brltisli) j 

/Ariel  (British) i , 

Minnie  (British) : 

Beatrice  (British) ! ; 

San  Jose  (American) ' ' 

Lilly  L  (American) ' ' , 

Mollie  Adams  (American) 

Bessie  Renter  (American) [ 

Challenge  (American) I | 


i,;io» 

2,18(^ 
1,290- 
1,600 


284 

23» 

60 

700 

1,«2» 

74 

1,316. 

521 

700 

700 

800 

1,537 

550 

96 


Total 193       327  [    908  '  4,089     9, 181   27, 240   22, 331    15, 007  |  23, 06ft 

Skins  seized  by  tlie   United  States,                                                             I                          i  i 

approximate '  a,  000   12,000a 2,500 


Graudtotal 193       327       908  j  4,089  ;  9, 181   29,240  134,331  15,097  ,  25,586 


a  Actnal  number  of  sk^ns  seized  11,618  or  11,902.    See  page  337  United  States  counter  case.— J.  S.  B. 

Note.— The  interrogation  point  ( /)  following  tlgures  in  1887  column  indicates  doubt  as  to  the  correct- 
ness of  the  report. 

Number  of  Victona  and  Northwest  Coast  fur-seal  skins  sent  to  market  from  ISSl  to  1889, 

inclusive. 


Year. 


Bering       North 

Sea      i    Pacific      Total, 
skins.    I    skins.    { 


1881 1  193  16,380 

1882 1  327  I  22,880 

1883 1  908  1  8,180 

1884 i  4,089  I  16,053 

1885 ;  9,181  11,184 

1886 i  29,240  4,7;t5 

1887 j  34,331  8,908 

1888 1  1 5,  097  24,  80 1 

1889 j  25,560  20,580 

I 


in,  .'■)73 

23,  207 
9,094 
20, 142 
20.365 
33,  975 
43,  239 
39,  898 
46, 146 


\i'L'  * 


I- 


H\ 


The  above  totals  are  believed  to  be  very  nearly  correct,  having  been 
compiled  from  the  London  catalofjues  of  sales,  but  the  numbers  caught, 
respectively,  in  Bering  Sea  and  the  North  Pacific  are  not  definitely 
known.  The  catch  of  the  North  Pacific  has  been  ascertained  by  deduct- 
ing the  number  reported  from  the  Victoria  custom-house  records  as 
having  been  taken  in  Bering  Sea  from  the  total  number  sold  in  London. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  nearly  in  proportion  as  the  Bering  Sea  catch 
increased,  that  of  the  Northern  Pacific  decreased;  and,  that  while  the 
total  catch  of  1888,  following  the  seizures  and  repression  of  1887,  was 
not  very  materially  less,  the  proportion  taken  from  Bering  Sea  was  much 
smaller  than  in  the  preceding  and  following  year. 

The  inference  may  be  clearly  drawn  that  to  the  e.\1;ent  to  which  illicit 
sealing  is  suppressed  in  Bering  Sea,  it  will  be  more  active  in  the  North 
Pacific,  and  that  the  simple  closure  of  the  former  body  of  water  against 
marauders  will  do  little  toward  the  effective  protection  of  seal  life. 


■  w 

;r 

tj'  if ' '"' 

ft  ■'$  } 


I 


I 


:>t»NI 


206 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOP   ISLANDS, 


Value  of  Fictoria,  Hritish  Columbia,  sealing  fcsse/s,  estimated  by  A.  li.  Milne,  esq., 
surveyor  of  the  port  of  rictoria,  and  T.  T.  Williams,  of  San  Fiuncisco,  August,  1889. 


Schoouer. 


Owner'it  name. 


Carne,  Muusie  &  Co. 

....do 

...do 

D.  McLonn 

K.C.J{iikeri:Co.... 

C  Snring 

do 

Not  known 

H.  Jucobson 


Mary  Taylor 

Pathfinder 

Viva 

Mary  Kllen 

Triumph  Xo.  1 

Favorite 

Kate 

Aurora 

Minnie 

.Sapphire '  Marvin  &C'o 

Winifred MrDolan 

Blk  Dinmond A.  Frank 

Lily do 

Feuelopu Gray  &  Moses 

Maggie  Mac U'jdd  A-  Co 

"W.  P.  Sayward Lnndberg  k  Co. . , 

Jnniata.' Hall  &  (icopel 

Annie  C.Moore '  Moore  &  llackett 

Tliere.sa ;  Bnbbington  Jt  Co 

Ariel Biickman 

Mountain  Chief Indians 

AVanderer I'axton  &  Co 

Triumph  No.  2 Mtiir  Bros 

Letetia Indiana 


Total 


Milne's      Williams's  'n_„„„„,. 
valuation,     valuation,  i  ^"nnage. 


$8, 

10. 

12, 
8. 

14, 
8, 
7, 
8, 
8, 

15, 
2, 
9. 
8. 

10, 

10, 
8. 
6, 

l.'i. 

10, 
». 

a, 
;t. 
a. 


000 
000  I 
000  i 
000  1 
000  I 
000  i 
000  I 
000 
.'iOO  1 
000 
500 
5U0 
500 
000 
000 
000 

ouo 

000 
000 
000 
000 

ouo 

000 
000 


$4,500  i 

10,000  { 

12,000  : 

0,000  ' 

11,000 

6,000  ' 

7,00» 

8,000 

8,500 

15,  (too 

2,500 

5,  000 

5,  000 

10, 000 

7,000 

8.000 

:t,  000 

1.5, 000 
10, 000 
9,  000 
1.000 
1.000 
1,750 
TOO 


Crew. 
White.  Indian. 


43 

66 

92 

63 

98 

80 

58 

41 

46 
124  ; 

13  < 

82 

69  ! 

7(t 

71  i 

60 

40 
113  i 

63  I 

90  ' 

23  I 

16'! 

15  1 

'2S 


a  200,  500        6173,350 


1,464 


5 

22  : 
22  ' 
22  I 

30  I 
7 
5 

4  I 
4 
6  ' 

5  1 
5  I 
5 

20 
21 

5 

5 
22 
20 
21 


261 


22 


30 
30 
24 
30 
40 
10 
36 
36 


28 
28 


20 
20 
15 
20 


389 


* 


a  A(;tiial  result,  $198,000. 


;.' Actual  result,  $171,350. 


1' 


Slight  errors  appear  to  have  been  made  in  footing  the  above,  but  the 
totals  are  a.s  reported  respectively  by  Milne  and  Williams. 

The  above  estimates  include  cost  of  outfit  for  a  season's  cruise,  com- 
prising boats,  guns,  spears,  ammunition,  provisions,  etc. 

The  schooner  Araunah,  formerly  belonging  to  the  Victoria  sealing 
fleet,  was  seized  by  the  Russian  Government  July  1,  1888. 

Mr.  Milne  estimates  the  cost  of  a  sealing  venture  as  follows: 


Wages  of  crews  and  huuters  per  vessel $7,000 

lusurance,  7  per  cent  of  $8,000 560 

Provisions,  salt,  ammunition,  etc 3,000 

Total  per  vessel,  average 10,560 


"I 


He  also  estimates  the  annual  average  catch  at  2,000  skins  per  ves- 
sel, but  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  average  has  been  for  Victoria  vessels 
during  the  last  four  years  only  about  1,288  skins  per  vessel  annually. 

Mr.  Williams  estimates  the  expense  of  a  sealing  trip  as  follows: 

For  five  boats $600 

FiveMarlin  rifles,  at  $35 175 

Five  shotguns,  at  $35 175 

Two  extra  guns 70 

Salt  for  skins 200 

Five  thousand  rounds  of  ammunition 125 

Insurance,  one-third  of  a  year 175 

Captain's  wages  four  months 400 

Ten  men  at  $35,  and  5  at  $20  per  month 1,800 

Paid  huuters,  1,600  skins  at  $2  per  skin 3,200 

Provisions,  20  men  4  months  at  $8  per  month 640 

Total  per  vessel,  average 7,460 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


207 


22 


30 
30 
24 
30 
40 
10 
36 
36 


28 
28 


20 
20 
15 
20 

389 


-' 


t 


The  annual  average  price  paid  for  seal  skins  in  Victoria  froi.i  1881  to 
1889,  inclusive,  is  as  follows: 


1884. 

1885. 
188ti. 


IVr  akin. 
. .  $7.75 
. .  7.  .50 
. .     7. 65 


1887. 
1888, 
1889. 


Per  skin. 
..  $5.50 
..  5.62 
. .     6. 50 


I'er  Hkin. 

1881 $9.25 

1882 8.00 

1883 10.00 

General  average,  $7.53  per  skin. 

it  will  be  observed  that  the  price  of  Victoria  and  Northwest  coast 
skins  has  decreased.  This  has  resulted  from  the  fact  that  it  was  found 
by  the  London  dressers  that  the  skins  of  .seals  taken  indiscriminately, 
ch'.efly  from  females,  in  the  water,  did  not  compare  favorably  with  tltose 
taken  from  carefully  selected  young  males  on  the  islands. 

On  the  basis  of  the  foregoing  figures,  the  value  of  the  fur  seal  trade, 
as  conducted  by  the  Canadians,  i.s  surprisingly  small.  Their  annual 
catch  at  present  prices  is  worth  about  ^V2'>,{){){t,  and  the  highest  esti- 
mated value  of  the  tonnage  engaged  is  only  $ii(K),00(> — amounts  incom- 
parably small  in  proportion  to  the  loss  that  would  be  sustained  by  the 
United  States  and  England  in  case  the  seal  fisheries  were  broken  up, 
as  will  inevitably  result  if  the  Can.adian  manner  of  killing  is  continued. 

The  following  is  extracted  from  the  report  of  United  States  Consul 
Stevens,  of  Victoria,  British  Columbia,  to  the  Department  of  State,  in 
June,  1889: 

Since  the  beginning  of  tlie  present  decade  the  hunting;  of  the  fur  seal  lias  been 
vigorously  pursued  from  this  port.  There  are  some  21  ve.ssels,  varying  from  26  to 
126  tons  register  (an  aggregate  tunna<i;e  of  1,737  tons),  employing  158  men,  and 
valued  at  about  $126,000,  engaged  in  hunting  the  fur  .s<;al.  These  vessels,  some  of 
them  having  small  steam  power,  leave  here  about  the  1st  of  .January  and  proceed 
southward,  returning  in  May  and  landing  the  skins,  taking  some  of  them  as  far  south 
as  San  Diego,  Cal.,  and  along  the  coast  up.  They  again  leave  for  the  north,  going  as 
far  as  the  Bering  Sea,  returning  in  September.  The  total  catch  for  1888  amounted  to 
26,720  skins,  much  smaller  than  for  recent  jirevious  years.  Of  these,  14,987  were 
reported  as  "the  Bering  Sea  collection,"  the  distinctive  name  given  to  those  taken 
far  north,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and  claimed  to  be  finer  fura 
than  any  other. 

These  skins  are  sold  here  in  bundles,  salted  to  preserve  them,  and  they  may  be 
kept  many  months  in  that  condition  without  injury.  Ordinarily  sales  are  made  at 
BO  much  per  skin  for  the  lot;  sometimes,  however,  they  are  sold  in  assovtments  of 
males,  females,  and  pups,  the  average  price  for  the  latter  being  $6  per  skin.  They 
are  shipped  from  here  to  London,  where  they  are  dressed  and  dyed,  paying  a  duty 
when  they  reach  the  United  States,  as  they  mostly  do,  of  3C  ^ler  cent  on  their  then 
value  of  about  $22.50  per  skin. 

During  these  years  (1886-87)  some  eight  of  these  vessels  were  seized  in  the  north- 
ern waters  by  the  United  States  revenue  cutters  for  violation  of  the  law  of  July, 
1870,  "to  prevent  extermination  of  fur-bearing  animals."  No  seizures  were  made 
in  1888. 


*-    .  "I 


in 


i  i 


$600 

175 

175 

70 

200 

125 

175 

400 

1,800 

3,200 

640 


7,460 


Hi   I  :j|  >  1  S  I!    : 


II 


208  SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 

Victoria  and  Northteeat  coast  fur-seal  skins  sold  and  dressed  in  London. 
[Compiled  by  Mr.  Alfred  FruHer,  of  the  house  uf  Messrs.  C.  M.  Lainpson  &  Co.] 


Year. 


1868. 
1869. 
187U. 
1871. 
1872. 

187;!. 

1874 

1875. 

1876. 

1877. 

1878. 

1879. 

1880. 

1881. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

1885. 

1886. 

1887. 

1888. 

1889. 


Dry  skins 
sold. 


2,141 
1,671 

684 
12,  4U5 
14,584 

8U1 
2,772 
1,  :i51 

09» 
1,173 

912 

918 


686 

321 

;9U 

785 

1,52U 

970 

2,843 

I.  252 


Totul  . 


a  Retained  in  United  States  (eHtimnte). 

J»  t- 3,0U0      23,365.  c  +  3,000  — 36,975. 

NOTB.— Indians  dried  the  skins. 


41),  361 


Salted      DreHsed  for 
skins  sold,      owners. 


1,020 


4,949 
1,646 
2,042 


264  < 
12,212 
8, 939  i 
9,9»7 
11,727 
2,  319 
e,  242  I 
2,07H 
17,909 
36,907 
36,816 


40 

122 

578 

1,062 

772 

2,434  I 

2,397 

4,562 

5, 890 

11, 159 

6,385 

10, 115 

16,667 

15,  087 

3.589 

1,930 


Total. 


2,141 

1,671 

684 

12, 495 

16, 312 

931 

7,843 

3,575 

4,097 

1,945 

3,610 

15, 527 

13, 501 

16, 573 

23,207 

9,094 

a  20, 142 

b  20, 365 

c  33,  975 

(243,239 

e  39, 998 

46, 146 


158, 070 


83,488  !      337,071 


(i-h  3.000  =  46,239. 


e  +  3,000  =42,000. 


During  the  past  four  years,  say  from  1885  to  1888,  about  3,000  Bering 
Sea  and  Victoria  skins  have  been  annually  dressed  and  dyed  in  the 
United  States,  and  must  be  added  to  the  above. 

The  large  number  of  dry  skins  sold  in  1871-72  doubtless  consisted  in 
part  of  the  stock  of  the  iiussian-American  Company  taken  before  the 
cession  of  the  Territory,  and  held  in  their  warehouse  at  Sitka. 

Adding  to  the  above  yrand  total 337,071 

Skins  dressed  in  the  United  .Statea,  as  above  stated 12,000 

349, 071 
And  deducting  those  from  the  Riissiau-Ainerican  Company's  stock  of  1867..     24, 000 

Makes  total  killing  in  the  waters  of  the  North  I'acilic  and  Bering  Sea,  from 

1868  to  1889 325,071 

That  this  number  should  be  considerably  more  than  doubled  to  rep- 
resent the  total  illegitimate  destruction  of  seal  life  has  been  so  frequently 
repeated  and  so  thoroughly  proved  as  to  need  no  further  proof  or 
demonstration. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  of  the  above  325,071  skins,  203,865  have 
been  taken  witLiii  the  last  six  years  in  constantly  increasing  numbers, 
except  during  tlie  year  1888  following  the  seizures  and  repression  of 
1887. 


' 


Sealini/  vessels  (schooners)  fitted  out  in  1889  under  the  American  flag. 


Sylvia  Handy. 
Allie  J.  Alger. 
J.  G.  Swan. 
Venture. 
Henry  Dennis. 


San  Jose. 
Lily  L. 
Mollie  Adams. 
JSesHie  Keuter. 
Challenge. 


Lottie. 

Mary  I'eleo. 

().  S.  Fowler. 

City  of  Son  Diego. 

Adonia. 


Caroline. 

Adcle  ((Jerman). 

Marie«le]asCruze8(f) 

Alexander. 

Webster. 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


209 


Decrease  in  size  of  I'libiiof  Inland  seal  skinn,  1S85-1S89. 
[C'rmipiltMl  by  Mr.  AU'rcd  Kin'»'  :,  oi  Messrs.  (!.  M.  Liinipsoii  &  Co.,  of  I.oniloii.l 


AviTllfJO 


1885. 


1886. 


Lhs.  oz. 

LargH  midiUiiig!* ID      I) 

Midrtlings 15      0 

MidillinjiH  and  snialls 12 

Smalls '■) 

Lar«e  pups H 

Middling  pn])8 7 

Small  pups i> 

Extra  siiiiill  pups 5 

Extra  extra  small  pups 4 


i:i 
4 
I) 
(I 
4 
U 


t4U 

t,HU 

5,  :ioo 

20.««4 
34,  27(1 
•-'i  207 
10,6«4 
1,2U1 


1.  i7;i 

4,  «7.'. 

i;i.  ;iiK 
2«,  r>-x 
:i(i,  910 

17,04.") 

:i,  H.'>7 


1887. 


29 

fiOli 
2.  2.")4 
«,  !i:)0 

23,  1T8 

35,  r„ti 

24,  814 
4,  42(i 


1888. 


177 

2,318 

!),  2i)8 

18,  3(T5 

36, 66!) 

29,  239 

3,  962 


Total 


90,376         99,889         99,938         99,97U 


1889. 


220 

2,133 

7,  020 

11,040 

26, 478 

33, 859 

18,  728 

521 


09,997 


I 


The  lessees  of  the  ^seal  islands  have  been  niiable  during  the  last  three 
years  to  secure  the  most  desii-able  si/os  of  skins,  owing  to  diminished 
number  of  seals,  the  result  of  illicit  killing  by  marauders. 

The  decrease  in  the  size  of  skins  taken  by  lessees  is  in  proportion  to 
the  increase  of  numbers  caught  by  tlie  marauders. 


LOSS  Ol-   FEMALE   SKALS. 

British  and  Amerimn  ioitimony. 

[Kstrnct  Ironi  Iftter  ol'  Sir  Gc'orj;e  Budoii-l'owill,  iiiiblisliiMl  in  tlio  London  Tiuics  Xovenilirr  30, 1889. | 

As  a  matter  of  fact  the  Canadian  sealers  take  very  few,  if  imy,  seals 
close  to  the  islands.  Their  main  catch  is  made  far  out  at  sea,  and  is 
almost  entirely  composed  of  females.  (Case  of  the  Ignited  States, 
p.  200,  and  Senate  Ex.  Doc.  !N^o.  o5,  Fifty-second  Congress,  lirst  session, 
p.  96.) 

[Extract  from  lettirof  Kcar-Admir.il  Hotbani,  of  the  Itriti.sli  navy,  to  Admiralty.] 

Warspite,  at  Esquimult,  September  10,  ]8!)0. 

I  have  to  request  you  will  bring  to  the  notice  of  the  Lords  Commis- 
sioners of  Admiralty  this  letter  with  reference  to  my  telegram  of  the 
8th  instant. 

I  personally  saw'  the  masters  of  the  sealing  schooners  named  below, 
and  obtained  from  them  the  information  here  reported:  Capt.  C.  Cox, 
schooner  tSupphire;  Captain  Petit,  schooner  Mary  Taylor;  Captain 
Hackett,  schooner  Annie  Seymour;  Capt.  W.  Cox,  schooner  Triumph. 


'.(' 


m 

•a 

"7t 


'  "ill 


They  also  mentioned  that  two-thirds  of  their  catch  consisted  of  female 
seals,  but  that  after  the  1st  of  July  very  few  indeed  were  captured  "in 
pup,"  and  that  when  sealing  outside  the  Bering  Sea,  round  the  coast, 
on  the  way  up  (where  this  year  the  heaviest  catches  were  made),  they 
acknowledged  that  the  seals  "in  i)up"  were  fre<iuently  captured. 
(Extract  from  Vol.  Ill,  Appendix  to  Case  of  Great  Britain,  cited  in 
United  States,  No.  1, 1891,  p.  17.) 

There  were  killed  this  year  so  far  from  40,000  to  .'50,000  fur  seals, 
which  have  been  taken  by  schooners  from  San  Francisco  and  Victoria. 
The  greater  number  were  killed  in  Bering  Sea,  iind  were  nearly  all  cows 
or  female  seals.    This  enormous  catch,  with  the  increase  which  will 

S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 14 


■iq--' 


p* 


r '  > 


210 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


:iil 


.■i 


take  place  when  tlie  vessels  Httiiig  up  every  year  are  ready,  will,  I  aai 
afraid,  .soon  deplete  our  fur-seal  tisbery,  :!nd  it  is  a  };reat  pity  such  a 
valuable  industry  could  not  in  some  way  be  protected.  (Extract  from 
reports  of  the  (lepartnient  of  tislieries  of  Canada,  188(»,  by  Thomas 
Mowat,  inspector  of  fisheries  for  Hritisii  Columbia,  i).  2U8.  Cited  iu 
British  Case,  Appeiulix,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  ll'.i;  United  States  No.  1H90.) 

The  majority  of  our  hunters  contend  that  there  are  over  7  per  cent 
of  pups  in  the  entire  catch  of  fur  seals  on  the  coast,  while  in  Bering 
Sea  the  catch  does  not  exceed  1  per  cent.  But  they  can  not  deny  the 
fact  that  00  per  cent  of  the  entire  catch  of  Bering  Sea  is  made  up  of 
female  seals.  (I<iXtract  from  reports  of  the  department  of  fisheries, 
Canada,  1888,  p.  L'4l,  by  Thomas  Mowat,  inspector  of  fisheries  for  Brit- 
ish Columbia.    Cited  in  United  States  Case,  p.  201.) 

Niel  ilonde,  of  Victoria,  sealer.  (Case  of  United  States,  Appendix, 
Vol.  II,  p.  31.").) 

Bonde  has  been  out  four  years  on  sealing  schooners  from  Victoria, 
namely,  from  1887  to  1890,  inclusive.     He  says: 

The  seals  caught  ulon^  the  coast  sifter  the  1st  of  April  were  mostly  prei^nant  females, 
au<l  those  caught  in  li(-riii<{  Sea  were  females  that  had  given  hirtli  to  their  yonug. 
I  often  noticed  the  milk  liowiug  ont  of  tlieir  breasts  when  heing  skinned  and  have 
seen  live  pups  cut  out  of  their  mothers  and  live  around  on  the  decks  for  a  week. 

Cross-examination  by  the  British  Government  (see  British  Counter 
Case,  Vol.  11,  p.  04) : 

That  on  each  of  said  vessels  [niimely,  th(!  four  he  had  served  onj  1  have  had  more 
or  less  to  do  with  skinning  the  seals,  and  would  say  that  about  (50  ]»er  cent  on  the 
coast  were  females  and  about  50  per  cent  iu  Hering  Sea.  I  distiuguishetl  the  male 
akin  from  the  female  by  the  abseueo  of  teats. 

Christ  Clausen,  of  Vict(uia,  master  mariner  (Case  of  United  States, 
Appendix,  Vol.  11,  p.  319) : 

Acted  as  mate  in  188it.     Was  navigator  on  schooner  Minnie  in  1890. 

My  catch  that  year  was  2,{)00,  of  which  about  2,000  were  caught  in  Bering  Sea. 

Acted  as  navigator  on  same  vessel  in  1801. 

The  seals  we  catch  along  the  coast  are  nearly  all  pregnant  females.  It  is  seldom 
we  capture  an  old  bull,  and  what  males  we  get  are  usually  young  ones.  I  have  fre- 
quently seen  cow  seals  cut  open  and  the  unborn  pups  cut  out  of  them,  and  they 
would  live  for  several  days.  This  is  a  frequent  occurrence.  It  is  my  experience  that 
fully  85  per  cent  of  the  seals  1  took  in  Bering  Sea  were  females  that  had  given  birth 
to  their  pups,  and  their  teats  would  be  full  of  milk.  I  have  caught  seals  of  this 
kind  from  100  to  150  miles  away  from  the  Pribilof  Islands. 

E,  M.  Greenleaf,  of  Victoria,  master  mariner  (Case  of  the  United 
States,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  324) : 

Since  then  (1882)  I  have  been  interested  in  the  sealing  business,  and  am  well 
acquainted  with  it  and  the  men  engaged  in  it  and  the  methods  employed.  I  am 
acquainted  with  the  hunters  and  masters  who  sail  from  this  port,  and  board  all 
incoming  and  outgoing  vessels  of  that  class.  These  men  all  acknowledge  that  nearly 
all  the  seals  taken  off  the  Paciiic  Coast  are  females,  and  that  they  are  nearly  all  with 
young. 

#  *  #  «  '   #  #  # 

I  have  also  learned  by  cr>.iTeTsation  with  Bering  Sea  hunters  that  they  kill  seal 
cows  20  to  200  miles  from  t  ae  breeding  grounds  and  that  these  cows  had  recently 
given  birth  to  young.  I  have  observed  in  the  skins  that  the  size  of  the  teats  show 
either  an  advanced  state  ol  pregnancy  or  of  recent  delivery  of  young. 

Arthur  Griffin, of  Victoria,  sealer  (Case of  United  States, Appendix, 
Vol.  II,  p.  325): 
He  went  sealing  in  1890. 

Began  sealing  off  the  northern  coast  of  California,  following  the  sealing  herd 
northward,  capturing  about  700  seals  in  the  North  Paciflo  Ocean,  two-thirds  of  which 
were  females  with  pups;  tiie  balance  were  young  seals,  both  male  and  female.  We 
entered  Bering  Sea  Jnly  13  through  Unimak  Pass  and  captured  between  900  and 
1,000  seals  therein,  most  of  which  were  females  in  milk. 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


211 


k 


Of  the  following  year,  lie  says : 

Wo  captured  between  !tOO  and  1,000  on  tlie  coast,  most  all  of  which  were  feiiialoB 
with  pii])B.  We  entered  the  sea  July  12  through  Uniinak  I'ass  and  captured  about^OO 
«ea)3  ill  those  wnters,  about  90  per  centut'  whicii  were  I'euiiilus  in  milk  from  20  to  100 
utiles  from  the  rookeries. 

James  Harrison,  of  Victoria,  sealer  (Case  of  the  United  States, 
Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  32G) : 

We  conunenced  sealing  ri^ht  oft'  the  coast;  went  as  far  south  as  the  California 
Coast,  and  then  hunted  north  to  the  west  coast  of  Vancouver  Islands.  Caught  500 
skins  during  the  season ;  almost  all  of  them  were  pregnant  females.  Out  of  100  seals 
taken  about  90  pel  cent  would  be  females  with  young  ])U)is  in  them.  I  can't  tell  a  male 
from  a  female  while  in  the  water  at  a  distanve.  On  an  average,  I  think  the  hunters 
will  save  about  one  out  of  thre<!  that  they  kill,  but  they  wound  many  more  that 
escape  and  die  afterwards.  Wo  entered  Bering  Sea  about  the  Ist  of  .lune,  and 
caught  about  200  seals  in  those  waters.  They  were  mostly  mothers  that  hatl  given 
birth  to  their  young  and  were  around  the  tishing  banks  feeding.  The  hunters  used 
shotguns  and  ritles.  in  Bering  ^Sea  we  killed  both  males  and  females,  but  I  douot 
know  the  proporticm  of  one  to  the  other. 

James  IJayward,  of  Victoria,  sealer  (Case  of  the  United  States, 
Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  327): 

He  went  <mt  sealing:  in  1887,  1888,  1890,  and  1891.  His  vessels 
appear  to  have  made  large  catches.     lie  makes  the  following  statement: 

Most  of  the  seals  killed  on  the  coast  are  pregnant  females,  while  those  we  killed  in 
Bering  8ea  after  the  Ist  of  .Inly  were  females  that  had  given  birth  to  their  young  on 
the  seal  islands  and  come  out  into  the  sea  to  feed.  Have  (taught  them  1.50  miles  oft' 
from  the  shore  of  the  seal  islands,  and  have  skinned  them  when  their  breasts  were 
full  of  milk.     Seals  travel  and  go  a  long  way  to  feed. 

Alfred  Dardean,  of  Victoria,  sealer  (Case  of  United  States,  Appen- 
dix, Vol.  II,  p.  322): 
He  went  sealing  in  1890. 

We  caught  over  900  skins  before  entering  the  sea  and  our  whole  catch  that  year 
was  2,159  skins.  Of  the  seals  that  were  caught  off"  the  coast  fully  90  per  cent  out  of 
every  hundred  had  young  pups  in  them.  The  boats  would  bring  the  seals  killed  on 
board  the  vessel  and  we  would  take  the  young  pups  out  and  skin  them.  If  the  pup 
is  a  good,  nice  one  we  woultl  skin  it  and  keep  it  for  ourselves.  I  had  8  such  skins 
myself.  Four  out  of  five,  if  caught  in  May  or  June,  would  be  alive  when  we  cut 
them  out  of  the  mothers.  One  of  them  we  kept  for  pretty  near  three  weeks  alive 
on  deck  by  feeding  it  on  condensed  milk.  One  of  the  men  linallj'  killed  it  because 
it  cried  so  pitifully.  We  only  got  3  seals  with  pups  in  them  in  Bering  Sea.  Most 
all  of  them  were  females  and  had  given  birth  to  their  young  on  the  islands,  and  the 
milk  would  run  out  of  the  teats  on  the  deck  when  we  would  skin  them.  W^e  canght 
female  seals  in  milk  more  than  100  miles  oft'  the  Pribilof  Islands. 

Morris  Moss,  farrier,  and  vice-president  Sealers'  Association  of  Vic- 
toria (Case  of  United  States,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  341): 
He  has  bought  from  10,000  to  20,000  seal  skins  per  annum. 

I  believe  the  majority  of  seals  captured  by  white  huaters  in  Bering  Sea  are  females 
iu  search  of  food. 

J.  Johnson,  of  Victoria,  sealer  and  sailing  master  (Case  of  the  United 
States,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  331): 

Has  spent  six  years  of  his  life  sealing,  and  been  captain  of  four  dif- 
ferent schooners. 

A  large  majority  of  the  seals  taken  on  the  coast  are  cows  with  pup.  A  few  young 
males  are  taken,  the  ages  ranging  from  1  to  5  years.  Once  in  a  Avhile  an  old  liull  is 
taken  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean.  I  use  no  discrimination  in  killing  seals,  but  kill 
everything  that  comes  near  the  boat  in  the  shape  of  a  seal.  The  majority  of  the 
seals  killed  in  Bering  Sea  are  females.  I  have  killed  female  seals  75  miles  from  the 
islands  that  were  full  of  milk. 


If 


! ' 


M 


212 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    I'KIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


Victor  .lacobsoii,  of  Victoria,  sealer  (Case  of  the  United  States, 
Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  ;t28): 

He  is  a  British  snbject.  lias  been  engajiCil  in  sealing'  for  eleven  years, 
ten  years  as  a  master.  He  is  iu)\v  master  and  owner  of  schooner  Mary 
Ellen  and  owner  of  schooner  Minnie. 

The  female  hoiiIn  ^o  tlir<>ii<;h  Mie  jtiiHHes  tVoin  tb«f  rncitic  Occiin  into  Heriii);  Sea 
between  .liiin'  25  iinil  .hily  1"».  I'eiiiiiles  killed  pievions  to  tliin  time  I  t'ouiul  with 
pup,  but  noue  witli  pups  at'ter  tliat  latter  date.  1  littvo  killed  female  Heals  taken  by 
me  that  tlnoe  in  live  are  females  and  nearly  all  with  pup. 

Cross-exaniiniitioii  by  the  British  Government  (See  British  Counter 
Case,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  83): 

My  experience  buH  been  that  about  tbree  out  of  live  Heals  taken  ou  the  coast  are 
females,  and  about  the  same  in  Merin^  Sea. 

Edwin  P.  I'orter,  of  Victoria,  sealer  (Case  of  the  United  States, 
Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  340): 

My  experienee  in  four  years'  sealinfj  is  tbat  nearly  all  the  seals  taken  along  the 
coast  are  pregnant  females,  and  it  is  seldom  tliat  one  of  tliem  is  caiigbt  that  has  not 
a  young  pup  in  ber.  In  tbe  fore  ])art  of  tbe  season  the  puj)  is  small,  but  in  May  and 
June,  when  tbey  are  taken  otf  tbe  tjtneen  Charlotte  and  Kodiak  islands,  tbe  unborn 
pup  is  quite  laige.  an<l  we  lre(|nently  take  tliein  out  of  tbe  mothers  alive.  I  have 
Kept  some  of  them  alive  for  six  weeks,  that  were  eut  out  of  their  mothers,  by  feeding 
them  condensed  milk.  The  seals  we  capture  in  Hering  Sea  wore  fully  HO  per  cent 
females  that  had  given  birth  to  their  young.  \  fact  that  I  often  noticed  was  tbat 
their  teats  would  be  full  of  milk  when  I  skinned  rbt  iii,  and  I  have  seen  them  killed 
from  20  to  100  miles  from  tbe  seal  islands. 

Charles  Peterson,  of  Victoria,  sealer  (Case  of  the  United  States, 
Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  345): 

We  entered  Hering  Sea  about  the  loth  of  August,  through  the  Uuiniak  Pass,  and 
captured  therein  1,404  seals,  most  of  whic^b  were  cows  in  milk.  On  tbat  voyage  we 
caught  female  seals  in  milk  over  80  miles  from  tbe  rookeries  where  tbey  batl  left 
their  young.  I  have  seen  the  deck  almost  Hooded  with  milk  while  we  were  skinning 
the  seals.  Ninety  per  cent  of  all  the  seals  we  captured  in  the  water  were  female 
seals. 

Robert  H.  McManus,  of  Victoria,  journalist  (Case  of  the  United 
States,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  337) : 

Tuesday,  August  25,  rain  in  morning.  Boats  and  canoe  out  at  half  past  9  o'clock; 
out  all  day  (returning  to  dinner).  Kesult:  First  boat,  2  seals  rei)ortcd;  wounded 
and  lost  5;  seals  said  to  be  shy  and  wary,  and  not  so  numerous  as  formerly;  atten- 
tion called  to  cow  seal  being  skinned  (which  I  bad  taken  for  a  young  bull).  The 
Bnow-white  milk  running  tlown  blood-stained  deck  was  a  sickening  sight.  Indian 
canoe,  1  seal.     Total,  3  seals,  2  mediums,  and  1  cow. 

Wednesday,  August  26,  cloudy  morning.  Seals  lloating  round  schooner.  Boats 
and  c.inoe  out  all  day.  Result:  First  boat,  1  seal ;  second  boat,  none;  Indian  canoe, 
10  seals;  total,  11  seals;  8  cows  in  milk  and  8 medium.  Skipi)erin  tirstboat  blamed 
the  powder.  Second  boat  said  it  was  too  heavy  and  clumsy  for  the  work.  Skipper 
reported  having  wounded  and  lost  7,  aiul  the  men  in  second  boat  9 — 16  in  all. 
Skipper  said  seals  not  so  numerous  as  formerly,  more  shy ;  also  blamed  the  powder. 
Evidently  a  great  deal  of  shooting  and  very  few  seals  to  correspond. 

Saturday,  August  29,  ship's  cook  brought  down  from  deck  a  large  cow  seal  at  40 
yards  rise.  Boats  and  canoe  out  all  day.  Fine,  clear,  balmy  weather.  Akutau  Island 
in  sight.  Eesult:  First  boat,  3  seals;  second  boat,  3  seals;  cook,  from  deck,  1; 
Indian  canoe,  10;  total  catch,  17  seals,  greater  pn  portion  cows  in  milk.  Horrid 
Bight;  could  not  stay  the  ordeal  out  till  all  were  Hayed.  A  large  number  reported 
as  wounded  and  lost.    According  to  appearances,  slaughter  and  indiscriminate. 

Sunday,  August  30.  Result  of  hunt:  First  boat,  2  seals;  second  boat,  1;  Indian 
canoe,  7;  total,  10  seals,  7  of  which  were  cows  in  milk.  Several,  as  usual,  reported 
wounded  and  lost  by  the  boats.    The  great  superiority  of  the  Indian  spear  evident. 

The  Britisli  commissioners,  in  their  report,  express  the  following 
"views  with  regard  to  pelagic  sealing,  which  views  should  be  specially 


ani 


and 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS.  213 

noted  in  connection  with  the  foregoing  descriptions  of  how  gravid 
nursing  females  are  killed: 

633.  By  tliu  poliiuic  Hoiilors  un<l  by  Indian  ImnterH  along  the  c-oaHt,  tnr  sealtt  uf  both 
sexes  are  killed,  and,  indeed,  it  wonld  be  unreaNoniible,  nndor  the  nircninHtanites,  to 
expect  that  a  dlHtinction  sbonld  bo  made  in  this  roMpect,  any  more  tlian  that  the 
angler  slionld  diatriininate  between  tbe  sexoM  of  tin;  HhIi  hu  may  liook. 

010.  Tlie  uccnaution  of  butchery  laid  against  thoso  who  take  the  seals  on  shore 
can  not  be  bronght  against  this  pelagic  method  of  killing  the  seal,  which  is  really 
hunting  as  distingnislied  from  slaughter,  and  in  which  the  animal  has  what  may  be 
described  as  a  fair  chance  for  its  lite. 

Capt.  C.  L.  Hooper,  of  the  United  States  revenue  marine  (United 
States  Counter  Case,  p.  214): 

Captain  Uooper  made  extensive  official  investigations  in  regard  to 
seal  life  on  tiie  L'ribilof  Islands,  in  Bering  Sea,  and  the  North  Pacific 
Ocean  in  1891  and  181)2.  In  the  course  of  these  investigations  he  cap- 
tured, between  .Inly  24  and  August  31,  185)2,  41  .seals  in  Bering  Sea. 
He  made  no  ettorts  to  secure  large  numbers  or  all  that  he  saw.  The  41 
seals  were  composed  of  the  following  classes:  C>ld  nniles,  1;  young 
males,  11;  nursing  cows,  22;  virgin  cows,  7.     He  siys: 

Since  leaving  San  Francisco  on  March  9  the  Corwin  has  steamed  l(),L'fl()  miles,  and 
8,713  nnles  since  the  date  of  my  reporting  for  duty,  as  part  of  the  Bering  Sea  Meet. 
Of  this  distance,  5,5(i7  miles  were  steamed  in  Bering  Sea. 

#  *  .V  y-  *  #  '  * 

I  hnd  in  general,  as  one  of  the  results  of  my  investigations,  that  more  than  two- 
thirds  of  the  seals  taken  are  now  having  young  or  capable  of  bearing  tliem  at  no 
distant  day;  that  it  is  impossible  to  discriminate  as  to  age  nr  sex  of  seals  while  in 
the  water,  except  in  the  case  of  young  pups  and  old  bulls;  that  even  under  the  most 
favorable  conditions  a  large  percentage  is  lost  by  sinking  or  wounding;  and  that  by 
reason  of  the  tameness  of  the  nursing  cows,  which  form  the  larger  part  of  the  seals 
sent,  pelagic  bunting  in  Bering  Sea  is  i)ecHliariy  destructive  and  unless  stopped  will 
wholly  exterminate  the  already  greatly  <lepleted  herds. 

I  do  not  believe  that  it  is  possible  to  indicate  any  /.on.al  limit  in  Bering  Sea  beyond 
which  jtelagic  sealing  could  be  carried  on  and  at  the  sann;  time  i)re8erve  the  seals 
from  complete  annihilation.  Further,  I  wish  to  renew  a  statement  contained  in  a 
former  report  ma<1e  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  that,  unless  supjilemented  with 
protection  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  no  amount  of  protection  in  Bering  Sea  will  preserve 
the  herds. 

Capt.  L.  G.  Shepard,  United  States  revenue  marine  (Case  of  the 
United  States,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  187): 

I  am  45  years  of  age,  a  resider.t  of  Washington,  I).  C,  and  am  captain  in  the  United 
States  Revenue-Marine  Service,  chief  of  division  revenue  nuirine,  Treasury  Depart- 
ment. In  command  of  the  revenue  steamer  Hush,  I  made  three  cruises  to  Bering  Sea 
in  the  years  1887,  1888,  and  1889  for  the  purpose  of  enforcing  existing  law  for  protec- 
tion of  seal  life  in  Alaska  aiul  the  waters  thereof.  I  hereby  append  to  an<l  make  a 
part  of  this  affl<lavit  a  table,  marked  A,  giving  the  names  of  the  vessels  seized  by  me 
m  Bering  Sea  while  violating  the  law  of  the  United  States  in  relation  to  the  taking 
of  fur-bearing  animals. 

•  •  «  «  •  «  • 

I  examined  the  ski)is  taken  from  sealing  vessels  seized  in  1887  and  1889,  over  12,000 
skins,  and  of  these  at  least  two-thirds  or  three-fourths  were  the  skins  of  females. 
Of  the  females  taken  in  the  I'acMtic  Ocean,  and  early  in  the  season  in  Bering  Sea, 
nearly  all  are  heavy  with  young,  and  the  death  of  tlie  female  necessarily  causes  tbe 
death  of  the  unborn  pup  seal;  in  fact,  I  have  seei  on  nearly  every  vessel  seized  the 
pelts  of  unborn  ]inps  which  had  been  taken  from  their  mothers.  Of  the  females 
taken  in  Bering  Sea  nearly  all  are  in  milk,  and  I  have  seen  the  milk  come  from  the 
carcasses  of  dead  females  lying  on  the, decks  of  sealing  vessels  which  were  more 
than  100  miles  from  the  Pribilof  Islands.  From  this  fact,  and  from  the  further  fact 
that  I  hare  seen  seals  in  the  water  over  150  miles  from  the  islands  during  the  sum- 
mer, I  am  convinced  that  the  female,  after  giving  birth  to  her  young  on  the  rookeries, 
^oes  at  least  150  miles,  in  many  cases,  from  the  islands  in  search  of  food.  It  is 
impossible  to  distinguish  a  male  from  a  female  seal  in  the  water,  except  in  the  case 
of  a  very  old  bull,  when  his  size  distinguishes  him.  Therefore,  open-sea  sealing  is 
entirely  indiscriminate  as  to  sex  or  age. 


1 

*, 

Hi 

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III 

f  fi 

aWH 

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Hill 

1 

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#i. 


■'  I 


214 


SEAL    LIFE   ON   THE    PRIHILOF   ISLANDS. 


?^-f    f 


Cai>t.  Daniel  McLane  (Case  of  the  I'nited  States,  Anpendix,  Vol. 
II,  p.  443): 

Captain  McLane  lia»  been  enpiged  in  pelagic  sealing  for  eleven  years 
as  niasfet'  of  vessels  and  deposes  in  part  as  follows: 

(j.  Ol'  whiit  Hcx  iir«  tbit  NealR  taken  by  .voii,  or  iihiiuII.v  KiDud  by  hunting  vesHels  in 
tL»f  Nortli  I'acitic  uinl  MHring  Soaf — A.  IVniah«H. 

(.).  What  percentage  of  tbt-ni  are  cowgf  SiippoHe  you  outcb  100  Heals,  bow  many 
males*  woiilA  you  have  among  tbeni/ — A.  About  10. 

C^.  Wbat  perct'utiijreof  tbo  cowh  taken  are  with  pup? — A.  Tbe  t'enialeH  are  numtly 
all  with  ]>up;  tlmt  \n,  up  until  tbe  iHt  of  .July. 

i).  Have  yon  noticetl  any  tlec-rease  in  tbe  (|uantity  of  aniniaJM  in  tbe  last  few 
years f — A.  Yes,  sir. 

(/.  To  wbat  «lo  you  attrilmte  tin-  cauHf!?— A.  Killing ott"  tbe  females. 

(.},.  If  sealing  continueN  as  heretofore,  is  there  any  danger  of  exterminating  tbemf — 
A.  Yes,  sir;  they  will  all  l)e  exterminate)!  in  three  year-i,  anil  there  will  be  no  more 
Healing. 

(/.  Do  yoii  think  it  is  altsolutely  necessary  to  i»rotect  tbe  cows  in  tbe  Bering  Sea? — 
A.  Yes,  sir, 

James  Kiernan,  of  San  Fraiu'isco,  sealing  captain  (Case  of  tbe 
United  Status,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  449): 

My  exneriencc  has  bettn  that  tbe  sex  of  tbe  seals  usually  killed  by  hunters  employed 
on  vessels  under  my  eonuuund,  both  in  tbe  ocean  and  llering  (<ca,  were  cows.  I 
sbould  say  that  not  less  than  SO  ]>er  ceiit  of  those  caught  eneb  year  were  of  that  sex. 
I  bave  observed  that  those  killed  in  tbe  North  Facitic  weixi  mostly  female  carrying 
their  young,  and  were  geiieially  <augbt  while  aslecjt  on  tbe  water,  while  those  taken 
in  the  Bering  Kea  were  nearly  all  mother  seals  in  milk,  that  had  left  their  young  and 
were  in  search  of  food. 


The  mother  does  not  leave  tbe  rookery  in  search  of  food  until  she  has  dropped  her 
young  and  become  pregnant  again,  hence  when  she  has  been  slain  it  means  the  loss 
of  three,  as  the  young  puj)  will  un(|Uestionably  die  for  lack  of  sustenance. 

Micbael  White,  of  San  Francisco,  sealing  captain  (Case  of  the 
United  States,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  p.  489) : 

I  am  i)0  years  of  age.  I  reside  iit  East  Oakland.  My  occupation  is  nnister  nniriner, 
and  I  have  been  so  engaged  for  twenty-se\en  years,  off  and  on.  I  bave  been  engaged 
in  seal  hunting  uaring  tbe  years  18H.".,  1887,  i8H8,  and  IWO  in  the  North  Pacific  and 
Bering  Sea.  I  lirst  went  out  in  188.5  in  the  schooner  Citji  of  San  IHeijo,  chartered  by 
myself  and  others,  and  my  catch  for  that  year  was  between  2,300  and  2,40(»  seals. 
Of  that  number  about  1,900  were  caught  in  Bering  Sea.  There  were  but  very  few  ves- 
sels sealing  at  that  time.  In  188(5 1  was  master  of  the  schooner  Terevc,  sailing  from  San 
Francisco  on  the  2d  day  of  February,  and  connncnced  capturing  seals  on  the  coast 
of  California,  and  tVdloAved  them  from  that  date  north  into  Bering  Sea.  We  caught 
them  from  5  to  (jO  miles  otf  tbe  coast.  I  entered  Bering  Sea  on  tlie  6tb  day  of  .June, 
188(),  and  previous  to  that  time  had  caught  about  880  seals.  Then  I  sealed  in  Ber- 
ing Sea  from  tbiit  time  to  the  28tb  of  August;  caught  alxmt  2,200  more,  the  whole 
catch  being  3,000  for  tbe  year. 

In  1887  I  was  master  of  tbe  schooner  Lottie  Fairchild,  sailing  from  San  Francisco 
on  or  altout  the  17th  day  of  March,  and  \v'irked  northward  to  Bering  Sea,  and  cap- 
tured Xii'.i  seals.  I  then  entered  Berint;  Sea  about  tbe  6tb  of  .July,  cruising  there 
until  tbe  2!ttb  day  of  August,  and  took  JjUl  seals  more,  the  whole  catch  being  3,400 
for  the  year. 

Tn  1888  I  took  the  schooner  f/'/irfrtt/?'.<f7  on  a  fishing  and  sealing  voyage,  leaving 
liere  on  or  about  tbe  2()th  of  March,  -.unl  jruised  in  tbe  North  racilic  up  to  tbe  island 
of  Kodiak,  capturing  400  seals  up  to  the  7th  day  of  .June.  I  did  not  enter  Bering 
Sea  that  year.  I  diil  the  same  in  18p9,  my  trip  being  tbe  same  as  in  1888,  and  my 
capture  of  seals  was  about  the  same.  I  then  quit  sealing,  and  I  am  now  engaged  in 
trading  with  tbe  Gilbert  and  Marshall  islands  in  the  South  I'acific  Sea. 

In  my  captures  off  the  coast  between  here  and  Sitka  90  per  cent  of  my  catch  were 
females,  but  off  the  coast  of  Tniniak  I'ass  there  was  a  somewhat  smaller  percentage 
of  females,  and  nearly  all  tbe  females  were  cows  heavy  with  pup,  and,  in  some 
instances,  the  period  of  gestation  was  so  near  at  hand  that  I  h.ave  frecxnently  taken 
the  live  ])ni>  from  the  mother's  womb. 

I  never  paid  any  particular  attention  as  to  the  exact  number  of  or  proportion  of 
each  sex  killed  in  Bering  Sea,  but  I  do  know  that  the  larger  portion  of  them  were 
females  and  were  mothers  giving  milk.    I  have  never  hunted  within  15  miles  of  the 


HEAI.    LITE    ON    THE    I'UIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


215 


Priliilot'  IhIiuhIh,  lint  I  have  ot'ttm  killed hohIh  in  milk  at  iliHtunceBof  not  less  than  10<) 
to  2(10  niih'M  froni  theMo  ishui'lN,  From  my  knowledjje  and  ((xperirnci'  in  tho  linsineHH 
it  is  my  oonviction  tiiat  within  tiiu  last  few  years,  since  the  sealerN  have  hecouie  ho 
niiinerouH  in  the  I'acilic  and  iieriii);  Sea,  that  nut  more  than  one  out  of  three  is 
Hecnred.  Our  pnrpo.se  and  practice  waH  to  take  all  nealr*  we  cunid  get,  ref{ardleMH  of 
their  a^re  or  sex,  without  any  discrimination  whatever. 

M.  A.  Ilealy: 

My  own  observation  and  the  information  obtained  from  seal  hunters  convince  me 
that  fully  !)0  jter  (;cnt  of  the  seals  found  swimming  in  Henn^;  Sea  durin<;  the 
breeding;  season  arc  females  in  search  of  food,  and  the  slau);liter  reNultM  in  the 
destruction  of  her  younjj  by  starvation.  1  firmly  believe  that  the  fur-seal  imlustry 
at  the  I'ribilof  Islands  can  lie  saved  from  (lestruction  only  by  a  total  ))i'oliibition 
against  killii  <r  seals,  not  only  in  the  waters  of  Jieriiig  Sea,  but  also  tlurin<r  their 
annual  immigration  northward  in  the  I'acilic  Ocean. 

This  conclusion  is  baseil  njxin  the  well-known  fact  that  the  mother  seals  are 
slaughtered  by  the  thousands  in  the  North  I'ae'ilic  while  on  their  way  to  the  islands 
to  give  birth  to  their  young,  and  extinction  must  necessarily  come  to  any  species  of 
animal  where  the  female  is  contiiuiully  hunted  and  kille<l  during  the  period  reijuired 
for  gestation  and  rearing  of  her  younn.  As  now  practiced,  there  is  no  respite  to  the 
femal(>  seal  from  the  relentless  pursuit  of  the  seal  hunters,  for  the  schooners  close 
their  season  with  the  departure  of  the  seals  from  the  northern  sea  and  then  return 
home,  refit  immediately,  and  start  out  upon  a  new  vovage  in  February  or  March, 
comnuMicing  upon  the  coast  of  California,  Oregon,  and  Washington,  following  the 
seals  northward  as  the  season  advances  into  Mcring  Sea. 

Captain  Canlson  says: 

In  company  with  Sjucial  Agent  Miinay,  ('a|itaiii  Hooper,  and  Kngiui'er  Brerton, 
of  the  Convhi,  I  visited  the  iJeef  and  (iarbotch  rookeries,  St.  I'aiil  Island,  in  August, 
1891,  and  saw  one  of  the  most  pitiable  sights  that  I  have  ever  witnessed.  Thousands 
of  ilead  and  dying  jnips  were  scattered  over  the  rookeries,  while  the  shores  were 
lined  with  emaci-.-t  'd,  hungry  little  fellows,  with  their  eyes  tiirimd  toward  the  sea, 
uttering  p]aiuti\e  cries  for  their  mothers,  which  wen;  destined  never  to  return. 
Numbers  of  them  were  opened,  their  stomachs  examined,  and  the  fact  revealed  that 
starvation  was  the  cause  of  death,  no  organic  disease  being  apparent. 

The  great  number  of  seals  taken  by  hunters  in  ISKl  was  to  the  westward  and  north- 
westward of  St.  Taiil  Island,  and  tht^  largest  number  of  dead  wen;  found  that  year  in 
rookeries  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  island.  This  fact  alone  goes  a  great  way, 
in  my  opinion,  to  conllrin  the  theory  that  the  loss  of  the  mothers  was  the  cause  of 
mortality  anuuig  the  young. 

After  the  mother  seals  have  given  birth  to  their  young  on  the  islands  they  go  to 
the  water  to  feed  and  bathe,  and  I  have  observed  them,  not  only  around  the  island, 
but  from  80  to  100  miles  out  at  sea. 

In  dirterent  years  the  feeding  grounds  or  the  location  where  the  greater  number  of 
seals  are  taken  by  poachers  seem  to  ditt'er;  in  other  words,  the  seals  freiiucnily  change 
feeding  grounds.  For  instant,  in  1887  the  greatest  number  of  seals  were  taken  by 
poachers  between  I'niiiiak  and  Akutan  passes  and  the  seal  islands,  and  to  the  south- 
westward  of  St.  (jeorge  Island.  In  1889  the  catching  was  largely  done  to  the  south- 
ward and  eastward,  in  many  cases  from  50  to  150  miles  distant  from  the  seal  islands. 
In  the  season  of  1890,  to  the  southward  and  westward,  also  to  northwest  and  north- 
east of  the  islands,  showing  that  the  seals  have  been  scattered.  The  season  of  1891, 
the  greatest  number  were  taken  to  northward  and  westward  of  St.  Paul,  and  at 
various  distances  front  25  to  150  miles  aw  ay. 

Mr.  Redpath : 

The  Alaskan  fur  seal  is  a  native  of  the  Pribilof  Islands,  and,  unless  prevented,  will 
return  to  those  islands  every  j'ear  with  the  regularity  of  the  seasons.  All  the  pecul- 
iarities of  nature  that  surround  the  Pribilof  groii))  of  islands,  sin-h  as  low  and  even 
temperature,  fog,  mist,  and  ))eri)etually  clouded  sky,  seem  to  indicate  their  fitness  and 
adaptability  as  a  home  for  the  Alaskan  fur  seal ;  and,  with  an  instinct  bordering  on 
reason,  they  have  selected  these  lonely  and  barren  islands  as  the  choicest  spots  of 
earth  upon  which  to  assemble  and  dwell  together  during  their  six  months'  stay  on 
land;  and  annually  they  Journey  across  thousands  of  miles  of  ocean  and  pass  hun- 
dreds of  islands,  without  pause  or  rest,  until  they  come  to  the  place  of  their  birth. 
And  it  is  a  well-established  fact  that  upon  no  other  land  in  the  world  do  the  Alaskan 
fur  seal  haul  out  of  water, 

J.  C.  Redpath  says : 

No  cow  will  nurse  any  pup  but  her  own,  and  I  have  often  watched  the  pupb 
attempt  to  suck  cows,  but  they  were  always  driven  oil",  and  this  fact  convinces  me 


1,' 

f. 

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216 


SEAL    LIFE   ON   THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


that  the  cow  ntcognixes  her  own  pup  but  tliat  the  pup  does  not  know  its  dam.  At 
birth,  and  for  Hoveriil  veekH  after,  tlie  pup  in  utterly  helpless  and  entirely  depeii<lent 
upon  its  (lam  for  sustenantre,  and  sliould  anything  preveut  her  return  during  this 
period,  it  dies  on  the  rookery,  'i'his  has  been  demonstrated  beyond  a  doubt  since 
the  sealing  vessels  have  operated  largely  in  IJering  Sea  durinj;  tlie  months  of  July, 
August,  and  Seiitemlier,  and  which,  killing  the  oows  at  the  Irodiug  grouiuls,  left  the 
pups  to  die  on  the  islands. 

At  about  5  weeks  old  the  i)Ui>s  begin  to  run  about  and  congregate  in  bunches  or 
"pods,''  and  at  (i  to  8  weeks  old  they  go  into  the  shallow  water  and  gradually  learn 
to  swim.  They  are  not  amphibious  when  bom,  nor  can  they  swim  forst-veral  weeks 
thereafter,  an(l  were  they  ])ut  into  the  water  would  perish  beyond  a  doubt,  as  has 
been  well  established  by  the  drowning  of  pups  caught  by  the  surf  in  stormy  weather. 
After  learning  to  swim  the  pups  still  draw  sustenan(;e  from  the  cows,  and  I  have 
noticed  at  the  annual  killing  ot  i)ups  for  food  in  November  that  their  stonuichs  were 
always  full  of  milk  and  nothing  else,  although  the  cows  had  left  the  islands  some 
days  before.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  the  ])ups  obtaining  sustenance  of  any  kind 
except  that  furnished  by  the  cows,  nor  have  I  ever  seen  anything  but  milk  in  a  dead 
pup's  stomach. 

Karp  Buteiin  says: 

Schooners  kill  cows,  ]iups  die,  and  sea's  are  gone.  Some  men  tell  me  last  year, 
"  Karj),  seals  are  sick."  I  know  seals  are  not  sick ;  I  never  seen  a  sick  seal,  and  I 
eat  seal  meat  every  day  of  my  lile.  No  big  seals  die  unb'ss  we  club  them ;  only  pups 
die  for  food  after  the  cows  are  shot  at  sea.  When  we  used  to  kill  pui)s  tor  food  in 
November,  they  were  always  full  of  milk  ;  the  pups  that  die  on  the  rookeries  have  no 
milk.  The  cows  go  into  the  sea  to  feed  after  tli'i  ]tups  are  born,  aiul  the  schooner 
men  shoot  them  all  the  time. 

Captiiin  Cartlicut  says: 

About  80  per  cent  of  the  seals  I  caught  in  Bering  Sea  were  mothers  in  milk,  and 
were  feeding  aronnd  the  fishing  l>anks  Just  north  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and  I  got 
most  of  my  seals  from  .'>()  to  250  miles  from  the  seal  islands,  I  don't  think  I  ever 
sealed  within  2.5  miles  of  the  I'ribilof  Islands.  Tliey  ire  very  tame  after  giving 
birth  to  tiioir  yonnii',  and  are  easily  apjiroiielied  l)y  the  hunters.  When  the  females 
leave  the  islands  to  feed,  tliey  will  go  very  fast  to  the  lishing  banks,  and  after  they 
get  their  food  they  will  go  to  slee))  on  the  waters.  Tlnit  is  the  iiunter's  great  chance. 
I  think  wo  secure  more  in  i)roportion  to  the  number  killed  than  we  did  in  the  North 
Pacilic.  I  hunted  with  shotgun  and  ritle.  but  nu)stly  with  .ihotgun.  Seals  were  not 
nearly  as  numerous  in  1887  as  they  were  in  1877.  and  it  is  my  belief  that  the  decrease 
in  nnnihers  is  <lue  to  the  hunting  and  killing  of  female  seals  in  the  water.  1  do  not 
think  it  ]io8sible  tor  seals  to  exist  for  any  length  of  time  if  the  present  slaughter 
continues.  The  killing  of  the  female  means  death  to  ht;r  born  or  unborn  ])up,  and  it 
is  not  reasonable  to  exiiect  that  this  innnensi;  drain  on  the  heriis  can  be  continued 
without  a  vf  ..>•  rapid  decrease  in  their  numbers,  and  which  practically  means  exter- 
mination within  a  very  few  years 

Christ  01iuis«'ii  says: 

The  Indian  hunters,  when  they  use  spears,  saved  nearly  every  one  thoy  struck. 
It  is  uiy  observation  and  experience  that  an  Indian  or  a  white  liunter,  unless  very 
expert,  will  kill  and  destroy  numy  times  more  than  ho  will  save  if  hi!  uses  firearms. 
It  is  our  object  to  take  them  when  asleep  on  the  water,  and  any  attempt  to  capture 
a  breaching  seal  generally  ends  in  failure,  The  .seals  we  catch  along  the  coast  are 
nearly  all  pregnant  leniales.  It  is  seldom  we  capture  an  old  luill,  and  what  males 
we  get  are  usually  young  ones.  I  have  fVo(iuently  seen  <m)w  seals  eutojien  and  unborn 
pups  cut  out  of  tiiem,  and  they  would  live  for  several  days.  This  is  a  freijuent 
occurrence,  Ifc  is  my  experience  that  fully  8.">  per  cent  of  the  se.ils  I  took  in  Meriug 
Sea  were  females  and  had  given  birth  to  their  jiups.  and  their  teats  would  be  full  of 
milk.  I  have  caught  seals  of  this  kind  100  to  150  miles  from  I'ribilof  Islands.  It  is 
my  opinion  that  sjx'urs  shouhl  be  used  in  hunting  seals,  and  if  they  are  to  be  kept 
from  extermination  the  shotgun  should  be  discarded. 

George  Disliow  rays: 

I  use  a  shotgun  ex  .lusively  for  taking  seals.  Old  hunters  lose  but  very  few  seals, 
but  begiiniers  lose  a  great  many,  I  use  tln^  Parker  shotgun,  A  large  projjortion  of 
all  seals  taken  are  females  with  i>uj».  I  mn-er  examined  tiiem  as  to  sex.  Hut  very 
few  old  bulls  are  taken,  only  live  being  taken  out  of  a  totid  of  !(00  seals  taken  by  my 
schooner.  Use  no  discrimination  in  killing  seal,  l)»it  shoot  everything  that  comes 
near  the  buut  in  the  shape  of  a  sital.  Hunters  shoot  seal  in  the  most  exposed  ])art  of 
the  body.     Have  never  known  any  juips  to  be  born  in  the  water,  nor  on  the  land  oa 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PUIBILOF    ISLANDH. 


217 


the  roust  ol'  Alaska  iiiiywhere  oiitside  of  tlio  I'ribilof  iHlands.  Hii\  o  never  known 
fur  still  to  haul  up  on  tlie  land  anywluro  on  the  coast  except  on  tin'  Prihilof  Islands. 
Most  ot  tiie  seals  taken  in  Bering  Sea  are  females.  Have  taken  them  70  iniles  from 
the  islands  that  were  full  of  milk.  L  think  a  closed  season  should  be  established  for 
breeding  seal  from  .lanuary  1  to  Anj^ust  15  in  the  North  I'aiitic  Ocean  and  Bering 
Sea. 

(leorge  Faircliild  says: 

Most  of  them  were  cows,  nearly  all  of  which  had  i»ni)s  in  tliepi.  ^Vc  took  some  of 
the  pups  alive  out  of  the  bodies  of  the  females.  We  entered  Herin<j;  Sea  May  25, 
and  we  jjot  704  scsals  in  tliere,  the  jjroater  ({iiantity  of  wiiich  were  female*!  with  their 
breasts  full  of  ndlk,  a  fact  which  I  know  by  leason  of  having  stan  the  n.ilk  ilow  on 
the  deck  when  they  were  being  skinned.  \Vo  bad  live  boats  on  board,  each  boat 
hijvinjr  a  hunter,  boat  jtuller,  and  steerer.  Wo  used  siiotguns  and  ritles.  Wu  g<»t 
one  out  of  every  five  or  six  that  we  killed  or  wounded.  We  wounded  a  great  many 
that  wo  did  not  get.     We  caught  them  from  10  to  50  miles  otf  the  seal  islands. 

Norman  llodjison  says: 

I  do  not  think  it  ])08Hible  for  fur  seals  to  bree<l  or  cojiulate  in  water  at  sea,  and 
never  saw  nor  lieard  of  the  action  tjiking  place  on  a  batch  of  (loating  kel)).  I  have 
never  seen  a  young  fur-seal  pup  of  the  same  season's  birth  in  the  water  at  sea  nor 
on  a  patch  of  lioating  kelp,  and,  in  fact,  never  knew  of  iheir  being  born  anywhere 
saV'i'  on  a  rookery.  I  have,  however,  cut  open  a  gravid  cow  and  taiv.-n  the  young 
one  from  its  mother's  womb  alive  and  crying.  I  do  not  believe  it  jtossible  for  a  fur 
seal  to  be  successfully  raised  unless  born  and  nursed  on  a  rookery.  1  havi^  seen  fur 
seals  resting  on  i»atc!ies  of  tloating  kelp  at  sea.  but.  <lo  not  believe  they  ever  haul  up 
for  breeding  purposes  anywhere  exi^^pt  on  rookeries. 

Captain  Tanner,  lientenant-coniniaiHlt'r  in  the  Unitrd  Statt!s  N'a\y, 
makes  a  deposition  wliieli  is  entitled  to  i)artieiilar  eoiisideratioii.  The 
foUowiii}'-  is  a  short  extract: 

Seals  killed  in  Bering  Sea  after  the  birth  ol  pui)s  are  largely  mother  sea  s,  and  the 
farther  they  are  found  from  the  islands  the  greater  the  percentage  will  be.  The  rea- 
son for  this  seeming  ]iara<lox  is  very  sim|>le.  The  young  males,  having  no  family 
responsibilities,  can  afford  to  hunt  nearer  home,  whce  food  can  be  found  if  snilicient 
time  is  devoted  to  the  search.  The  nu  <-h(^r  does  not  leave  iier  young  except  when 
necessity  compels  her  to  seek  food  for  its  sustenance.  She  can  not  alfovd  to  waste 
time  on  feeding  gronn":s  alrt^ady  o(  <'upied  l>y  younger  and  more  active  feedois.  hence 
she  nnikes  the  best  of  her  way  to  richer  tields  farther  away,  gorges  liersell'with  lood, 
then  s'.H'ks  r'.ist  and  a  (|Uietnap(Mi  tlie  surface.  I'lider  these  circumstances  she  sleeps 
soundly,  and  beconn-s  an  easy  victiiu  to  the  watchful  hunter. 

X  double  waste  occurs  when  the  mother  seal  is  killed,  as  the  pops  will  ^oirely 
starve  to  death.  A  motiier  seal  will  give  sustenance  to  no  pup  l)ut  her  own.  I  saw 
sad  evidences  of  this  waste  on  St.  I'aul  last  season,  where  large  numbers  of  pupa 
were  lying  about  the  rookerieis,  w  here  they  had  died  of  starvation. 

Dr.CREASK  OK  Seaj.s. 


'11 


I   ■ 


EXf!KSSIVK    KILLING    THE    ADMITTED   CAUSE. 

We  find  th  t  since  tlie  A-hiska  pnnihase  a  marked  diminntioii  in  the 
uumher  of  seals  on  and  h;»l>itnally  resorting  vo  the  I'ribilof  Islands  has 
taken  place;  that  it  has  been  <!Uinnlative  in  ellect,  and  that  it  is  the 
result  of  excessive  killiiiij  by  man.  (Joint  report  of  United  States  and 
British  Bering  Sea  comriissioners.) 

PELAtJiC   SEALINtr   THE   SOLE  CAUSE. 

Ol)iiiions  of  American  conimisitioncrti. 

Iluviiig  answered  the  first  of  the  two  (pieries  relating  to  <'onditiou8 
of  seal  life  at  the  present  time,  the  second  becomes  imi)ortant.  It  is: 
Has  the  decrease  in  numlier  been  continen  to  aiiy  i)articnlar  class  of 
seals,  or  is  it  most  notable  iii  any  class  or  classes?  In  answer  t(»  this, 
it  is  onr  opinion  that  the  diminution  in  numbers  began  and  continues 
to  be  most  notable  in  female  seals.    ( Report  of  American  commissioners.) 


Iff  I      '•!'[    "* 


218 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIUILOF    ISLANDS. 


As  a  inattef  of  fact,  there  is  sufficient  evidence  to  convince  us  that 
by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  iseiils  taken  at  sea  are  females ;  indeed, 
we  have  yet  to  n)eet  with  any  evidence  to  the  co'.itrary.  Tlie  state- 
ments of  those  who  have  had  occasion  to  exaiviine  the  catcli  of  pehigic 
sealers  might  be  quoted  to  almost  any  extent  to  the  effect  that  at  least 
SO  per  cent  of  the  seaiS  thus  taken  are  females.  On  one  occasion  we 
examined  a  pile  of  skins  picked  out  at  random,  and  which  we  have 
every  reason  to  believe  was  a  part  of  a  pelagic  catch,  and  found  them 
nearly  all  females.  When  the  sealers  themselves  are  not  influenced  by 
the  feeling  that  they  are  testifying  againsi  their  own  interests,  they 
give  similar  testimony.  The  master  of  the  sealing  schooner  ./•  (?•  ^Sivan 
declared  that  in  the  catch  of  18!)0,  when  he  secnircd  several  hundred 
seals,  the  i>roportion  of  females  to  males  was  about  four  to  one,  and  on 
one  occasicni  in  a  lot  of  (50  seals,  as  a  matter  of  »'uriosity,  he  counted  the 
number  of  females  with  young,  tinding  47.  (Report  of  American  <!om- 
missioners.) 

The  decrease  in  the  number  of  seals  is  the  result  of  the  evil  effects 
of  pelagic  sealing.    (Report  of  American  commissioners.) 

Opinion  of  Dr.  Allen. 

From  the  foregoing  sununary  it  is  evident  th.it  the  decline  in  the 
number  of  the  killable  seals  at  the  Pribilof  rookeries  and  the  iiMUu--  e 
decrease  in  the  total  number  of  seals  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  iii  ' 
due  to  any  change  in  the  management  of  the  seal  herd  at  the  ioiuntb^, 
but  to  the  direct  and  unquestionably  deleterious  effectt  of  i)elagic  seal- 
ing. At  the  islands  the  killing  is  regulated  witii  reference  to  the  num- 
ber of  killable  seals  on  the  rookeries,  the  designated  quota  is  limited 
to  nonbreeding  young  males,  and  every  seal  killed  is  utilized.  The 
killing,  as  thus  regulated,  does  not  impair  the  jn-oductiveness  of  the 
rookeries.  In  pelagic  sealing  the  slaughter  is  indiscriminate  and  unlim- 
ited, and  a  large  proportion  of  the  seals  killed  are  lost.  The  catch  also 
consists  almost  wholly  of  breeding  females,  which  at  the  time  of  cap- 
ture are  either  hea\'y  with  young  or  have  young  on  the  rookeries 
depending  upon  them  for  sustenance.  Thus  two  or  more  seals  are 
destroyed  to  every  one  utilized,  and  nearly  all  are  drawn  from  the  class 
on  which  the  very  existence  of  the  seal  herd  dei)ends.  (Article  by  Dr. 
J.  A.  Allen.) 

Opinions  of  e.rperts. 

I  have  always  taken  a  great  interest  in  the  sealing  industry  and  felt 
a  great  desire  to  have  them  protected  from  destruction,  and  I  say  with- 
out hesitation  that  the  great  decrease  in  the  number  now  annually 
arriving  at  the  seal  islands  is  due  entirely  to  the  killing  of  female  seals 
by  pelagic  sealers.    ((Je(uge  Adams.) 

From  my  general  knowledge  of  natural  history,  from  my  study  of  the 
habits  of  seals,  as  well  as  from  the  opportunities  I  have  had  to  acquaint 
myself  with  the  sources  of  destruction  which  are  at  work,  1  firmly 
believe  that  pelagic  seiJing  wonhl  not  only  accimnt  for  the  diminution 
of  the  seal  herd,  but  if  continued  the  seals  will  inevitably  be  commer- 
cially destroyed.    (A.  U.  Alexander.) 

I  believe  there  has  been  a  great  decrease  of  seals  or  tlie  islands 
since  I  left  there,  and  this  is  no  doubt  due  to  i)elagic  sea  inv  (Jamos 
Armstrcmg.) 


din 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


211> 


My  people  wondered  why  tliis  was  so,  and  no  one  could  tell  until  we 
learned  that  Imnters  in  schooners  were  shooting  and  destroying  them 
in  the  sea.  Then  we  knew  what  the  trouble  was,  for  we  knew  the  seal* 
they  killed  an<l  destroyed  must  be  cows,  for  most  all  the  males  i-einain 
on  or  near  tiie  islands  until  they  go  away  in  the  fall  or  fore  i)art  of  the 
winter.  We  also  noticed  dead  pups  on  the  rookeries  that  bad  been 
starved  to  death.  If  they  had  not  killed  the  seals  in  the  sea  there 
would  be  as  many  on  the  rookeries  as  there  was  ten  years  ago.  There 
was  not  more  than  one  fourtii  as  many  seals  in  ISJH  as  there  was  in  18S(L 
We  understand  the  danger  there  is  in  the  seals  being  nil  killed  off  and 
that  we  will  have  no  way  of  earning  our  living.  There  is  not  one  of  us 
but  what  believes  if  they  had  not  killed  them  off  by  shooting  them  in 
the  water  there  would  be  as  many  seals  on  the  islands  now  as  there  was 
in  1880,  and  we  could  go  on  forever  taking  1()0,(M)0  seals  on  the  tw» 
islands;  but  if  they  get  less  as  fast  as  they  iiave  in  the  last  live  oi-  six 
years  there  will  be  none  left  in  a  little  while.     (Kerrick  Artomanott".) 

Upon  extimining  the  liering  8ea  catch  for  1891,  as  based  u])on  the 
records  of  the  Victoria  custont-house,  1  asc.'ertained  that  tiearly  3(),(>0(^ 
seals  had  been  taken  by  the  British  fleet  alone  in  Bering  Sea  during 
the  sununer  of  18'.M.  When  there  is  added  to  this  the  catch  of  the 
American  vessels,  the  dea.'  pups  upon  the  rookeries,  and  allowaiu^es 
made  for  those  that  are  killed  and  not  recovered,  we  have  a  catcii  which 
will  not  only  nearly  reach  in  numbers  the  quota  of  male  seals  allowed  to 
be  taken  npon  the  islands  in  years  gone  by,  but  we  have  a  catch  in  the 
securing  of  which  destruction  has  fallen  most  heavily  upon  the  produc- 
ing femahs.  Tliis  is  borne  out  by  a  further  fact.  The  young  bachelor 
seals  can  lie  idly  on  the  hauling  groiuuls  and  through  the  peculiarities 
of  their  i>iiysical  economy  sustain  life  with  a  small  supply  of  food,  but 
the  cows  must  range  the  ocean  in  search  of  nourishment  that  they  may 
meet  the  demands  made  upon  them  by  their  young.  That  seals  go  a 
great  distance  from  the  islands  1  kn<»w  from  ])crsom,l  observation,  for 
we  saw  them  ILM)  nnles  to  the  northward  of  the  is'and  on  the  way  to 
Nunival.  That  the  females  outnumber  the  males  ten  to  one  is  well 
known,  otherwise  the  hanling  ground  would  present  such  an  array  of 
killable  seals  that  there  would  be  no  necessity  for  the  (lovernment  to 
suspend  the  annual  (piota.  It  inevitably  follows  that  the  females  are 
the  class  most  i)i'eyed  upmi  in  Bering  Sea.  No  class  of  animals  which 
bring  forth  but  a  single  <»ffspriug  annually  can  long  sustain  itself 
against  the  destruction  of  the  prochu-ers.  As  a  result  of  my  invcstiga- 
'H>n  r  believe  that  the  destruction  of  females  was  carri<'<l  to  the  point, 
i;i  about  188'),  where  the  birth  rate  could  not  keep  uj)  the  necessary 

ipply  of  nmthers,  and  that  the  ecpiilibrium  being  once  destroyed  i-'ul 
cte  drain  upon  the  proilucing  class  increasing  iVom  year  to  ynir  Iron* 
tI;  date,  the  present  depleted  condition  of  the  rookeries  has  resulted 
directly  tlierefrom.     (J.  Stanley- Brown.) 

When  we  lirst  noticed  that  ihe  seals  on  the  rookeries  were  not  so 
many  as  they  used  to  be,  we  did  I'ot  knov/  what  was  wrong,  but  by  and 
by  we  found  that  plenty  of  schoonek.3  cr.ine  into  the  sea  and  shot  seals, 
and  we  often  foun«l  bullets  and  shot  in  seals  when  we  were  skinning 
them.  And  then  we  found  i)lenty  of  dead  i)ui)s  on  the  rookeries,  more 
Piul  more  every  year,  until  last  year  (18{)1 ),  when  there  were  so  nniny  the 
rookeries  were  covered  with  them,  and  when  the  doctor  (Akerly)  opened 
some  of  them  there  was  no  milk  or  food  in  their  stoma(!hs.  Then  we 
;  il  knew  the  cows  had  been  shot  when  th«\v  went  into  the  sea  to  feed, 
and  the  pups  died  because  they  had  nothing  to  eat.    Plenty  of  schooner* 


J.  ' 


i...  'I 


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U:^-k   , 

t>     ^  r    U'    1 

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■   ■>' 

: 

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■ 

i 

i|i    1 

220 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


came  first  about  eight  or  nine  years  ago,  and  more  and  more  every  year 
since,  and  the  seals  get  less  and  less  ever  since  schooners  came;  and 
my  people  kept  saying  "No  cows,"  "No  cows."  First  the  cows  get  less 
and  then  the  bachelors  get  less,  and  the  company  agent  he  says  "kill 
smaller  seals,"  and  we  kill  some  whose  skins  weigh  only  4i  pounds, 
Mistb.^d  of  7  pounds,  same  as  tbey  always  got.  Then  we  could  not  get 
enough  of  seals  and  at  last  we  could  hardly  get  enough  for  meat. 
Schooners  kill  cows,  pups  die,  and  seals  are  gone.    (Karp  Ruterin.) 

The  cause  of  this  decrease  1  believe  to  be  due  to  the  promiscuous 
killing  of  the  seals  by  hunters  in  the  open  sea  and  the  disturbance 
caused  by  their  i)resence  v.\  destroying  the  mother  seals  and  scattering 
the  herds.    (James  H.  Douglass.) 

I  know  of  no  other  cause  for  the  decrease  tlian  that  of  the  killing  of 
the  cows  at  sea  by  the  pelagic  hunters,  which  I  believe  must  be  pro- 
hibited if  the  Alaskan  fur  seal  is  to  be  saved  from  total  destruction. 
(C.  L.  Fowler.) 

In  my  opinion  pelagic  sealing  is  the  cause  of  redriving  on  the  islands, 
the  depletion  of  the  rookeries,  and  promises  to  soon  make  the  Alaska 
fur-seal  herd  a  thing  of  the  past.  If  continued  as  it  is  to-«lay,  even  if 
killing  on  tl  i  •'  u'^s  was  absolutely  forbidden,  tlie  herd  will  in  a  few 
years  be  extb.i  d,     (Charles  . I.  Goff.) 

During  my  visii  >  the  islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  (leo"j.>;o  for  the  last 
twenty  years  I  have  carefully  noticed  that  those  islands  were  visited 
by  great  herds  of  fur  seals  during  the  breeding  season,  and  that, 
although  100,000  male  seals  were  taken  annually  at  the  islands  by  the 
lessees,  no  perceptil)le  diminution  in  their  numbers  was  noticeable  until 
within  the  past  few  years,  when  the  killing  of  seals  in  the  open  sea  on 
the  part  of  fishing  vessels  became  prevalent,  since  which  time  there 
has  been  a  very  perceptible  diminution  in  the  numl)er  of  seals  seen  in 
the  water  of  Bering  Sea  and  hauling  grounds  on  tlie  islands.  This 
decrease  has  become  alarmingly  sudden  in  the  last  three  or  four  years, 
due,  I  believe,  to  the  ruthless  and  indiscriminate  methods  of  destruc- 
tion emjdoyed  by  vessels  in  taking  female  seals  in  the  open  sea.  (Capt, 
M.  A.  Healey.) 

I  made  the  conditions  of  seal  life  a  careful  study  for  years,  and  I  am 
firmly  of  the  opinion  their  decrease  in  number  on  tiie  I'ribilof  Islands 
is  due  wholly  aiul  entirely  to  hunting  and  killing  them  in  the  open  sea. 
(W.  S.  Hereford.) 

When  in  1886  we  all  saw  the  decrease  of  seals  upon  the  hauling 
grounds  and  rookeries,  we  asked  each  other  what  was  the  cause  of  it, 
but  when  we  learned  that  white  men  were  shooting  seals  in  the  water 
with  guns  we  knew  what  was  the  matter;  we  knew  that  if  they  killed 
seals  in  the  water  that  they  must  be  nearly  all  females  tliat  were  going 
out  to  feed,  for  the  males  stay  on  the  islaiuls  until  they  get  ready  to  go 
away  in  the  fall  or  winter.  It  was  among  the  cows  we  first  noticed  the 
decrease,  and  as  we  never  kill  the  cows  on  the  islands,  we  knew  they 
inust  be  killing  them  in  the  water.    (Aggei  Kushen.) 

There  can  be  no  question,  in  my  opinion,  about  the  ultimate  result  to 
the  rookeries  of  marine  sealing.  If  it  is  continued  as  it  has  been  for 
the  last  two  or  three  years,  the  seals  will  be  so  nearly  wiped  out  of  exist- 
ence in  a  short  time  as  to  leave  nothing  to  quarrel  about,  and  an  article 
of  commerce  that  has  afforded  a  vast  amount  of  comfort  and  satisfac- 
tion to  a  Itirge  class  of  wearers  and  a  large  income  to  both  American 
and  British  merchants  will  be  a  thing  of  the  past.    (Isaac  Liebes.) 


by 


It  to 
n  for 
jxist- 
ticle 
sfac- 
ricsiii 

) 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS, 


221 


1  am  convinced  that  t\w  (le<reasc  in  ^...e  rookeries  was  caused  entirely 
by  open  sea  sealing-.     (Abial  P.  Loud.) 

Tliere  were  uo  destructive  afjjencies  at  work  upon  the  island  that 
would  not  have  left  the  rookeries  in  better  condition  in  1«S{)()  tlian  they 
were  in  1870.  rntil  the  effects  of  the  true  ajicnt  of  destruction  h«j,'an 
to  be  manifest  tliere  was  an  excess  of  male  life  on  the  islands  suHicient 
to  permit  of  an  annind  cat<'h  of  100,(MM)  seals  for  an  indelinite  period 
without  jeopardizinj;  the  rookeries.  If  it  be  remembered  tiiat  the  seals 
taken  in  the  waters  by  hunters  are  chielly  fenmles,  that  their  young 
die  with  them,  and  tliat  all  of  those  killed  are  not  secured,  and  if  then 
an  examination  be  nuule  of  the  pelagic  skins  actually  sold  duiing  the 
past  twenty  years,  the  real  source  of  the  de|)letion  ol"  the  rookeries  will 
be  found.  Jn  my  Judgment  such  dei»letiou  was  caused  by  i)elagi(^  seal- 
ing, and  that  it  grew  greater  from  year  to  year,  as  the  number  of 
so-called  poaching  schooners  increased,  and  that  its  ettects  began  to 
manifest  themselves  about  1885  or  1SS«).  The  depletion  on  both  haul- 
ing and  breeding  grounds  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the  ciitch 
of  said  sealers  consists  of  at  least  85  jter  <'ent  cows.  Said  cows,  when 
taken  in  the  North  Pacific,  are  in  the  majority  of  cases  with  pui)s,  and 
in  Bering  Sea  are  so-called  milkiny  females.  Whenever  a  milking  cow 
is  killed,  her  pup  on  the  rookeries  dies  of  starvation.  In  su])port  of 
this  fact  last  stated,  the  nundier  of  dead  pui)S  during  the  last  lour  years 
I  was  upon  the  islands  increased  smnually.  The  effect  of  the  comj)ara- 
tively  few  raids  upon  the  rookeries  themselves,  while  injurious,  bear 
but  a  small  ratio  to  the  enornmus  danuige  <lone  by  the  pelagic  hunting. 
Those  in  charge  of  the  islaiuls  did  not,  when  the  decrease  on  the  rook- 
eries commenced,  know  exclusively  tiie  caiise  thereof.  jNIy  opinion  then 
was  that  it  was  caused  by  pelagic  sealing,  but  1  had  been  informed 
and  believed  that  the  United  States  Government  intended  to  seize  all 
such  poaching  vessels.  Relying  upon  such  information  I  authorized 
the  taking  of  seals  as  before.  The  proper  i)iotection  of  sesil  life  was 
not  fully  carried  out  in  IJering  Sea  ami  the  Xorth  Pacific  by  reason  of 
England's  interference,  and  the  rookeries  were  thus  dejileted.  (li.  II. 
Mclntyre.) 

From  statements  made  by  personal  acquaintances  and  friends,  1 
became  aware  of  a  rapid  decrease  in  seal  life  in  Alaska,  and  reports  of 
pelagic  sealing,  as  made  public;  thnmgh  the  press,  c<md)ined  with  pre- 
vious persomd  affairs  as  existii.g  ]uior  to  188LJ,  leaves  uo  possible  doubt 
as  to  the  cause  of  such  decrease  of  seals.  Pelagic  sealing  as  practiced 
prior  to  the  year  1882  had  no  ai)i)arent  effect  upon  seal  life,  and  even 
when  to  tliis  was  added  the  taking  of  a  definitci  number  year  after  year 
under  lease  from  the  United  States  (lovernment,  there  was  still  a  con- 
stant inciease  of  seals  observed.  I  am,  therefore,  fully  confirmed  in 
the  belief  that  the  decrease  in  their  numbers  is  due  solely  to  the  indis- 
criminate killing  at  sea  of  all  ages,  regardless  of  sex,  as  i)racticed  since 
1884.     (H.  W.  Mclntyre.) 

The  seals  have  rapidly  decreased  since  sealing  vessels  a|)peared,  but 
before  the  inroads  of  these  seal  hunters  there  was  no  trouble  in  obtain- 
ing the  full  quota  of  the  best  grades  of  skins,  as  the  herds  i)reviou8  to 
that  time  had  been  noticeably  increasing,    (John  Malowansky.) 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  the  decrease  in  the  number  of  seals  on 
the  rookeries? — A.  To  the  great  number  of  cows  killed  by  poachers, 
and  consequently  less  pups  are  born  on  the  rookeries. 

Q.  How  do  you  know  that  cows  have  been  killed  by  poachers? — A. 
I  have  handled  and  seen  a  great  number  of  skins  captured  by  the  rev- 


!  *» 


-m: 


i?- 


i' 


M 


k 


1  ! 


:i 


m 


m^ 


222 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


i 


liiith!^ 


I 


€iiue  cutters  from  tlnj  poacbiug  vessels,  and  there  were  very  few  male 
skins  amoiij.-  tliem;  also  have  seen  among  them  a  great  number  of 
unborn  pups.  Twice  upon  the  rookeries  1  have  seen  cows  killed  and 
left  there  by  the  poachers.    (Anton  Melovedoff.; 

I  know  of  no  other  explanation  than  this:  The  cows  are  shot  and 
killed  when  th<'y  go  into  the  sea  to  feed  and  the  pups  die  on  the  rook- 
€rip«"  This,  I  think,  is  the  true  solution  of  the  vexed  (piestion,  "What 
has  become  of  the  seals?"    (Anton  Melovedotf.) 

Since  1883,  however,  there  is  said  to  have  occurred  a  very  material 
diminution  of  the  seal  life  on  the  Pribilof  Islands,  due,  as  it  is  claimed, 
to  a  large  and  indiscriminate  slaughter  of  these  animals  in  the  waters 
of  Bering  Sea  and  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  cause  assigned  for  this  loss 
is  undoubtedly  the  true  one.  If  no  other  proof  were  forthcoming  in 
relation  to  it,  the  large  display  of  dead  pups  on  the  rookeries  would  in 
itself  furnish  all  the  evidence  required.  Such  diminution  could  not, 
in  my  opinion,  be  the  result  of  the  yearly  slaughter  of  skins.  It  is 
shown  that  an  appreciable  expansion  of  the  rookeries  took  i)lace  after 
twelve  or  fourteen  years  of  such  slaughter,  and  I  think  this  fact 
conclusively  demonstrates  that  tiie  number  of  seals  which  the  law  per- 
mitted to  be  killed  each  year  was  not  greater  than  the  known  <!ondi- 
tious  of  the  seal's  life  would  safely  warrant.    (J.  M.  Morton.) 

From  the  experience  gained,  and  observations  made,  during  three 
killing  seasons;  from  the  information  gleaned  from  men  who  have 
devoted  their  lives  to  the  practical  aide  of  the  seal  (juestion,  and  from 
the  books  and  reports  in  the  Government  offices  on  the  islands,  1  am 
able  to  say  that,  in  my  opinion,  there  is  only  one  great  cause  of  the  de- 
crease of  the  fur  seal,  and  that  is  the  killing  of  the  females  by  pelagic 
hunting.    (Joseph  Murray.) 

I  believe  this  decrease  is  owing  to  the  large  number  of  vessels  engaged 
in  hunting  the  fur  se.al  at  sea,  and  the  indiscriminate  methods  employed 
by  these  sealing  vessels  in  taking  skins.    (Arthur  Newman.) 

The  i)ractice  of  pelagic  seal  hunting  was  followed  by  the  J^orthwest 
Coast  Indians  from  their  earliest  history,  but  amounted  to  ho  little  as 
to  be  inappreciable  on  the  islands.  Even  after  white  hunters  engaged 
in  it  in  a  limited  way  our  losses  from  this  source  were  attributed  to  the 
marine  enemies  of  the  seals,  and  was  so  far  overcome  by  the  good  man- 
agement of  the  islands  as  to  permit  the  growth  of  the  herd  to  continue 
so  long  as  it  was  limited  to  a  few  vessels  and  confined  to  the  vicinity  of 
the  Oregon,  Washington,  and  British  Columbian  coasts.  But  even 
before  any  considerable  slaughter  had  taken  place  'n  the  waters  of 
Bering  Sea,  as  early  as  1882,  it  was  noticed  that  t^e  rookeries  had 
stopped  expanding,  though  they  were  treated  in  every  way  as  they 
always  had  been.  An  examination  of  the  London  Catalogue  of  seal-skin 
sales  shows  that  the  "  Victoria  catch  "  already  aggregated  a  very  con- 
siderable number  of  skins,  and  now  brings  home  the  conviction  that 
pelagic  sealing,  when  confined  almost  wholly  to  the  Pacific,  is  still  a 
very  dangerous  enemy  of  seal  life  on  the  islands.  After  1886  the  force 
of  pelagic  hunters  was  greatly  augmented,  and  became  more  and  more 
aggressive,  until  they  appeared  in  alarming  numbers  in  Bering  Sea  in 
1881  and  1885.  In  1887  we  were  forced  to  commence  taking  smaller 
skins  in  order  to  obtain  our  quota  and  preserve  enough  breeding  bulls. 
In  1888  they  were  still  smaller,  while  in  1889  more  than  half  of  them 
were  such  as  we  would  not  have  killed  in  former  years ;  and  we  called  the 
attention  of  the  Treasury  Department  to  the  evident  diminution  of  seal 


SEAL   LIFE   ON  THE   PUIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


223 


man- 
;inue 
ityof 
even 
•s  of 

had 
tliey 

skin 


life,  and  recommended  that  fewer  seals  be  killed  in  fnture.  There  can 
be  no  question  as  to  the  cause  of  the  diminution.  It  is  tbe  direct  result 
of  pelagic  sealing,  aiul  tbe  same  destruiition,  if  continued  a  few  years 
longer,  will  entirely  dissipate  any  commercial  value  in  tbe  rookeries,  if 
it  does  not,  iiuleed,  annihilate  them.    (Unstave  Niebaum.) 

lu  my  opinion  tbe  solution  of  tbe  problem  is  plain.  It  is  tbe  shotgun 
and  tbe  ritie  of  tbe  pelagic  hunter  wbi<h  are  so  (lestructive  to  the  (tow 
seals  as  they  go  backward  and  forward  to  tbe  flsliing  banks  to  supply 
the  waste  caused  by  giving  nourisbment  to  their  young.  At  this  time 
they  are  destroyed  by  thousands,  and  their  young  of  but  a  few  weeks 
old  nmst  necessarily  die  of  starvation,  for  nature  bas  ])rovide«l  no  other 
means  of  ':',ubsistence  for  them  at  this  time  of  life.    (L.  A.  Xoyes.) 

(}.  How  do  you  account  for  itf — A.  By  tbe  numbei's,  i)rincipally 
females,  that  are  killed  in  tbe  waters  by  nmrauders.    (,J.  C.  Ucdi»atb.) 

1  saw  no  diminution  of  seal  life  during  my  three  years  on  the  island. 
The  outlines  of  tbe  rookeries  rennuned  Just  about  tbe  same  from  year 
to  year.  1  was  told  at  the  time  that  there  hxl  formerly  been  a  large 
increase,  and  did  not  then  understand  why  it  <li<l  not  c(mtinue,  as  every 
condition  seemed  favorable  for  it.  There  were,  api)arently,  an  abun- 
dance of  bulls  for  service;  every  cow  seemed  to  liave  a  pup,  and  all 
were  healthy  and  in  good  condition.  No  females  were  killed,  and  in  the 
natural  order  of  growth  there  ought  to  have  been  at  this  time  a  con- 
stantly increasing  area  covered  witii  breeding  rookeries.  Yet  such  was 
not  tbe  case.  Tbe  explanation  of  tbe  matter  came  later,  when  we  fairly 
awoke  to  tbe  fact  that  our  aninnds  were  being  slaughtered  by  tens  of 
thousands  in  tbe  North  Pacific.  1  knew  in  a  commercial  wiiy  from  our 
sales  catalogue  that  a  very  large  number  of  "Victoria  skins,''  as  they 
were  called,  were  being  sent  to  market,  and  that  this  number  grew  con- 
stantly larger;  but  I  did  not  then  know,  as  I  now  do,  that  each  skin 
sold  represented  a  waste  of  two  or  three  and  perhaps  even  four  or  five 
seals  to  obtain  it.  Nor  was  any  attention  given  to  the  now  well-known 
fact  that  these  animals  were  a  part  of  our  herd  as  wrongfully  stolen 
from  us,  I  believe,  as  my  cattle  would  be  if  driven  in  and  approjn-iated 
from  the  highway  when  lawfully  feeding.     (Leon  Sloss.) 

Since  my  residence  on  tbe  Pribilof  Islands  I  have  kept  a  very  careful 
watch  of  the  progress  of  tbe  events  there,  and  have  interviewed  a  great 
many  connected  with  the  seal  industry.  I  am  of  tbe  conviction  that 
the  reported  decrease  in  seal  life  on  these  islands  can  be  attributed  to 
no  other  cause  save  pelagic  sealing.  While  I  was  located  at  St.  George 
Islaiul  in  1881  pelagic  sealing  was  then  and  i)revious  to  that  time  bad 
been  of  very  little  consequence,  having  very  slight  effect  upon  seal  life. 
Not  more  than  four  or  five  vessels  were  engaged  in  pelagic  sealing  in 
1881  in  the  waters  of  IJering  Sea,  and  prior  to  that  time  a  still  fewer 
number  were  so  engaged.  But  since  1881  this  industry  has  grown  yearly 
until  now  about  a  hundred  vessels  are  destroying  the  seals  in  great 
numbers,  and,  as  I  am  informed  and  believe,  the  great  majority  of  those 
killed  are  females.  Then,  too,  large  numbers  are  killed  in  this  way 
which  are  never  recovered  nor  reported.    (W.  B.  Taylor.) 

Scarcity  of  seal  can  be  attributed  to  no  other  cause  than  pelf'jric 
hunting  and  the  indiscriminate  shooting  of  seals  in  the  open  sea,  both 
iu  the  North  Pacific  and  Bering  Sea.    (John  0.  Tolman.) 

I  am  sure  the  decrease  is  caused  by  tbe  killing  of  female  seals  in  the 
open  sea,  and  that  if  their  destruction  by  tbe  indiscriminate  killing  in 


i  ill  i  i!  H 


III 


<  li 


224 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


the  open  sea  is  permitted  to  continue  it  will  only  be  a  very  short  time 
until  the  herd  is  destroyed.    (Charles  T.  Wagner.) 

I  have  no  doubt  that  it  is  caused  by  the  killing"  of  female  seals  in  the 
water,  avd,  if  continued,  will  certainly  end  in  their  extermination. 
(]\1.  L.  Washburn.) 

1  am  convin(!ed  that  if  open-sea  sealing  had  never  been  indulged  in 
to  the  extent  it  has  since  1885,  or  perhaps  a  year  or  two  earlier,  100,000 
male  skins  could  have  been  taken  annually  forever  from  the  Pribilof 
Islands  without  decreasing  the  seal  herd  below  its  nonnal  size  and  con- 
dition. The  cause  of  the  decrease  wiiich  has  tak«  ;i  place  can  be 
accounted  for  only  by  open-sea  sealing;  tor,  until  that  means  of  destruc- 
tion to  seal  life  grew  to  be  of  such  proportions  as  to  alarm  those  inter- 
ested in  the  seals,  the  seal  herd  incireased,  and  since  that  time  the 
decrease  of  the  number  of  seals  has  been  proportionate  to  the  increase 
in  the  number  of  those  engaged  in  open-sea  scaling.  From  1884  to 
1891  1  saw  their  numbers  decline,  under  the  same  careful  management, 
until  in  tlie  latter  year  there  was  not  more  than  one-fourth  of  their 
numbers  coming  to  the  islands.  In  my  judgment  there  is  but  one  cause 
for  that  decline  and  the  picseiit  condition  of  the  rookeries,  and  that 
is  the  shotgun  and  ritle  of  tlie  pelagic  hunter,  and  it  is  my  opinion 
that  if  the  lessees  had  not  taken  a  seal  on  the  islands  for  the  last 
ten  years  we  would  still  find  the  breeding  grounds  in  about  the  same 
condition  as  they  are  to-day,  so  destructive  to  seal  life  are  the  methods 
adopted  by  these  hunters.    (Daniel  Webster.) 

Deponent,  by  reason  of  his  experience  in  the  business,  liis  observa- 
tion, conversations  with  those  ]>hysically  engaged  in  catching  and  curing 
skins,  and  the  custody  of  herds  on  the  islands,  feels  justitied  in  express- 
ing tlie  0))inion  that  the  nnndters  of  the  seal  lierds  have,  since  the 
introduction  of  the  opensea  sealing  on  a  large  scale,  sutt'ered  i?eriou8 
diminution.  The  killing  of  large  numbers  of  females  heavy  with  young 
can  not,  in  deponent's  knowledge,  but  have  that  ett'ect.     (C.A.Williams.) 

I  made  careful  inquiry  of  the  people  on  the  islands,  both  native  and 
white,  and  of  those  who  were  or  had  been  employed  as  masters  or  mates 
on  sealing  vessels,  and  others  interested  one  way  or  another  in  the  cap- 
ture of  fur  seals  for  lood  or  for  profit,  and  failed  to  find  any  of  them  but 
who  admitted  that  the  number  of  seals  in  Bering  Sea  was  much  less 
now  than  a  few  years  since,  and  nearly  all  of  them  gave  it  as  their 
opinion  that  the  decrease  in  number  was  due  to  pelagic  hunting,  or,  as 
they  more  fvequentlv  expressed  it,  the  killing  of  ieniales  in  the  water. 
(W.  H.  Williams.) 

DECREASE   OF  THE  ALASKAN   SEAL  HEKD. 

After  1882  they  seemed  to  stay  about  the  same,  as  far  as  the  number 
of  breeders  was  concerned,  as  long  as  I  was  there.    (John  Armstrong.) 

I  ascertained  by  questioning  those  who  had  years  of  continuous  expe- 
r^vjnce  with  the  seals  that  up  to  the  year  1882  there  was  an  annual  exi)an- 
siou  of  the  boundaries  of  the  breeding  grounds;  that  this  was  followed 
by  a  period  of  stagnation,  which  in  turn  was  followed  by  a  marked 
decadence  from  about  1885-80  down  to  the  present  time.  (J.  Stanley- 
Brown.) 

I  am  unable  to  state  whether  the  seals  increased  or  not  during  my 
residence  on  St.  Paul,  but  they  certainly  did  not  decrease,  except,  per- 
haps, there  was  a  slight  decrease  in  1884.    In  all  my  conversations  with 


SKAL    IJKE    ON    THK    PUIIULol"    ISLANDS. 


225 


tlie  iiiitives — wliidi  were,  of  t'onrsc,  a  fi'rcat  iiiiiny — tlicy  never  spoke  of 
the  sBiils  beiiijf  on  the  tleeiease,  ns  they  eeitainly  wouhl  liave  done  if 
siieh  liad  been  the  ease.     (H.  A.  (Hidden.) 

Wliile  on  St.  I'anl  I  do  not  tldnk  the  number  of  seals  increased,  and 
in  the  hist  year  (l.S,S4)  I  tiiink  tliere  was  a  sliyht  deerease.  (J.  H. 
Monlton.) 

Ujion  tile  (Joinniiinder  Islands,  as  I  liav«'  iilready  snid.  tlie  increase 
in  seal  life  was  eoiistiint  for  many  years,  but  in  IS!)ii  we  noticed  a 
decided  disturbance  in  the  rookeries  iind  a  eonsi<lerable  deciease  in 
tiieir  [topnlation.  Tiiis  we  subsiMjuently  attributed,  when  the  facts 
were  ascertained,  to  i)ela;;ii(;  sealiny  in  the  adjacent  waters.  (Gustave 
Niel)aum.) 

1  noticed  during'  this  period  no  perceptible  increase  in  the  breeding 
rookeries  on  St.  (Jeorge.     (B.  F.  Scribner,  Treasury  agent.) 

ON   PRiniLOF   ISLANDS. 

In  18S2  there  was  no  scarcity  of  killable  seals.  The  men  drove  uj)  as 
many  every  day  as  they  could  handle,  and  those  selected  for  killing 
comprised  only  tlie  choicest  ones.     (W.  (J.  Allis.) 

There  seemed  to  be  also  a  large  surplus  of  full-grown  bulls  ior  rook- 
ery service,  and  enough  escai)ed  from  the  slaughter  ground  to  keep  the 
number  good  as  the  old  ones  passed  the  age  of  usefulness.  I  do  not 
believe  the  condition  of  the  rookeries  nor  tlie  manner  of  driving  and 
killing  the  seals  at  this  time  couhl  have  been  improved.  It  was  perfect 
in  every  respect,  and  the  lessees,  emjdoyees,  an(l  natives,  as  well  as  the 
seals,  all  appeared  to  be  and  were,  I  believe,  contented  and  liai>i)y.  In 
188(5  the  conditions  had  somewhat  changed.  The  natives  complained 
that  big  seals  were  growing  scarcer;  that  there  were  many  dead  pups 
on  the  ro(dcevies,  and  the  superintendent  intimated  to  me  that  he  did 
not  like  the  outlook  as  compared  with  a  few  years  i)revions,  and  said 
lie  thought  either  the  number  killed  or  the  size  of  the  animals  taken 
for  their  skins  would  have  to  be  reduced  of  killable  seals,  and  the 
work  went  on  as  during  my  lirst  year  (1882)  in  the  service.  But  the 
trouble  of  which  they  compiained  grew  more  serious  in  the  following 
years,  and  I  think  it  was  in  18S8  the  sui)eriiitendent  told  the  bosses 
tliey  must  kill  less  large  seals  and  inore"yenow  bellies,''  or  I'-year-olds. 
Ill  188!)  a  verj'  large  proportion  of  the  (tatcii  was  made  up  of  this  class. 
It  was  then  perlcctly  appaient  to  everybody,  myself  included,  that  the 
rookeries  were  "going  to  the  bad"  and  that  a  smaller  number  must 
inevitably  be  killi'd  the  following  year.     (VV.  C.  Allis.) 

The  aggregate  size  of  the  areas  formerly  occupied  is  at  least  four 
times  as  great  as  that  of  the  [tresent  rookeries.  (Report  of  American 
Bering  Sea  commissioners.) 

I  have  noticed  a  great  deciease  in  the  numbers  of  the  fur  seals  since 
1887,  both  on  the  rookeries  of  St.  Paul  Island,  which  are  much  shrunken 
in  the  area  covered  by  seals,  and  in  the  waters  of  the  racific  and  Bering 
Sea.  On  the  rookeries,  ground  formerly  hauled  over  by  seals  is  now 
grown  up  with  a  scattering  of  recent  growth.     (C.  fcl.  Anderson.) 

The  skins  taken  prior  to  1880  weighed  from  0  to  10  pounds  ea<'h, 
averaging  about  8  pounds  ])er  skin:  but  I  understand  from  those  who 
remained  there  on  duty  that  much  smaller  ones  were  afterwards  taken, 
beitause  the  large  seals  had  become  scan-e  and  were  needed  for  rookery 
service.  (John  Armstrong.) 
S.  Doc,  137,  pM ^1.5 


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SKAL    MI'K    OX    THi:    I'KIlilLor    ISLANDS. 


From  1870  lo  issi  tln^  seals  were  swunniiiy  on  tlie  Imuliiij;'  {ironiids 
and  tilt'  ruoUcrii's,  and  tor  many  yt'iiis  llicy  spicud  out  UKtie  and  ii:oi»'. 
All  of  a  ^iiddcii,  in  issi.  ui'  noticed  tlicic  Wiis  not  so  many  seals,  and 
they  Inive  been  doci-easiny:  very  lit  pidly  ever  si  nee.    (Keniek  Artonianoff.) 

Then'  aie  not  nearly  as  many  seals  on  the  coast  as  there  were  two  or 
llii'ee  years  ajio.     (.lolinny  llaronoviteh.) 

There  are  certain  piiysieid  as  well  iis  historical  sources  ot  int'oruiatloi) 
upon  I  he  island  from  wlii<tii  the  relation  of  the  present  to  the  p/.st  con- 
dition of  the  rookeries  can  be  very  <d<>arly  maiie  out. 

(I)  Not  only  upon,  but  iinnu'diately  to  the  rear  of,  the  area  at  i)resent 
occupied  by  the  breedinj;'  seals  occur  frajiuients  of  basalt  whose  anj>les 
have  been  roun<h'd  and  jiolished  by  tlu'  llijjpers  of  seals.  Among  these 
latter  rocks  j^rass  is  fouinl  {;rowin{j  t<>  an  extent  i)roportionate  to  tiieir 
distances  from  the  p'.i-sent  breeding  grounds,  and  further,  the  soil 
shows  no  recent  disturbance;  by  the  si-als.  This  rouiuling  of  the  bowl- 
ders ol"  the  abandoned  areas  was  not  due  to  the  impingement  of  saml 
driven  by  the  wind.  No  geologist  would  be  willing  to  risk  his  reputa- 
tion by  asserting  that  this  rounding  came  from  any  such  agency.  The 
distinction  t)et\\een  the  result  of  sand-blast  action  and  seals' tlipi>ers 
is  very  marked. 

(L')  A  careful  examination  among  the  roots  of  the  grass  will  often 
show  the  former  presence  of  seal  by  the  i)eculiar  appearance  of  the  soil, 
due  to  the  excrementa  of  the  s«'al  and  the  occurrence  of  a  thin  mat  of 
seal  hair.  The  attention  ol'  Dr.  (ieiuge  M.  Dawson  was  called  to  such 
a  felt  of  hair  ui)on  the  summit  of  Hutchinson  llill,  and  both  he  and 
Dr.  C  liart  Merriam  collected  specimens  of  it  from  among  the  grass 
roots  at  that  locality. 

{3)  At  the  rear  of  the  rookeries  there  is  usually  an  area  of  mixed 
vegetation — an  area  the  boundary  of  which  is  sharj)Iy  detined,  and 
between  Avhicli  an«l  the  present  breeding  grounds  ocuairs  a  /one  of 
grass  of  oidy  a  single  variety.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  ])res 
ent  breeding  grounds  oidy  scanty  bunches  aie  to  be  seen.  These 
gradually  c<»alesce  as  the  line  of  mixed  vegetation  is  ai)i)roaclied.  The 
explanation  of  this  is  that  the  seals  were  formerly  so  abundant  as  to 
destioy  the  nctrmal  mixed  vegetation  at  the  rear  of  the  breeding 
grounds,  and  that  the  decrease  of  the  seals  lias  been  followed  by  the 
encroachment  of  the  unifoini  variety  of  grass. 

(4)  The  statements  made  to  me  by  competent  observers  who  have 
lived  upon  the  islands  for  years  all  agree  that  the  shrinkage  in  the 
breeding  area  has  been  rapid  during  tlu;  past  iive  or  six  years. 

After  observing  the  ha()its  of  seals  for  a  season,  1  unhesitatingly 
assert  that  to  satisfactorily  account  for  the  disturbance  to  vegetable 
life  over  areas  whose  extent  is  \isible  even  to  the  most  careless  and 
])rejudiced  of  observers,  would  retpiire  the  presen<;e  of  frou)  two  to  three 
times  the  amount  of  seal  life  which  is  now  tobeibund  upon  the  islands. 
That  there  has  been  enormous  decrease  in  the  seals  there  can  be  no  ques- 
tion.    (J.  Stanley  Ibown.) 

Have  observed  carefully  the  areas  oc<'upied  by  the  seals  on  the  rook- 
eries and  hnuling-out  grounds,  especially  at  Northeast  P"int  and  the 
Keef,  on  St.  Paul  Island,  in  ISSl,  ISSo,  ISSG,  and  lS!)l,and  on  both  rook- 
eries the  areas  formerly  occupied  by  seals  have  greatly  decreased,  so 
much  so  that  at  lirst  appearance  it  seemed,  in  181)1,  as  if  the  hauling- 
out  grounds  had  been  entirely  deserted.  Subsetjuent  examimition  dis- 
closed the  fact  that  this  was  not  strictly  true,  tlune  still  being  a  small 
number  of  male  seals  lelt  on  the  grounds.    Have  also  observed  that  the 


SEAL    LIl'K    ON    Tin:    I'lilltlU  >l'    ISLANDS. 


227 


s«^;\ls  uic  miicli  iiioic  sciittj'rt'd  on  tlic  biccdiii;;' nxikci  it's  tliiiii  in  Iniinri' 
yciU's  I  I.SS4.  |S,S."»,  ISSil);  iilso  tlnit  lln'  ininilxT  ol"  s«';ils  in  tin*  watci  lins 
pidliortionatcly  dei'it'jised,  aiid  tliat  tlic.v  liavc  ;;rn\vn  very  inucli  nad-e 
sliy  and  dilticnit  toapproafli.  Withont  prcsiiniinji' to  he  altsolutcly  cor- 
rect, would  estimates  the  nundxM'  ttt  seals  i)n'sent  al  iSt  Paul  Island 
dnrinj;' the  year  ls!»l  to  about  10  percent  of  the  nuMihcr  there  in  i'oriner 
years  of  obstavation — 1SS4,  |.S,s."»,  ISSti,     f.Iohn  C  (!ant well.) 

I  did  not  notice  any  falliu};'  oil  in  the  size  of  tlu'  rookeries  from  the 
landmarks  to  which  they  came  when  I  first  saw  them  during' the  lirst 
two  years  I  was  on  the  island,  and  all  afjreed.  in  discussing'  the  matter, 
that  the  seals  had  never  been  more  numerous  than  tlu'y  were;  but  in 
the  followiii;;'  years,  aiul  particularly  in  ISS.S  and  1S.S!>,  no  other  opinion 
was  lieaid  tlian  that  the  animals  Inul  ;;rcatly  diminisiied,  and  in  tlii.s 
opinion  1  fully  coincided.     (Henry  N.  Clark.) 

Duriu};'  the  seasons  of  IS'tOand  ISIM,  I  wasin  command  of  the  revenue 
cutter  h'lisli,  in  Berinj;'  Sea,  and  <'ruised  extensively  in  those  wat«*r8 
around  the  seal  islands  and  the  Aleutian  {jroup.  In  the  season  of  I.SIHJ 
1  visited  the  islands  of  8t.  I'aul  ami  St.  (leorj^e,  in  the  months  of  .luly, 
August,  an<l  8eptend)er,  and  had  ample  and  fre(|uent  opportuidties  of 
observiufj;  the  seal  life  as  compared  with  1S7().  1  was  astonishe<l  at  the 
reduced  luimbers  of  seals  and  the  extent  of  bare  ground  on  the  rookeries 
once  teeminj''  with  seal  life.  In  IS'.M)  the  North  American  Commercial 
Comi)any  were  unable  to  kill  seals  of  suitable  size  to  make  their  cjuota 
of  (iO,(MM)  allowed  by  their  lease,  and  in  my  opinion,  had  they  been  per- 
nutted  to  takeo(),0(M)  in  hSlU,  they  could  not  have  secured  tliat  number 
if  they  had  killed  every  bachelor  seal  with  a  merchantable  skin  on  both 
islands,  so  yreat  was  the  dindnution  in  the  number  of  animals  found 
there.     (W.  C.  Coulson.) 

1  arrived  with  my  (iommand  at  St.  Tanl  Island  .June  7,  181)1.  At  that 
date  very  few  seals  had  arrived,  and  Imt  a  small  nuird)er  had  been  killed 
for  fresh  f(»o<l.  On  tlie  I'-th  of  dune,  1891,  we  were  at  St.  Ceorge  Island 
ami  fouml  a  {'i^w  seals  had  been  taken  there,  also  for  food,  the  numb(>r 
of  seals  arriving  not  being  enough  to  warrant  the  killing  of  any  great 
number.  During  that  year  1  was  at  and  around  both  these  islands 
every  month  IVom  and  including  elune  until  the  1st  day  of  December 
(exceitting  October),  and  at  no  time  were  tiiere  as  many  seals  in  sight 
as  in  ISIIO.  I  assert  this  from  actual  observation,  ami  it  is  mj'  opinion 
we  will  lind  less  this  year.     (VV.  C.  Coulson.) 

I3iiring  my  annual  cruising  in  lieringSeaand  to  and  from  thel'ribilof 
Islands  1  have  carefully  noted  the  nundter  and  appearance  of  seals  in 
tlic  water  an<l  on  the  breeding  rookeries  froni  the  deck  (»f  my  vessel,  and 
have  also  repeatedly  visited  the  hauling  grounds  from  year  to  year,  and 
it  was  about  ISS  t  and  IS8."»  that  bare  s[)()ts  began  to  appear  on  the  rook- 
eries, so  much  so  that  myself  and  the  other  otlicers  often  si)oke  of  it 
and  «liscussed  the  clauses  therefor.  The  decrease  in  nuohti  of  seals 
both  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  and  in  the  waters  of  IJering  S^;;  •,  nd  North 
I'acitic  has  been  very  rapid  since  188.">,  especially  so  in  the  lastthreeor 
four  years,  and  it  is  my  opinion  that  there  is  not  now  more  than  one- 
third  of  the  number  of  seals  in  these  waters  and  on  the  islands  that 
there  were  ten  years  ago.     (Leander  Cox.) 

During  my  last  visits  to  the  islands  I  observed  a  very  marked  diminu- 
tion in  the  number  of  seals  thereon  as  contrasted  with  the  herd  on  the 
rookeries  five  or  six  years  previously.  I  am  familiar  with  the  area  and 
topography  of  the  various  rookeries  on  the  islands,  and  have  observed 


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SKM-    LIFE    ON    THK    PUIMII.OF    ISLANDS. 


tliat  siMuros  toriii«rl.v  occu|>i»Ml  l»y  seal  licrds  luc  now  vaciiiit  iiiid  parts 
of  llu'iii  ntvcrcd  witli  fiiass.     Tliis  iliiiiinutioii  was  partii-iilailj'  notice 
al)lt'  ill   ISS7  and  l.SSf>,  tlu'  lust  tw(»  years'  visit  to  tin*  islands,     (.lunios 
II.  Doufjflas.) 

l-'or  iiiiiiiy  years  prior  to  ISOO  I  liave  ol)served  the  rook<M  ies  from  my 
ship  and  also  from  the  islands.  Tlie  lirst  decrease  in  the  nniiiber 
appearin;^^  on  the  rookeries  and  in  the  siin'oiindin<>'  sea  that  1  partien 
hiriy  noticed  was  in  tlie  siinnner  of  ISSl,  and  it  has  l>e(!ome  more  marked 
fnnii  year  to  year  sine*',  l-'or  the  last  tiireeorfonr  years  their  dit^ap 
jiearance  has  l)een  very  marked,  in  October,  LS1K>,  I  made  a  tiip  from 
I'nalaska  to  St.  Michaels.  When  al»ont  ~0  miles  sontli  of  St.  (ieor{;e 
we  (!omm»'n<'ed  to  watch  for  si-als  passing  tlie  Zapadnie  rookery  close 
inshore  alonf;  the  w«'8t  end  of  St.  (Jeorj^e  Island  to  Otter  Island  and 
Seal  Island  rock;  then«;e  to  Noitheast  Point,  ahont  a  mile  ami  a  half 
offshore.  Wlien  we  started,  I  reijueste^l  the  ollicers  to  keeji  a  sharp 
lookont  and  to  rei>ort  if  they  saw  any  seals  in  thei  water.  I  was  on 
deck  most  of  the  time  myself  also,  and  we  only  saw  two  seals  in  the 
whole  run ;  whereas  ten  years  ago,  when  on  a  similar  voyage,  seals  were 
so  plentiful  that  it  was  impossible  to  count  them.  From  my  long  obser- 
vation 1  do  not  think  there  are  as  many  seals  by  two-thirds  now  annu- 
ally arriving  on  the  islands  or  in  tlntse  waters  as  there  were  ten  years 
ago,  when  1  first  commenced  to  notice  that  they  were  decreasing.  Piy 
this  statement  I  nrean  to  say  that  only  one-third  as  nniny  are  now  to  be 
seen  as  formerly.     (M.  ('.  ICrskine.) 

Seals  have  decreased  in  numbers  very  rapidly  in  the  last  few  years, 
and  to  anyone  who  saw  the  breeding  rookeries  as  I  did  in  1880  the 
change  is  most  wonderful.     (C  L.  Fowler.) 

It  was  on  the  breeding  rookeries  and  among  the  cows  that  I  '^^st 
began  to  notit^e  the  decrease  in  seal  life,  and  1  do  not  think  there        'e 
more  than  one  fourth  as  many  cows  on  the  breeding  rookeries  ii 
as  were  there  iu  IS87.     (C.  L.  Fowler.) 

I  have  been  a  resident  of  the  seal  islands  for  the  past  ten  years;  for- 
merly assistant  agent  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Comi)any,  now  agent 
of  the  North  American  Company,  and  during  that  time  was  engaged 
in  the  taking  of  seals.  I  have  listened  to  the  testimony  of  J.  C.  Ked- 
path,  as  al)ove,  and  fully  concur  in  all  that  he  has  said  concerning  seal 
life,  with  the  exception  that  the  nund)er  of  seals  on  the  islands  this 
season  are,  in  my  judgment,  not  more  than  one-fonrth  of  what  they 
were  in  1887.    (C.  L.  Fowler.) 

In  those  days  (from  18()9  to  1882  or  1S83)  we  used  to  get  plenty  of 
seals  on  the  Zoltoi  sands  near  the  Reef  rookery,  and  now  there  are 
none  there.  It  was  in  1881  that  I  first  noticed  a  decrease  in  the  seals, 
and  it  has  been  a  steady  and  a  very  rapid  decrease  ever  since  188(!,  so 
that  at  present  there  are  not  one  fourth  as  many  seals  on  the  island  as 
there  was  every  year  from  1809  to  1883.     (John  Fratis.) 

In  1880  I  made  careful  observations  of  the  rookeries  on  St.  Paul 
Island  and  marked  out  the  areas  covered  by  the  breeding  grounds;  in 
1890  I  examined  these  lines  made  by  me  the  former  year,  and  found  a 
very  great  shrinkage  in  the  spaces  covered  by  breeding  seals.  In  1889 
it  was  quite  difticult  for  the  lessees  to  obtain  their  full  quota  of  100,000 
skins;  so  difficult  was  it  in  fact,  that  in  order  to  turn  off  a  suflicient 
number  of  4  and  5  years  old  nuiles  from  the  hauling  grounds  for  breed- 
ing purposes  in  the  future,  the  lessees  were  compelled  to  take  about 
50,000  skins  of  seals  of  1  or  2  years  of  age.    I  at  once  reported  this 


fact 

nun 

ern 

tha 

of 

Isia 

isia 

in 

]ioii 

the 

the 

less 

(»f 

de 

obti 

J.  (I 


SEAL    LIKK    ON    Till;    PiniMLOF    ISLANDS. 


22l> 


tiMtt  to  the  St'cretiiry  <»t"  the  Tivasury,  aiid  iidviscd  tin'  taUiii;;  ul'  a  h'ss 
iiuiiil)ei'  of  skins  tlie  loUowiii};  yt-iir.  iMirsiiiiiit  to  siicli  lepurt  llicdov 
(M'liiiieiil  ti\i>(l  tlie  iiiiiiibiT  to  he  takcii  as  <i(l,(MKL  iiiid  tiirtli(>r  or(h'r('(l  • 
that  all  killiii;;'or  seals  iipoti  the  islands  should  stop  alter  tht^  L'Otli  day 
of.lidy.  I  was  rmtlier  ordered  to  nidily  tlie  natives  mioii  the  Aleutian 
Islands  that  all  killiii;;'  of  seals  while  <-oniiii;A  IVoni  or  j^oin;;'  to  tlie  seal 
islands  was  prohilHtcd.  Thesi-  ndes  and  le^iulations  went  into  elleet 
in  ISiM),  and  puisuant  theieto  I  posted  notiees  I'oi' the  natives  at  \ai'ions 
|)oints  alon;>  tiie  Aleutian  chain,  and  saw  that  the  oiders  in  relati(Hi  to 
the  time  ot  killinj;'  and  i.innber  allowed  to  l»e  killed  were  exeeuted  upon 
the  islands.  As  a  r»'sult  of  the  enl'orcenieiit  of  these  re;;ulations.  the 
lessees  were  unahle  to  take  more  than  lM.-Js  seals  oi'  the  killaliie  age 
of  from  1  to  .">  years  during  the  season  of  LS!K»,  so  great  had  been  tlie 
decrease  of  seal  life  in  one  year,  and  it  \<uild  have  l>eeii  impossible  to 
obtain  <»0,(«K)  skins  even  if  the  time  had  bi'en  unrestricted,  ((^harles 
,).  (loir.) 

The  Table  A,  appended  to  this  allidavit,  shows  how  great  has  been 
the  decrease  on  St.  I'aiil  Island's  hauling  grounds,  bearing  in  mind  the 
tact  that  the  driving  and  killing  were  done  by  the;* same  persons  as  in 
former  years,  and  weic  as  diligently  carried  on,  the  weather  Ix-ing  as 
favorable  as  in  l-SStl  for  seal  driving,  I  believe  that  tlu'  sole  causes  of 
the  decie.ise  is  pelagic  sealing,  which,  from  leliable  inforiimtion,  1  under- 
stand to  have  increased  greatly  since  ISSt  oi'  LSS."»,  Another  fact  I 
have  gained  from  reliable  sources  is  that  the  great  majority  of  the  seals 
taken  in  the  open  sea  aie  pregnant  femah's  or  females  in  milk.  It  is 
an  un<|nesti(»nable  fact  that  the  killing  of  these  females  destroys  the 
l)ups  tiu'y  are  carrying  or  nursing.  The  result  is,  that  this  (h'struction 
of  pups  takes  ab(»ut  oiually  from  the  male  and  female  increase  of  the 
herd,  and  wl:en  so  many  male  pups  are  killed  in  this  manner,  besides 
the  100,0(10  taken  o  tlu'  islands,  it  necessarily  atl'ects  the  nundier  of 
killable  seals.  In  ISSI*  this  drain  upon  n)ale  seal  life  showed  itself  on  the 
islands,  and  this,  in  my  o]>inion,  a<'couiits  foi'  the  necessity  of  the  lessees 
taking  so  nmny  yoiuig  seals  that  year  to  till  out  their  (piota.  As  soon 
as  the  eiVects  of  ])elagic  sealing  were  noticed  by  me  upon  the  islands 
1  reporti'd  th«'  same,  and  the  (io\ernnient  at  once  took  steps  to  limit 
the  k'lling  ujion  the  islands,  so  that  the  rookeiies  might  have  an  oppor- 
tuinty  to  increase  theii-  nund)eis  to  their  fornu'r  condition;  but  it  will 
l)e  impossibhi  to  rei)air  the  depleti(tn  if  i>elagic  sealing  c(»ntinues.  1 
have  no  <h)ubt.  as  I  reported,  that  tin-  taking  of  100.000  skins  in  LS.SO 
atfected  the  male  life  on  the  islainls  and  cut  into  tiie  reserv*-  of  male 
seals  necessaiy  to  preserve  aninndly  for  breeding  juirposes  in  the 
future,  but  this  fact  did  not  become  evident  until  it  was  too  late  to 
repair  the  fault  that  year.  Mxcei)t  for  the  numbers  destioyed  by  pelagi<' 
sealing  in  the  years  previous  to  ISS'.i  the  hauling  grounds  would  not 
have  been  so  depleted,  ami  the  taking  of  100,000  male  seals  would  m)t 
have  impaired  tlie  reserve  for  breeding  purposes  oi  dimiidslu'il  to  any 
extent  the  seal  life  on  the  Pribilof  Islands.  lOveii  in  this  dindnished 
state  of  the  rookeries  in  1.S80  I  caielully  observed  that  in  the  majority 
of  cases  the  I  ami  ."i  year  old  males  were  alhnved  to  drop  out  of  a 
'•drive"  before  the  bachelors  had  been  driven  any  distance  from  the 
hauling  grounds.  These  seals  were  let  go  for  the  sole  purpose  of  sup- 
plying sutlicient  future  breeders.     (Charles  J.  (Jotf.) 

I  believe  there  has  been  a  great  decrease  in  the  numbers  of  the  fur- 
seal  species.  I  do  not  believe  that  there  are  m)w  one  tenth  as  many 
fur  seals  frequenting  the  I'ribilof  Islands  as  there  were  ten  years  ago. 


111] 


k 


II 

U.,.; 

a  i 

(Pin  IS    i 

?!  H  la;  ra   i 

1 

^  * 

1  sr 

1 

P 

1  ; 

J 
"i 

M 

Wm 


mi^ 


'J3() 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    THK    l'KIIUIA)F    ISLANDS. 


i^ 


Nine  ()!•  toil  years  iijio,  wlieii  !yiiij>' olV  tlio  I'rihiNff  islamls  in  tin' tall, 
tli«' yoiiiij;'  seals  used  to  play  in  t  1m' wattM"  alMmt  tlio  vessels  in  larjie 
imiiilx'is:  ill  ,nniiif>'  to  the  westward  in  the  iiitnith  «i|"  May  inaii.\  seals 
wei«'  always  ti  i)e  seen  l)etwe<'ii  I'lialaska  and  the  I'our  .Mduntain  islands, 
ill  iiiid.sn||||i;vr.  when  making'  passa^^es  between  I'lialaska  ami  the  I'li 
bilof  Inlands,  iisetl  to  see  larjie  bodies  of  t'lir  seals  ieedinj;';  they  were 
invariably  to  b«-  met  with  most  iinim-roiisly  about  <i(>  miles  northwest 
true  tVoiii  I'liiilaska,  and  iVoiii  there  up  to  and  Irom  the  I'eediii;^  oinnnd.s. 
VN'^heii  last  I  visited  the  ro(»k«'ries.  three  years  aj;o.  in  lSSt>,  I  notie<'d  a 
ji'ieat  shrinkajye  in  the  area  covered  by  seals  on  tlu'  rookeries.  (Charles 
:I.  llajiue.) 

Ill  IHHCt  and  LSST  there  ajipeaied  to  be  enoii;.'li  seals,  and  tlie  men  were 
kept  pretty  steadily  at  work  after  the  first  lew  days  of  the  season  until 
the  eateli  was  completed,  (iood  sized  skins  were  taken  in  these  years, 
and  there  was  no  trouble  in  iiettinj;  them,  but  larjxe  seals  <iiew  very 
scarce  on  the  island  in  'SSS.  and  still  more  so  in  the  three  lollowinjj 
years.  1  am  siiri^  the  si/e  of  the  rookeries  on  St.  I'aul  Island  ami  the 
number  of  seals  on  them  in  1S!>1  were  lesn  than  one-half  their  size  and 
number  in  issii,     (Ale.\.    iaiisson.) 

Coincident  with  the  increase  of  linntiii^'  seals  in  tlu^  sea  there  was  an 
increase  in  the  death  rate  of  pup  seals  on  the  rookeries;  also  a  per- 
ceptilile  diminution  of  temale  seals.  .\s  huniiii;^'  increased  it  became 
self  evident,  even  to  the  most  casual  observer,  ihat  the  rooki-ries  were 
becominy  devastated.  It  is  positively  a  fact  that  tlu're  are  not  near  as 
many  seals  «»ccnp_\  iiiji'  the  rookeries  i.ow.  at  the  presi'iifc  tini",  as  there 
were  wlieii  I  first  saw  the  islands.  The  vat'aiit  spai'cs  on  the  breedin<i' 
a;ul  liaulin}«'  grounds  have  increased  in  siz«'  fnmi  year  to  year  since 
ISSt,  iiid  Iiave  been  vi'iy  iioti<'eable  for  the  last  lour  or  five  y<'ars. 
When  I  lirst  went  to  the  seal  islands  the  seals  were  actually  increasing 
in  numbers  instead  of  dim  nishiiig.  Two  facts  presented  tliemsi'lves 
to  me  lat«'r  on :  l-Mist,  seal-*  '.ere  arriving  onvh  y<'ar  in  diminished  num- 
bers; second,  at  the  same  time  that  the  female  seals  were  decreasing 
in  numbers  thi'  niiieber  (»f  dead  pups  on  the  rookeries  were  increasing. 
The  indisi'iiminate  slaughter  of  seals  mi  the  water  has  so  deph'ted 
their  nuinbei  that  the  company  is  at  present  una'  'e  to  get  their  «|Uota 
of  skiiis  on  the  islaiid  as  allowed  per  contract  with  me  <iov«'riimeiit, 
and  is  r<>sti'icted  to  such  an  insigniiicant  niimliei'  that  it  is  not  enough 
to  supply  food  to  the  native  population  of  the  islands.  It  .  an  iiulis 
pntable  fact  that  larg*-  jiortionsof  the  breeding  idokeiics  and  hauling 
jroiiiids  are  bare,  where  but  a  lew  years  ago  nolliing  but  the  hapjiy, 


noisy,  and  snarling  seal  families  c(mld  be  seen. 


Tiie  driving 


ro()kei'ies  also  necessarily  liav«'  suffered,  as  witness  the  difference  in  the 
catch,  a  -  rop  from  1()(MI(KI  to  about  2)).(I(H»  in  IS'.Ml.     (W.  S.  Hereford.) 

I  hav<'  been  employe«l  on  the  seal  islands  since  ISSl'.  have  resided 
iijion  them  <'ontiiiu<uisly  lor  ten  years,  and  have  a  personal  knowledge 
of  the  seal  lite  as  it  exists  (Ui  the  islands  and  in  llie  waters  surrounding 
them.  There  was  less  than  one  third  the  number  of  seals  on  tin' islands 
last  year  than  in  ISSl'.  The  decrease  in  tlie  iiiiinber  of  seals  <'«)ming  to 
the  islands  was  first  noticed  and  talked  alM»nt  two  or  three  years  after 
I  liist  came  to  li\e  here;  and  simte  iSS7  the  de<'rease  has  been  very 
rapid.  A  careful  inspection  «>f  rlie  r<»(»keries  each  retnrning  seascm  since 
1SS7  showed  that  ";e  cows  'ven'  getting  h'ss  and  less,  alflsoiigh  it  was 
a  rare  Miing  to  find  a  cow  seal  tiiat  did  not  have  a  pup  at  hei  side. 
(Edward  Uughes.) 


^ 


SKAI,    IIFK    <iN    'IIII-:    I'lill'.lLor    ISLANDS.  Jol 

Toil  <)i'  twelve  ycivis  ii^o  tlie  idokencs  iiiid  sea  wmmo  full  of  seals,  hut 


now  flioie  ai(^  imt  a  iji'eat  man- 


We  used  to  kill  S."i.(t(M>  in  less  tliaii 


two  iiioiirlis' tiiiu' Oil  St.  Paul  Island,  and  our  peophcained  ideiity  of 
money  tct  Ixiy  eveiytliiii};'  tliey  wanted,  and  in  the  winter  we  kilh-d  L'.00(> 
or  .'i.dOO  male  pups  tor  food  and  <littliiii<;\  Now  we  are  not  allowed  to 
kill  any  more  piiprS,  and  only  7,."in(>  male  seals  for  food,  and  the  jx-ople 
are!  \ cry  miieh  worried  to  kianv  wlmt  is  to  heeoiiie  of  them  a>id  their 
eliildren.     (.lacob  Kotehootten,) 

1  rememher  the  lirst  time  '  noticed  ii  decrease  of  seals  on  the  rook- 
eries, about  seven  or  eijiht  years  aji«>,  and  tlie  s«'als  have  hecoim'  fewer 
every  year  since.  We  used  to  kill  sr>,(MI()  seals  on  St.  I'aul  island  in 
less  tiiaii  sixty  (lays'  time  until  1S',K»,  when  they  became  so  few  we 
ciMild  not  take  more  than  about  one  tbiirth  of  that  number  in  the  same 
leiif'th  of  time.    (Nicoli  Kiukott'.) 

All  our  p«'oj)Ic  know  the  seals  are  {•"ettiny'  scarc(-r  eveiy  year,  and  we 
think  it  is  because^  of  the  schooners  coming'  in  and  slioi»tiiij;'  tlui  C(tws 
in  the  sea.     (Nicoli  Urukotf.) 

About  ISS.">  a  decrease  was  observed,  and  that  deciease  has  become 
more  marked  every  year  from  ISSo  to  the  pieseiit  time.  (A}^ji;ei  Ku- 
sheii.) 

There  an'  not  one  fourth  as  many  seals  now  as  there  were  in  ISHL', 
jiiid  our  i)eople  are  very  much  alarmed  ti>  know  wliat  is  to  become  of 
*liein  after  the  seals  are  killed  otK  If  the  seals  decrease  as  fast  as  they 
have  duriiii''  the  past  live  or  six  years  there  will  be  none  left  in  a  very 
short  time  lor  us  to  live  upon,     (A}j.mM  Kuslien.) 

During;  the  time  from  lSiSr»  to  IStS1>  thei-e  was  a  very  maiked  decrease 
in  the  si/e  of  tlu^  breeding;'  j>rouinls  on  St.  Paul  Island,  and  from  ISS7  to 
ISS!)  I  also  noticed  a  great  decrease  in  tln'  areas  covere<l  by  the  litok- 
eries  on  St.  (icoryc  Island.     (Abial  P.  Loud.) 

Ill  his  report  oi"  ISS(»  and  1SS7  (Jeori>-e  l{.  Tinyle,  special  Treasury 
ajicnt  in  (diarjieof  the  seal  islands,  rep(»rt«Ml  haviiij-  im^asured  the  rook- 
eries oil  the  islands,  and  that  the  seals  had  lar<;('iy  increased  in  number, 
j^ivinj^  the  increase  at  about  LSlKiO.OOO.  I'rom  this  rep<ut  I  dissented  at 
the  time,  as  I  was  unable  to  see  siiiy  inciease,  but,  on  the  contrary,  a 
perceptible  decrease,  in  the  rookeries.  I  expressed  my  \i(  ws  tiwinany 
(u:  the  islands  and  all  aureed  that  t her*' had  ln'cn  no  increase  in  tin' seal 
life,  i'lie  nieasnrcments  of  the  rookeries  on  which  Mr.  Tinj;le  relie«l 
were  made  wiih  .»  common  rojie  by  ijiiKuant  natives  while  the  seals  were 
absent  from  the  islands,  th(>  j;ioiiiids  covered  by  them  beiiij;' di-siyiiated 
by  .Mr.  Tin^ile  from  memory.     (Abial  P.  l.oud.) 

hiuinii  tli<'  tlirt'c  years  followin;;'  ISS'J,  iianie!\,  ISS;;,  ISSI.and  lSSr>,  I 
was  not  up(ui  the  islands,  I'pon  my  return  '  ;  1SS(>  I  noticed  a  sii;;ht 
sliriiika}:e  in  the  bie.'dipf;-  areas,  but  am  nnal>le  to  indicate  the  .\ear  of 
the  period  of  my  absiMice  in  which  the  decrc  .sc  of  l>ree<liiij'  seals  l»e;4an. 
l''roin  the  year  1>>S(»  to  >,-'.so,  inclusive,  niv  ol»servat'on  was  continuous. 


and  there  was  a  yreatci-  decrease  ot  the  s<'a 


Is  for 


eacli  succeedintr  \eiir 


of  that  pt  riod  in  a  <Mim><lative  ratio,  proportionate  to  tiie  number  of 
seals  killed  by  the  pela;iic  seders.     (II.  II.  Mclntyre.) 

In  ISSi;  I  a;iain  assumed  personal  direction  of  the  work  upon  the 
islands,  and  continued  in  charge  to  and  including  ISS!).  And  now,  for 
the  tiist  time  in  my  expt'iience,  there  was  difliculty  in  secniriiig  such 
skins  as  was  wanted.    The  trouble  was  not  particularly  marked  in  liSHO, 


'      \ 


iS; 


\Uii 


,t  = 


f 

l- '' 

'f 

^1 

4     . 

» 

. 

^* 

: 

■  I 


232 


SEAL    LIKE    ON    THE    rRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


but  iiH-reiistvl  from  yeiu-  to  year  to  iin  iilaniiiii^'  t'xrciit,  niiril  in  ISS!).  in 
onU'r  to  secure  tlie  full  (|iiotii  jnid  at  tlie  siiiiie  timo  turn  l)ack  to  the 
rookeries  such  hreedinj;-  bulls  us  they  seemed  to  absolutely  need,  we 
weie  forced  to  take  fully  .">(»  per  cent  of  animals  under  size,  wliich  oujuht 
to  ha\e  been  allowed  one  or  two  years  uutre  {iiowtii.  Concerninji  this 
matter  I  reixnted  to  the  Alaska  Connuercial  Company,  under  date  <»f 
July  l(i,  ISS'.»,  as  follows:  "The  contrast  between  the  jtrcsent  condition 
of  seal  life  and  that  of  the  tirst  decade  of  the  lease  is  so  marked  that 
the  nu)st  inoxjaut  can  not  fail  io  notice  it.  .Inst  when  the  change  coin- 
meiuicd  1  am  uinible  from  persoinil  observation  to  say,  for  as  you  will 
remember  1  was  in  ill  healtii  ami  unable  to  visit  the  islands  in  ISH.t, 
1.SS4,  ami  18Sr».  I  left  tiie  rookeries  in  1SS2  in  tlu'ir  fullest  ami  best 
condition  and  found  them  in  ISSt;  already  sho^inj*'  sli<>iit  fallinj;  olf,  and 
experienced  that  year  for  the  first  tinw  sonu?  ditliculty  in  securin}>"  Just 
the  class  of  aninmis  in  every  case  that  we  <lesired.  We,  however, 
obtained  the  full  catch  in  that  and  tiu^,  two  followinji'  years,  Hinshing 
the  work  from  the  li-tth  t(»  the  -Ttli  of  .lidy,  but  were  oblij-ed,  particu- 
larly in  ISS.S,  to  content  ourselves  with  snnd'er  skins  than  we  luul  hereto- 
fore taken.  This  was  in  part  due  to  the  necessity  of  turninji  back  to  the 
rookeries  many  half  f^rown  bulls,  owiiiji' to  the  notable  scarcity  of  breed- 
injj  males.  I  should  have  been  };iad  to  Inive  ordered  them  killed  instead, 
but  under  your  instructions  to  see  tiiat  tiie  best  interests  were  c(mi- 
served,  thoajjlit  best  to  reject  them.  The  result  of  killinj;'  from  year  to 
year  a  larj>'e  and  incieasinji'  nundter  of  snniU  aninnds  is  very  apparent. 
We  are  simply  drawin<>-  in  advam-c  ujxmi  thi^  stock  that  shonld  be  kept 
over  for  another  year's  growth."    (11.  11.  Mclntyre.) 

(i>.  llow  (l<»es  the  numl)er  of  seals  on  the  rookeries  this  year  compare 
witii  the  nund>er  live  years  ago? — A.  The  ninnber  now  is  about  one- 
fourth  of  what  they  were  then.     (Noeu  Mandregin.) 

In  1SS7  1  b(^g;ui  to  notice  a  dindnntion  in  the  nnnd)er  <  f  seals  arriv- 
ing at  the  islands,  winch  wasduetotlieindiscriniinate  killi  ig  l>y  sealing 
vessels  in  the  oi)en  sea,  some  'lO  or  (iO  miles  distant.  W  Idle  we  still 
obtain  about  the  usual  numlter  of  skins,  many  more  are  taken  front  the 
younger  aniniaW  than  fornu'rly,  and  aie  somewhat  inferior  in  (juniity. 
(John  Malowausky.) 

From  ISSrt.  which  was  about  the  tinu'  the  sealers  ajjjteared  in  the 
waters,  the  decrease  in  seal  life  was  rapid,  and  the  natives  coninu'nced 
saying  "no  females,''  »'no  female,.,''  until  now  we  are  ccnd'ronted  with 
deplete<l  rookeries  and  probable  extermination.     (.loliii  Malowansky.) 

(J.  Have  you  noticed  any  ])erce|>tible  dilferen<;e  in  the  number  of 
.seals  on  rookeries  from  one  year  to  another? — A.  Yes. 

i).  Abtuit  bow  nuudi  less  is  the  luindiei'  of  seals  during  the  past  year 
than  they  were  six  years  ago.' — A.  The  nnnd>er  of  seals  this  year  is 
about  one  fourth  of  what  they  wer-.'  six  years  ago,  ami  about  one  half 
of  what  they  were  last  year. 

(}.  In  w!iat  way  do  you  form  your  above  opinion  as  to  the  relative 
luunner  of  seals  on  the  rookeries? — A.  l>y  the  fact  that  nmny  8i)aces  on 
the  rookeries  whi(^h  were  formerly  crowded  are  now  not  occupied  at  all. 
(Anton  Meloved(df.) 

About  18S<»  I  noticed  that  the  liiu's  of  former  years  were  not  tilled 
with  cows,  and  every  succ.eediu«'  year  since  then  has  shown  a  more 
marked  decrease.  In  l.SSD  the  bachelors  were  so  (ew  on  the  hauling 
grounds  that  the  standard  weight  of  skins  was  lowered  to  o  pouiuls, 


HKW.    I.IK..    ON    TIIK    rUliill.OK    ISLANDS. 


•J33 


iiIUmI 
ling 


and  liuiidrcds  were  takon  at  only  4  pouiids  in  order  to  lill  tlie  (piota  of 
1(M»,(I(M>.     (A.  Melovcdott.) 

Until  till*  sdiooncrs  came  into  IJeiinji'  Sea  the  rookeries  were  always 
well  lilled,  ami  niany  ol' them  had  }>rowii  steadily  lor  years,  when  it 
was  no  nneommoii  tiling'  for  the  lessees  to  take  the  i|M(»ta  of  S,"),0()() 
seals  on  St.  I'anl  Island  between  .Inne  1  and  -Oof  ea<  ii  year.  After 
IS.Sf,  when  the  orijiinal  two  or  three  sealing  vessels  had  grown  to  be  a 
well  organized  fleet,  we  fonnd  a  steady  decrease  of  seals  on  all  the 
rookeries,  and  we  found  it  dilticult  to  secnie  the  (juota  of  skins,  and  in 
18S1»  the  lessees  had  to  low<'r  the  standai'<l  of  weight  lower  than  ever 
before  in  the  history  of  the  island.     (Simeon  Melovidov.) 

l''roMi  the  year  IST-l  till  ISS.")  w<'  were  able  to  get  fioni  St.  (ieoige  and 
St.  Paul  islands  1(I0,()(UI  nnde  seals  within  the  period  known  as  the 
sealing  season  of  six  weeks,  from  the  10th  of  .lune  t«)  the  1st  of  August, 
and  still  leave  a  large  percentage  of  nnirketabie  seals.  In  IS.S."),  and  in 
every  year  thereafter  until  I  left  in  1SS7,  theie  was  a  marked  decrease 
in  the  nund)er  <»f  marketable  skins  that  could  be  obtai'ied  in  each  year 
during  the  sealing  season.  We  were  able,  down  to  the  last  year  (1<S.S7), 
to  get  our  total  catch  of  lOO.OUO  seals,  but  in  order  to  get  tliat  nundier 
we  had  to  take  what  in  ]>revious  years  we  would  have  rejected,  namely, 
undeisized  skins,  i.  c,  the  skins  of  young  seals.  Prior  to  ISST  wc  had 
endeavored  to  take  no  skins  weighing  less  than  IS  pounds,  but  in  order 
to  make  np  our  (piota  in  the  last  inentioiu'd  year  we  had  to  take  skins 
weighing  as  litth  as  ('»},  pounds  to  the  number  of  several  thousands. 
(T.  K.  Morgan.) 

In  the  years  loS."».  ISSd,  and  ISST  my  attention  was  attracted  not  only 
to  a  diminution  in  the  nnmberof  killable  seals  appearing  on  the  island, 
but  to  a  decrease  in  the  fenmles  as  well.  I'p  t<»  the  year  IS.sl  the  br«'ed- 
ing  space  in  the  lookeiies  had  increased,  and  from  that  year  down  to 
1S.S7,  when  1  lelt  the  island,  the  acreage  covered  by  the  rookeries  which 
were  occiipied  by  seals  constantly  diminished.     (T.  V.  Morgan.) 

.My  att«'ntion  was  called  to  the  deci'ease  of  se;ils  and  the  depletion  of 
the  rookeries  at  an  early  date  after  my  a^  ixal.  I  attempted  to  study 
the  habits  and  (Ninditions  and  to  note  ih  umbers  of  seal  on  the  sev- 
eral rookeries  and  li.iuling  gronmls.  1  he  natives  and  employees  of  the 
Alaska  C«nninercial  Company  were  nnaninmus  lu  the'  opinion  that  the 
seal  had  been  decre.ising  steadily  and  rapidly  siui »  ISSl.  ]  repoited 
the  fact  to  Agent  (iolf,  who  had  fonnd  similar  conditions  existing  on 
St.  Paul,  and  he  so  repotted  to  the  I  >epartment.  and  suggested  that 
not  more  than  (1(1,000  seals  should  be  taken  in  any  one  season  in  fiitiiie. 
In  puisuai\ceof  instrnelions  from  Agent  (iolV,  I  lelt  St.  (ieorji*  Island 
on  the  I'.tth  of  ,lidy.  l.S'.M).  and  landed  on  St.  Paul  Island  on  tli  -Mitli  of 
the  same  month,  and  renniined  there  until  Auj:ust.  IsOl.  iMiring  the 
iin>nth  of  .Inly,  IS'.IO,  I  walked  ovci-  the  rookeries  and  hauling  grounds 
of  St.  Paul  Island,  and  Agent  (!olV  pointed  out  to  nu' the  lines  to  which 
in  former  years  the  seals  hauled,  and  the  huge  areas  which  tluv  eov- 
ered;  and  then  he  called  my  attention  to  the  snnill  strip  cov»  .  by 
seals  on  that  date,  which  was  snmller  than  the  year  previtnis.  Agent 
Golf  stopped  the  killing  of  seals  by  the  lessees  on  and  alter  the  I'Oth  of 
.Iidy,  IH'.tO,  becau.se  of  the  depleted  condition  of  the  haidiug  grounds; 
an(l  I  fully  concurred  in  his  order  and  action.  I  spent  the  .sea ling  sea8oii 
of  1S1>1  (lu  St.  Paul  Ksland,  ard  pursuant  to  instru«'-tioiis  of  Agent  Wil- 
liams, 1  gave  my  time  and  special  attention  to  tlu^  study  of  the  ciondi- 
tn)n  of  the  rookeries,  both  the  breeding  and  hauling  grounds.     1  visited 


ii'  iu.. 


f  ;i 


,^f 


Wl 


234 


SEAL    LIFK    ()>;    THi;    I'kllilLOF    ISLANDS. 


illl 


n 


tbe  V(t(»l<eiies  diiily  tVoiii  the  7th  to  tlie  I'l'd  of  .Fuly — duriii.u  the  period 
wlieii  tlic  rooke!i('s  are  liiUest  iind  at  their  best — and  I  earelnlly  noted 
their  euiidition  and  the  Mnnil)er  of  seals;  tlie  number  of  cows  to  the 
family,  and  tiie  number  of  idle,  vi<;oious  bulls  u|.on  eaeh  rookery. 
(.Joseph  Murray.) 

I'ltou  my  first  \  isit  to  the  rodkeiies  and  hauling  j-rounds  of  the  island, 
of  St.  Paul  my  attention  was  attra<;ted  to  the  evidences  ol  recent  and 
remote  occKpancy  by  tlie  seals.  Marked  dilfereiices  were  noticealde  in 
theappearan<'eof  vej;etation  on  larjic  areas  formerly  occupied  as  bi-ee<l- 
ing-  and  haulinji'  grounds,  while  near  the  water's  ed}>e,  more  leeently 
occupied,  the  {•round  was  entirely  bare  ot  ve<ietation,  enabling;  one  to 
trace  the  {;:radual  decrease  of  areas  occupied  duriiij;'  the  last  six  to 
ei}4ht  years.  My  examination  of  the  rookeries  on  St.  Paul  and  St. 
George  durinji'  tlie  years  IS'.K).  l.S'.H,  and  ISUJ  enabled  me  to  trm-e  the 
yearly  decreasinj;  area  occupied  by  the  fur  seals  on  these  islands. 
Aside  from  the  evidences  of  '.'eserted  rookeries  and  hauling  jiTounds 
shown  by  native  inhabitants  of  each  island,  the  grounds  «)ecupied  in 
former  years  were  now  deserted  and  j>rass  j>n)\\n.  The  silent  witness 
of  the  deserted  rookeries  contirms  the  testimony  of  the  resident  aji'ents 
of  the  lessees  of  the  islands  and  of  the  native  inhabitants  that  the 
number  of  seals  l>eyan  to  decrease  with  the  advent  of  i>ela{{i<!  sealin<;', 
and  that  the  yearly  decrease  has  been  in  prt>portion  with  the  yearly 
increase  in  the  number  of  vessels  engajjed  in  that  enterprise.  (S.  R. 
Nettleton.) 

The  decrease  in  tiie  number  of  seals  coming  to  the  islands  in  the  last 
three  or  tbu'*  years  became  so  manifest  to  everyone  acipiainted  with  the 
rookeries  in  e.'ilier  days  that  various  theorie;  have  been  advaiu-ed  in 
an  attempt  t<^  account  for  the  cause  of  this  sudden  (ihange,  and  the  fol- 
lowing are  some  of  then*:  (1)  "A  dearth  of  bulls  ni»<ui  the  breeding 
ro(dveries;*'  (2)  ''Impotency  of  bulls  caused  by  over<liiving  while  they 
were  young  ba«;hel(trs,"  and  (.'{)  "An  epidemic  among  the  seals."  (L. 
A.  Noyes.) 

<^.  Have  you  noted  any  perceptible  difference  in  the  number  of  seals 
on  the  rookeries  from  (»ne  year  to  another?  If  so,  what  (changes  have 
you  obsjMved  ? — A.  Within  tlie  last  four  or  Hve  .\  ears  I  have  observed  :; 
decided  decrease  in  the  number  of  seals  on  the  rookeries. 

().  In  what  proportion  have  the  seals  decreased  w  thin  the  time  men- 
tioned ? — A.  As  (ar  as  niv  judgment  goes,  I  shouhl  say  at  least  one- 
half.     (.1.  (\  Kedpath.) 

As  the  schooneis  imrreased  the  seals  de(!reased,  and  the  lines  of  con- 
traction on  the  rookeries  were  noticed  to  draw  nearer  and  nearer  to  the 
beach,  and  the  killable  seals  became  fewer  in  numbeis  and  harder  to 
Iind.  In  l<SS(i  the  decrease  was  sn  plain  that  the  natives  and  all  the 
agents  on  the  islands  saw  it  and  were  startled,  and  theories  of  all 
sorts  were  advanc<'d  in  an  attempt  to  account  for  a  cause.  (J.  C 
Kedpath.) 

I  had  no  diillculty  in  getting  the  size  and  weight  of  skins  as  (U'dered, 
nor  had  my  predecessors  in  the  oMlce,  up  to  and  including  l.SSI.  The 
casks  in  which  we  packed  them  foi-  shipment  were  made  by  the  same 
nuiii  lor  many  yeais,  and  were  always  of  uniform  size.  In  1.SS5  thes«i 
casks  averaged  about  47.]  skins  eatrli.  and  in  ISSii  they  average«l  abo.it 
50',  skins  each,  as  shown  by  the  records  in  on.  otlice.  After  this  <late 
the  number  increat*ed,  and  in  1.S.S8  they  averaged  about  .mj  skins  per 
cask,  and  in  l.SHO  average<l  about  <•(>  skins  per  cask.    These  latter  were 


men- 
one- 


're<l, 

The 

same 

these 

iibo.it 

(hite 
us  per 

were 


•I.AI.    LIFK    ON    THE    PKIMILOF    ISL.\M»8. 


'235 


not  siii'li  skins  as  we  wanted,  but  the  snperintendent  on  the  ishuids 
lepoiti'*!  tliat  tliey  were  tlit'  best  he  couM  j;et.     (Leon  Sh)ss.) 

Tlie  nninber  of  seals  on  the  I'ribihd"  Islands  is  ilecreasini*'.  1  saw 
positive  proof  of  this  on  St.  I'aul  Island  last  season.     (/.  L.  Tanner.) 

I  had  an  exeelkut  opportunity  to  obseive  some  of  the  seal  rookeries 
dnrinj;'  my  tirst  visit  U>  the  ishuuls,  and  spent  much  time  in  stndyinj*" 
the  habits  of  the  seals,  both  on  the  rctokei  ies  and  in  the  adjaci  nt  waters. 
I  was  i)ai ticularly  im|>ressed  with  the  ^leat  numbers  to  be  seen,  both 
on  land  and  in  the  water.  Durin};  the  summer  of  I<S,s".>  the  li'ii.slt  was 
enjjaged  eruisinjjf  in  jtursint  of  vessels  en^am'd  in  illej^al  sealiufj',  -so  that 
our  anchoraji'es  olf  the  seal  ro()kerit's  that  season  were  short  and  inlre- 
<|Uent,  heiii ;'  I  <lid  not  have  the  opjKtrtnnity  to  observe  them  as  closely 
on  land  as  the  preceding  year.  During  ISitO  the  h'lisli  was  not  engaged 
in  preventing  sealing  outside  the  .shore  lindt,  and  we  spent  much  time 
in  full  view  (»f  the  seal  rookeries  and  eiuising  about  the  seal  islands, 
and  1  also  made  frequent  visits  to  the  breeding  grouiuls.  The  desertinl 
ai)pearan('e  of  the  rookeiies  and  the  absence  of  seals  in  the  water  was 
very  noticeable  ami  was  a  matter  of  general  remark  among  the  ollieers 
ot  the  vessel  who  had  been  on  Ibrmer  cruises.  Very  large  tiacts  of  the 
rookeries  which  I  had  formerly  seen  occui)ied  by  the  seals  were  entirely 
deserted,  and  the  herds  were  much  smaller  than  tlntse  of  l-SSS.  My 
attention  was  also  called,  by  those  conversant  with  the  facts,  to  the 
grass  growing  on  the  inshore  side  of  some  of  the  rookciies,  and  to  the 
three  dillerent  shades  ol'  grass  to  be  seen,  indicating  the  si>aces  that 
had  not  been  occupied  by  the  seals  tor  several  years,  owing  to  tlieir 
diminished  niunber.  The  darker  shade  showed  where  the  growth  tirst 
coiMnuMM'cd,  and  a  lighter  shade  foieach  succeeding  year.  There  were 
tliiee  or  four  ditteiently  shaded  gi(M*tlis.  reachiirg  down  to  the  sand  of 
the  rookeries,  ami  on  that  poition  of  the  rookeries  occupied  by  seals 
they  were  not  lying  near  as  couipact  as  in  ISS.S.  In  our  IVe(iuent  pas- 
sages during  l.S!K>  between  the  Aleutian  group  and  the  seal  islands  we 
sometimes  nuide  an  entire  trip  without  seeing  a  seal.  This  was  entirely 
<litferent  from  the  experience  of  preceding  years,  indicating  a  great 
failing  otf  of  seal  life.     (Fraiu'is  Tattle.) 

In  the  year  18S()  I  tiiought  I  began  to  notice  a  falling  otf  from  the 
year  previous  of  the  nund)er  of  seals  on  Northeast  Point  rookery,  but 
this  de(  rease  was  so  very  slight  that  probably  it  would  not  have  l)een 
ol»served  by  erne  less  familiar  with  seal  life  and  its  c(niditions  tlian  I; 
but  I  could  not  discover  oi'  learn  that  it  sh(»wed  itself  on  any  of  the 
other  rookeries.  In  ISSl  an<l  lss."»  I  n(»ticed  a  dcciease.  and  it  became 
so  marked  in  ISSI!  that  everyone  on  the  islands  saw  it.  Tiiis  marked 
decrease  in  ISSd  sliowed  itself  on  all  tlie  ro(»keries  on  lioth  islamls. 
I  iitil  I.SS7  or  1>SS,  however,  the  decrease  was  not  felt  in  olttaining  skins, 
at  which  tiaie  the  standard  was  l<»wered  from  (i  and  7  pound  skins  t'>  ."> 
and  U  pounds  The  haiding  gr«)unds  of  Nortiieast  I'nint  ke))t  up  the 
standard  longer  than  the  otiier  ruukeiics,  because,  as  I  lielievi',  the 
lattei'  rookeries  had  felt  the  drain  of  the  open  si'a  sealing  during  1S{S."» 
and  is,s(i  more  than  Northeast  i'oiiit.  the  cows  fiom  the  »>tlier  rookeries 
having  gon»^  to  tlie  southwaril  to  Iced,  where  the  majority  of  the  sealing 
schooners  w»'ie  engaged  in  taking  seal.     (Daniel  \Nebster.) 

In  pursuance  of  Department  instructions  to  me  of  May -'7,  ISIM,  1  made 
a  careful  examimition  during  the  sealing  season  of  the  habits,  nund)ers, 
and  comlitions  of  the  seals  and  seal  rookeries,  with  a  view  of  reporting 
to  the  Department  from  observation  ami  such  knowledge  on  the  subject 


1! 


!1 


1 


i 


■■s 


i 

I' 


(:■ 


~ 


I  I 


liiii. 


236 


SEAL    Li:'l-:    ON    THE    I'UIIULOF    ISLANDS 


as  I  ini;;'lit  obtain  whcthei'  or  not,  in  niv  «)|>inion,  tiie  seals  were  diiniu- 
isliinji'on  the  IMibilof  Islands;  and  if  so,  tiie  causes  tlieret'or.  As  a  result 
of  such  iiivestij;ation,  I  found,  tVorn  the  statements  made  to  me  by  the 
natives,  (loverninent  agents,  and  emiiloyeesof  the  lessees,  sonii-of  wiiom 
had  been  on  the  islands  foi'  many  years,  that  a  decrease  in  the  nnmber 
of  seals  had  been  ,i»ra(lually  ji'oinj;  on  since  ISS't,  and  that  in  the  last 
three  years  the  decrease  liad  been  veiy  rapid.  A  caicful  and  fretjuent 
examination  of  the  hanlin<>°  grounds  and  breediu'-'  I'ookeries  by  myself 
and  assistant  aj;eiits  during  the  months  of  .lun<',  .July,  and  Auyust 
showed  that  the  seals  had  {greatly  diminished  in  number.  We  found 
large  vacant  spaces  on  all  the  I'ookeries,  which  in  former  years  during" 
these  nuMiths  had  been  cov<'red  by  thousands  of  seals.  I'rior  to  KSSS 
the  lessees  had  been  able  to  take  I(M»,0()(»  skins  from  umle  seals,  but  I 
am  clearly  of  the  oj>inion  that  not  nu)re  than  one  third  of  that  nunib*'r 
of  merchaiitabl=  skins  can  be  taken  during  the  yeai'  I-S'.H.  (\V.  IJ. 
Williams.) 

DEC'UEASK   OF   SEALS. 

MiiHdffcment  of  rookvrii's  not  the  eaitne. 

In  studying  the  causes  of  diminution  of  seal  life,  there  were  found  a 
variety  of  actual  and  possible  sources  of  destruction  which  aieetlWjtive 
iu  varying  degrees.  Fortunately,  the  most  important  of  these  smirces 
were  directly  under  my  oliservation,  and  the  following  facts  presented 
themselves  for  consideration  :  The  restrictions  ujion  the  uuilestation  of 
the  breeding  grounds  and  upon  the  killing  of  females  has  been  impera- 
tive both  on  the  i>art  of  the  (ioveru  nent  an<l  lessees  since  the  Anioricau 
ownership  of  tiie  islands,  so  that  in  the  taking  of  seals  no  injury  could 
])ossibly  iiave  occuired  to  the  fi males  and  bulls  found  theieon.  I'or 
sonM>  years  past  the  natives  weic  jterinitted  to  kill  in  the  fall  a  few  tln)u- 
sand  male  jyups  for  food.  Such  killing  has  been  prohibited.  It  is  not 
apparent  how  the  killing  of  male  pups  could  ha\t' decreased  the  nund)er 
of  IV'iua'es  on  the  breeding  grounds      (.1.  Stanley  iJrown.) 

If  the  seals  were  as  nunuTous  today  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  and  the 
nninnei'  of  driving  and  killing  conducted  in  thesanu'  manner  as  during 
my  expeiienci^  there.  1()(>,0{)0  male  st'alsof  from  li  to  4  \ cars  of  age  could 
be  taken  from  the  hauling  grounds  aniunilly  for  an  indelinite  period 
without  diminution  of  the  seal  herd.     (Cliarles  Hvyi'.iit.) 

liecause  of  the  nuinnerof  killing  seals  on  the  islands,  the  |)recautions 
taken  to  kill  only  m.iles  from  L'  to  .">  years,  and  the  careful  linutation  of 
the  numbers  taken,  1  am  lully  convinced  that  the  taking  of  seals  on  the 
I'ribilof  Islands  c()nld  never  aifect  the  nund)ers  of  the  seal  herd  or 
dejilete  the  rookeries.     (S.  N.  Uuynitsky.) 

I  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Alaska  <'ommercial  (Jompany.  the  former 
lessees  of  the  seal  islands,  ami  their  instructions  were  to  use  the  utmost 
care  in  taking  their  quota  of  seals,  so  that  tiiere  nrght  be  no  dimihution 
in  number  from  y»'ar  to  year,  and  I  persoindly  know  those  instiuctions 
were  rigidly  enforced.     (Leander  ('ox.) 

If  no  other  agency  is  at  work  in  destroying  seal  life,  1()(>,(M)()  bachelor 
seals  can  be  taken  from  the  I'ribihd  Ishnuls  yearly  for  an  indelinite 
period,  jn'ovided  the  rookeries  were  in  the  same  c«mdition  they  were  in 
ISTl.  Of  this  I  am  convinced  from  the  fact  that  the  seals  continued 
to  incrcHse  during  all  the  time  I  was  upon  the  islands,  when  KMMKMt 
were  killed  every  yeai'  except  one,  when  J>r),(>0()  were  taken.  (Samuel 
Fahroner.) 


SEAL    MFE    ON    THE    PWllilLOF    ISLANIlS. 


•2  HI 


lelor 
tiiiite 
Me  ill 
lined 

iiiuel 


Tlie  iiiaiiiiyciiK'iit  of  the  seali'iies  upon  Copper  islaiHl.  ninler  Knssiaii 
occaipatioii.  was  lelt  wholly  to  tlie  native  (tliicfs  and  i<>noraiit  laborers 
of  the  liUssiaii-Ainericaii  Coiiipaiiy.  The  work  of  killiii^i'  tlie  seals  and 
cnrinj;'  the  skins  was  done  by  tliein  in  a  very  nnsy.steinati<'.  eareless 
way;  but  even  tlu'ii  it  was  understood  that  as  the  seals  aie  polyyainons 
the  surest  way  to  secure  an  iinrtMse  <d  the  herd  was  to  kill  oil'  snipliis 
males  a'ld  spare  the  females,  and  this  was  systenritically  piarticed, 
resultir.g,  as  far  as  I  am  aware,  most  satistactoiily.  Alter  the  expira- 
tion of  the  framdiiseof  the  Hnssian  Aniei  lean  ( 'omi>an.\ ,  in  ISHT  1  think 
it  was,  and  their  abandonment  <»f  the  ishind.  and  the  e.\eention  of  the 
lease  to  Hutchinson,  Jvolii  »S:  Co.,  in  I.S71,  several  dilVerent  jiarties  visited 
the  island,  killed  seals  inJii«lici(M\sIy.  and  intlicteil  ^^leat  injury  iijion  the 
rookeries.  They  w«'re  restrained  to  son;e  extent  by  the  natives  from 
indiscriminate  slaughter,  but  I  have  no  doubt  they  killed  more  males 
than  they  ought  to  have  done,  and  perhaps  als(t  some  females.  l'i»on 
my  arrival  upon  the  island,  in  1871,  the  native  chief  told  me  that  the 
seals  were  not  as  identiful  as  they  had  been  formerly.  I  announced 
that  we  intended  to  secure  (»,("•<>  sl:i"s  that  year.  They  protest«'d  that 
it  was  too  many,  and  begged  that  a  smaller  number  be  killed  for  one 
year  at  least.  We,  however,  got  the  »»,(«'(>  skins  as  jiroposed,  and  an 
almost  constantly  increasing  nnmbi'r  in  every  siibsecpu'nt  year  as  hmg 
as  1  stayed  on  the  islands,  until  in  1S,S(»  the  rookeries  had  so  developed 
that  about  3(>,0(M>  skins  were  taken  without  in  the  least  injuring  them 
This  is  proved  by  the  la*;t  that  the  increase  for  the  next  ten  years  allowed 
still  larger  numbers  to  be  killed,  amounting,  I  think,  in  one  of  the  years 
of  the  second  decade  of  the  lease  to  about  40,(t()0  ."-kins.  In  order  to 
secure  uniformity  in  the  methods  pursued  respectively  upon  the  I'ribilof 
group  and  Commander  Islands,  the  respective  lessees  of  the  two 
interests  sent  Capt.  Daniel  Webster,  an  expert  sealer  of  many  years' 
experience  in  the  business,  and  who  was  at  the  time  in  the  service  of 
the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  at  St.  Paul  Island,  to  assist  and 
instruct  me  through  the  summer  of  1874  in  the  best  manner  of  handling 
seal  droves,  salting  skins,  a".d  generally  in  the  conduct  of  the  business. 
In  w(U'king  under  liis  direction,  I  found  that  the  methods  pursued  by 
the  resjtective  jtarties  upon  the  ditt'erent  sealeries  did  not  dilfer  in  any 
essential  feature.  The  main  object  in  both  jdaces  was  to  select  good 
skins  for  market  a!id  spare  all  female  seals  an<l  enough  vigorous  i»ull8 
to  serve  them.  When  the  supply  of  bulls  is  more  than  enough  I  have 
no  doubt  the  number  of  offspiing  is  diminished.  The  bulls,  when  over- 
numerous,  light  savagely  for  the  possession  of  the  cow  seah^  and  unin- 
tentionallj'  destroy  many  young  in  their  ■  onllicts.  The  healthiest 
conditicMi  of  a  rookery  is  no  doubt  when,  under  the  laws  of  polygamous 
reproduction  for  this  species,  the  pr(»i>ortion  of  the  sexes  is  properly 
balanced.     (C.  F.  Kmil  Krebs.) 

F(dlowing  the  surrender  of  occupancy  of  these  islands  lu-  the  Kussian- 
Ameriean  Company  in  18(18,  the  sealeries  were  left  open  .o  all  parties, 
and  various  expeilitions  visited  Ihein  unrestricted  by  any  govern- 
mental control.  Their  catches  anionnted  in  18(18  to  about  l.">,0()0,  in 
18(JlMo  about  LMM>00,  and  in  187(>  to  about  30,(M»(»  skins.  In  1871  the 
Knasian  (iovernment  executed  the  lease  to  Hutchinson,  Kohl  «S:  Co., 
and  it  was  found  necessary  to  restrict  the  killing  for  this  year  to  about 
(),()00  skius,  because  the  rookeries  had  been  largely  depleted  by  the 
excessive  killing,  unwise  methods,  and  heedless  husbandry.  The  result 
of  improved  methods  showed  themselves  at  ouce,  and  the  rookeries 
steadily  increased  in  size  and  nundier  of  occupants.  We  were  thus 
enabled  to  procure  an  almost  constantly  increasing  number  of  skins 


I. 


■•< 


U,     I 


2;j8 


SHAL    LIFE    OX    THE    I'a'IitlLOK    I-LA.N!>.S. 


l^ 


from  year  to  year  (Unin^  tin'  wliolc  tonii  of  our  Ij-iis;-,  \\v  wen-  iimv 
striftt'd  as  to  tl  i'  miinhers  to  be  takni.  aii<l  after  tiie  tirst  two  years  of 
tlie  lease  were  urj;e<l  by  tlie  lliissian  aiitliorities  upon  the  islands  to  take 
more  tliaii  \v«'  wanted,  in  view  of  tlie  eoiiditioii  (»f  the  se;d  skin  market. 
1  revisited  the  islands  on  various  (tccasions  subs»'(|Uent  to  l.s71,and  my 
observations  e(»nlirmed  the  laet  that  we  were  movin;;'  in  the  ri;ilit  direc- 
tion to  secure  an  increase  of  the  roitkeries.  The  expei  ience  ot  the  whole 
term  of  the  lease  inoves  conclusively  that  (»nr  jiolicy  in  condu(;tin;;'  the 
business  was  a  wise  one,  and  tinit  our  nniniier  of  handling,  nninagin<>, 
uiid  killing  the  seals  was  in  every  respect  what  it  should  have  been. 
This  policy  was  predicated  upon  the  custom  of  the  liussian  Anu'rican 
Company,  observed  during  many  years  and  strengthened  by  my  own 
actual  exjierience  in  (ionducting  the  business  of  taking  seals  upon  the 
I'l'ibilof  Islands  in  1S(»7,  KS(iS,  and  l.S(»l),  and  more  paiticidarly  during 
the  season  of  IStW,  when  there  was  unrestricted  sealing  done  by  various 
parties  regardless  of  the  future  of  the  rookeries.  The  pernicious  effects 
of  the  methods  pursued  by  them  were  at  once  observed,  and  measures 
immediately  taken  by  me.  aided  by  the  natives,  over  whom  I  had  com- 
]dete  control,  to  correct  their  i)ractices  and  bring  them  within  reason- 
able custonjs  already  proved  elficacious  in  preserving  the  rookeries  from 
annihilation.     ((Justave  Niebanm.) 

If  the  right  i)roportion  is  nniintained  between  the  sexes,  the  greatest 
possible  number  of  progeny  is  assured.  As  long  as  we  were  able  to 
keep  exclusive  control,  undisturbe<i  by  «)utsi(le  inlluenees,  we  nniin- 
tained the  steady  increase  of  the  herd  and  profitable  returns  from  the 
industry.  When  (mtside  parties,  beyond  our  .jurisdiction,  <'avried  on 
their  destructive  work  to  any  consi(ierable  extent,  the  eipiilibrium  of 
the  sexes  was  destroyed,  any  caleidation  of  those  in  charge  of  the 
islands  was  nnllitied  or  miscarried,  and  the  speedy  decrease  ami  ulti- 
mate destruction  of  the  seals  ami  sealing  industry  made  certain.  (11. 11. 
]\lclntyre.) 

We  protect  and  take  good  care  of  the  seals,  ami  if  they  were  not 
killed  in  the  sea  we  could  make  them  increase  ui»(»n  the  islan«ls  so  that 
they  would  be  as  nniny  as  before.     (A.  Melovedolf.) 

We  can  care  for  and  protect  the  mature  seals  as  well  as  the<-attle  on 
the  ranges  are  car«'d  l<n'  ami  prote<!ted,  and  if  they  could  be  guarded 
fron»  the  hunters  in  the  sea  we  could  by  good  nnmagement  again  make 
the  rookeii<'s  as  large  as  belbre.    (S.  Melovidov.) 

Naturally  the  cause  of  this  dinunntion  was  a  matter  of  interest  and 
impiiry.  It  was  not  evident  that  it  was  from  causes  incident  to  the 
taking  of  the  seals  upon  the  island.  The  greatest  (sire  was  exercised 
in  the  driving.  Under  precisely  similar  conditions  the  herd  had  increased 
in  former  years.  The  nnml)er  of  skins  origii. ally  apportione<l  to  St. 
(leorge  Island  was  reduced  at  an  early  date,  and  only  increased  in  pro- 
portion to  the  rookeries'  e\i)ansion.  No  disturbanc«M)f  the  rookery  was 
])ernntted,  even  the  presence  of  dogs  and  use  of  lirearms  being  prohib- 
ited during  the  presenile  ot  the  seals.     (T.  F.  .Morgan.) 

The  management  of  the  rookeries  the  tirst  lift een  years  of  the  Alaska 
Oommercial  Company's  lease  resulted  in  a  large  inci-ease  of  seals.  The 
same  business  management  continued  and  the  same  system  was  pur 
sued  to  the  end  of  the  term,  yet  in  the  last  five  years  the  rookeries  fell 
off.  Clearly  ii  was  throufjh  no  fault  of  the  company,  and  resulted  from 
sonu'  cause  beyond  their  control.  I  do  not  think  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company  made  any  ndstakes  in  nninaging  the  seal  herd.    They 


¥ 


SKAL    LIFi;    ON    'I'Hi;    I'laiMLOF    I>1.AMJS. 


231) 


liaixlled  tlu'in  in  I'vory  respect  iis  I  would  li;iv('  tloiic  il'  tliey  liiid  lu'cii 
my  «)wn  pi'i'SfUial  inopcrty  and  as  I  would  do  it  tlicy  wcic  now  to  conio 
into  my  hands.  It'  tht-y  erred  in  any  partieuiar  in  tlieir  nnina.uenient,  it 
was  in  tlieir  futile  altenipt  in  isss  :ind  ISS'.i  to  stop  tiie  waste  of  the 
seal  life  at  the  island  spigot  while  it  was  ninnin<j  out  at  the  huii/^hole 
of  pelaj^ie  sealing.  I'lie  record  shows  that  we  ilid  not  linisli  the  catch 
as  early  in  ISSo  as  had  heeii  done  in  formei'  years.  1  do  not  tliiidv  this 
was  from  any  lack  of  seals,  hut  was  caused  by  ;;reater  care  in  niakin<; 
our  selection  ot  animals  to  l»e  kdh-d.     (Leon  Sloss.) 

I  affain  visitetl  St.  I'aul  Island  ami  remained  tlieic  several  <lays  in 
the  summer  of  ISs.*),  l)ut  saw  m>  «>vitlence  then  or  when  formerly  (»n  the 
island  to  lead  me  to  think  that  the  lessees  were  damaj;inji'  the  id(»keiies 
or  doiufi"  anything  different  from  what  a. judicious  rcj^ard  lor  the  future 
of  the  imlustry  would  dic^tate.  in  n'iviujn  tiiis  evidence  I  am  as  fiee 
from  |)reiudiee  as  is  ])ossible  when  entertaininji'.  as  1  do,  a  feeliiij;-  that 
the  late  lessees  treated  me  in  some  measure  unjustly,  n(»r  have  I  any 
interest  whatever  in  the  seals  or  the  products  of  the  sealeries.  ((leorj;e 
11.  Temple.) 

Raids  on  roolxerics  not  the  cause. 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  add  that  the  sujigestiou  has  been  nuide  that 
the  decrease  cui  the  numb»'r  of  seals  is  due  t(»  piratical  raids  upon  the 
islands  themselves  ilurinf"'  the  breeding  season.  While  it  is  umpies- 
tionably  true  that  such  raids  have  occasionally  occurred  during  the  past, 
and  that  s<une  skins  have  been  obtained  in  that  way,  the  number  of  these 
is  so  trifling  in  comparison  with  the  annual  pelagic  catch  as  not  to  atlect 
in  any  way  the  question  undei*  consideration.  It  is  alsoditlicult  forcuie 
familiar  with  the  rookeries  and  habits  of  the  seal  to  conceive  <if  a  laid 
being  made  without  its  becoming  known  to  theotlicers  in  charge  of  the 
operations  ui)on  the  islan<ls.  Tlie  '•  rai<l  theory,"  theiefore.  may  be  dis- 
missed as  unworthy,  in  our  judgment,  of  seri()USconsiderati()n.  (  Heport 
of  American  Commissioners.) 

The  statistics  which  I  have  examined,  as  widl  as  all  the  incpiiries 
niatle,  show  that  in  the  laitls  upon  the  rookeries  themselves  by  maraud- 
ers the  loss  of  seal  life  has  been  to:»  unim|tortant  to  p-lay  any  part  in  tiie 
destruction  of  the  breeiling  groun<ls.  The  inliospitable  sjioies.  the 
exposure  of  the  islands  to  surf,  the  unfavoraltle  clinmtic  conditi«)ns,  as 
well  as  the  i)reseuce  of  the  natives  and  white  men.  will  always  picven; 
raids  upon  the  islands  from  ever  being  frequentor  eflective.  (.1.  Stanley- 
r>r<»wn.) 

During  my  stay  upon  St.  (leorge  Islaml  several  attemi»ts  were  made 
by  jioachers  to  get  on  shore  and  steal  the  seal,  luit  tlie\  suc^'ci  (led,  as 
lai'  as  I  am  awai'e,  only  on  three  occasions,  and  in  all  those  three  I  «lo 
not  think  they  killed  more  than  l,L'(lb  or  l.oOll  seals,  including  pups.  If 
any  others  had  elfect<'d  a  landing  we  should  have  known  it.  for  the  rook- 
eries are  constantly  watched,  and  the  natives  are  vny  keen  in  this 
matter.     (Marry  N."^CIark.) 

We  tried  to  make  a  raid  on  St.  (leorge,  but  the  Conrlii  was  after  us 
and  we  kei)t  out  of  its  way.     (I'eter  huHy.) 

During  the  time  I  was  on  St.  (ieoige  Island  there  never  was  a  (aid  on 
the  rookeiies  to  my  knowledge,  and  1  never  heard  of  any  such  raid  ever 
having  taken  place.     (Samuel  I'alconer.) 


I'.  ''I 


I- 


t 


1 '  i 


1:-  Bi  :   ii 


i  -If 


\  '' 


\k 


1 1 


!i  !■ 


240 


SEAl.    LII-K    ON    THE    I'HIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


I  lisivc  known  of  one  or  two  schooners  operittini*'  in  lU'rin;;'  Sea  as 
early  as  l.STTor  IS7H,  and  they  wi-rcon  tlic  rooUerics  or(;iisionally  (Iniirif-' 
the  past  ten  xears,  but  they  ran  not  (laiinij^e  tin*  seal  herd  tnneli  i»y  raid 
inji'  the  I'ookerii's,  l)ecanse  tliey  can  not  take  many,  even  were  they  per 
niitti'd,  which  they  are  iKtt  by  any  means,     (.loiiii  I'ratis,) 

|{;iids  on  the  rookeries  by  marauders  did  not.  while  1  was  on  the 
island,  amount  to  anything;,  and  certainly  seal  lite  tiiere  was  n(»t  atl'ected 
to  any  extent  i>y  sucli  iMcnr>ions.  I  only  knew  of  one  raid  upon  St. 
Pan!  Island  wluic  1  was  there.  It  was  by  a  .Japanese  vessel,  and  they 
killi'il  about  KM)  seals,  the  carcasses  of  which  wc  tbiind  on  i-oard  when 
we  captured  the  vessel.     ( 11.  A.  ( lliddi'n.) 

We  sailed  about  .lanuary  from  Victoria.  British  C'(dund>ia;  sailed 
alonin-  tiie  c(»ast  until  the  latter  part  of  June  and  went  into  l>erin}i"  Sea, 
and  sealed  as  near  to  St.  Ge<»rf»e  Island  as  we  «!ould.  We  cau;^ht  alxuit 
300  or  1(10  seals  in  the  sea.  Our  intention  was  to  nnike  a  raid,  but  were 
driven  away  by  a  revenue  cutter.  We  left  the  sea  about  the  latter  itart 
of  .lul.y.     (Joseph  dry mes.) 

Max.  Ileilbroiiner,  havin}>'  been  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:  I  am 
secretary  of  tUi^  Alaska  (Commercial  Ajjoncy,  ami  as  such  have  in  my 
custody  all  record  books  of  the  (;omi>an3%  and  anH>n^  them  the  daily 
recordsor  "  \o'^  book"  kept  by  the  ajj^ents  of  the  company  on  St.  (leorge 
Isi:»iid  from  IST.'J  to  1S8!),  inclusive,  and  on  St.  I'aul  Island  from  187«»  to 
1880,  inclusive.  In  these  books  every  occurrence  was  carefully  noted 
from  day  to  day  by  the  ajjent  in  char;te  at  the  time.  They  have  been 
examined  under  my  supervision,  ami  show  only  the  following;-  raids  on  St. 
Geor{»e  Island  durinfj'  the  time  covered  by  tliera,  to  wit: 

October  2.'{,  1881:  The  carcasses  of  M  dead  pups  and  a  cargo  hook 
were  found  on  a  rook«'ry.  It  was  supposed  that  the  crew  of  a  schooner 
seen  about  the  islaml  a  few  days  previous  landed  in  the  ni^iht. 

October  10,  1884:  Fifteen  seal  t!ar(;asses  were  found  on  Zapadnie 
rookery.  A  j^iianl  was  stationed,  and  the  followinj-'  nij^ht  the  <!rew  of 
a  8(^hoouer  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  land.  The  boats  were  tired 
on  by  the  jiuard  and  retreated. 

July  LMK  1880:  A  party  landed  under  the  cliUs  in  a  secbuled  i>lace 
and  killed  about  oOO  adult  female  seals  and  took  the  skins  away  with 
them.  They  killed  about  oOO  pups  at  the  same  time,  leaving-  them 
uQskiuned. 

July  1*1',  I880:  A  party  lauded  at  Starry  Arteel  rookery  and  killed 
and  skinned  120  seals,  the  skins  of  which  they  left  in  their  tlight,  when 
pursued  by  the  guard.  They  killed  also  about  200  pups,  which  were 
left  unskinned. 

November  17,  1888:  A  crew  landed  ami  killed  some  seals  at  Zapad- 
nie; how  iniiny  is  not  known,  but  at  this  season  of  the  year  the  nund)er 
must  have  been  small,  because  the  seals  have  nearly  all  migrated. 

September  ."JO,  1880:  Eighteen  dead  pui)s  ami  lour  clubs  were  found 
on  a  beach  near  a  rookery.  It  is  not  known  whether  any  others  were 
killed. 

An  examitiation  of  St.  Paul  record  does  not  show  any  destructive 
raids  upon  the  island.  It  is  a  fact,  however,  that  in  July,  1875,  prior  to 
the  beginning  of  the  record,  the  crew  of  the  schocmer  San  Dicfjo  landed 
on  Otter  Island,  a  small  islet  0  miles  from  St.  Paul,  and  killed  and 
skinned  1,<I()0  seals.  She  was  capture<l  before  leaving  the  island,  and 
both  the  skins  ami  vessel  were  (condemned  to  forfeiture  by  the  United 
States  court. 


place 
with 
them 


SKAL    I.IFi:    ON    Tin;    I'RIHILOK    IfiLANUS. 


241 


The  re|»urt.s  ot'thr  siipt'rinteiuh'iit  for  the  lessees  allow  thiit  it  wnsthe 
(ustoiii  ol°  the  coiiipiiiiy's  ii;;'ent  on  the  islands  to  I'lXMiiiently  patio!  the 
rookt'ries  whenever  the  weather  was  such  that  a  laiidiii^' eouhlbcetVcct*'*! 
on  them,  and  to  keep  wiitehnicn  at  points  distant  tVoin  the  villages, 
wln>se  sp«'<',ial  diitv  it  was  to  report  I'very  unusual  or  suspicious  occur- 
rence. For  this  purpose  the  noitheast  point  of  St.  I'aul  Island  was 
connected  with  the  villajie  hy  telephone  in  ISSO,  a  distance  of  \~  miles, 
and  the  natives  instructed  in  the  use  of  the  instrument.  If  any  raids 
upon  the  islands,  other  than  tlios(>  herein  ineiiti(Mied.  had  o(-(;urred,  1  am 
sure  they  would  Inive  been  detected  and  reporte«l  to  thisollii^e.  No  such 
reports  are  on  tile.     (Max.  Ileilbronner.i 

U.  H.  Mclntyi-e,  havinj;'  been  duly  sworn,  <leposes  and  says:  1  was 
superiiiteiident  of  the  seal  lisheries  of  Alaska  from  1.S71  to  1889,  inclu- 
sive. The  records  aI»ove  referred  to  were  kei»t  under  my  direction  by 
my  assistants  on  the  respective  islaiMls.  1  was  in  frecpieiit correspond- 
ence with  these  assistants  when  not  personally  present  and  am  sure  that 
anything  wortiiy  of  notice  would  have  been  promptly  reported  to  me, 
1  believe  that  these  rec(»rds  c(nitain  a  true  account  of  all  destructive 
raids  u|Mm  the  islands.  If  there  had  been  any  others  I  should  have 
heard  of  them.  Kvery  unusual  occurrence  at  any  point  about  theisiamls 
was  noted  by  the  keen  eyed  natives  and  at  once  reported  to  the  com- 
pany's ottice,  the  mattJ'r  was  investigated,  and  a  recm-d  of  it  entered  in 
the  daily  Journal.  1  am  <(mtident  tliat  the  only  marauding  expedition 
that  ever  suci-eeded  in  killing  more  than  a  few  dozen  si-als  each  were 
those  of  lS7r»,  upon  Otter  Islaiul,  and  of  is,sr»  upon  St.  (leorge  Island, 
the  details  of  which  were  set  fortli  by  .Mr.  Ileilbronner  in  the  foregoing 
athdavit.  If  there  were  others  of  which  no  records  appear  the  number 
of  seals  killed  Wiis  comparatively  \ery  small  and  had  no  appreciable 
ert'ect  upon  seal  life.     (II.  II.  Mclntyre.) 

Sometimes  they  try  to  land  on  the  rookeri«'s,  but  we  drive  them  ott' 
with  guns,  and  they  nev«'r  get  many  .seals  that  way.     (Nicoli  Krukoff.) 

I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  the  seals  were  injured  because  a  few  were 
killed  on  the  rookeries,  when  men  from  schooners  landed  on  the  islands 
ill  the  niglit  or  when  the  fog  was  very  thick,  fcu"  the  numbers  killed  in 
that  way  never  amounted  to  much,  as  it  is  not  often  the  raiders  <>an 
land  on  a  rookery  and  e.scajie  with  their  plumler.     (Aggie  Kusheii.) 

When  on  a  raid  we  would  watch  tor  a  favorable  <»)ii>ortunity  to  make 
a  landing,  and  then  kill  male  ami  female  fur  seals  indiscriminately. 
Probably  for  every  5(M»  marketable  skins  secnre<l,  doidile  that  number 
of  pups  were  destroyed.     (Ij.  M.  Lenard.) 

While  1  was  ou  the  island  there  were  not  more  than  three  or  four 
raids  on  the  rookeries  to  my  knowledge,  and  I  think  that  tlie  destruction 
to  seal  life  by  raiding  rookeries  is  a  small  part  of  1  percent  ascompare«l 
with  the  numbers  taken  by  killing  in  the  water.     (A.  I*.  Loud.) 

It  is  often   ditTicult  to  entirely  prevent   poaching  on  the   islands, 
although  in  my  Judgment  it  has  not  been  of  sutKcient  importance  on 
the  Commander  Islands  to  have  any  perceptible  intluencein  tliediminii 
tioii  of  the  herd,     (.lohn  Malowansky.) 

I  remember  seeing  an  occasional  sealing  schooner  in  Hering  Sea  as 
long  ago  as  1878,  but  it  was  in  1884  they  came  in  large  nund)ers.  At 
first  it  was  suppo.s«'d  they  intended  to  raid  the  rookeries,  and  we  armed 
a  number  of  men  and  kept  guard  every  night,  and  we  drove  ott"  any 
boats  we  found  coming  to  a  rookery.    Sometimes  in  a  dense  fog  or  very 

S.  Doc.  l.iT,  pt.  1 16 


lll^ 


ill 


ww^ 


1 


n 


242 


SEAL    LIKE    ON    TIIK    I'UIBILor    ISLANDS. 


(lark  iii^'lit  tlicy  lanilcd  and  killed  a  lew  litiiidK'd  seals,  lait  the  luiinbti  s 
taken  in  this  manner  are  too  small  lo  be  «-onsid«'red.     (A.  Melovedort'.^ 

One  canse  of  destrnetion  in  raiilln^',  whieli  has  been  done  n|»on  the 
shores  of  the  islands.  A  half  do/.en  sm-li  raids  ar(;  known  to  me  per 
Boually;  but  while  it  is  not  possible  lor  niu  to  state  with  certainty  the 
skins  actually  secured  by  such  raids,  1  believe  that,  althon;>li  such 
raidin*^  is  detrimental,  its  injurious  elfect  us  compari'd  with  the  disas- 
trous results  of  pela^jie  sealin^i  is  insi^-nillcant.     (T.  F.  Morgan.) 

There  was  only,  as  I  recollect,  four  raids  on  the  islands  while  I  was 
there;  but  little  «)r  no  dama;ie  was  done,  ami  seal  life  was  not  peicep 
tibly  at!'ecte<l  by  such  nnirau<lin^.     (.1.  11.  .Moulton.) 

From  my  personal  kn«»wled^e  of  the  number  of  .seals  killed  upon  the 
I'ribilof  Islands  by  rai<ls  upon  the  rookeiiesduriu}*'  my  residence  there, 
and  from  informaticm  {gained  Irom  otlu'r  sources,  1  conclude  that  the 
number  of  fur  seals  killed  is  intinitely  snndl  compared  with  the  number 
killed  in  pelaj^ic  sealiu}; — so  small  as  to  have  no  appreciable  eti'ect 
upon  seal  life  upon  the  islands.      S.  K.  Nittleton.j 

I  am  told  that  the  diminution  ot  .seal  life  has  been  attributed  to  raids 
by  poachers  upon  tln^  seal  islands,  v'ery  few  of  these  have  occurred, 
and  the  nundter  of  skins  obtained  by  the  poachers  has  been  compara- 
tively inlinitesimally  small.  I  tldnk  the  whole  number  obtained  by 
them  in  this  way  <loes  not  exceed  ."^OOO  or  -1,(100  skins.  We  were  accus- 
tomed always  to  maintain  a  patrol  and  ^uard  upon  the  rookeries  when- 
ever the  weather  was  such  that  i)oa('iM'rs  could  land  upon  them,  and 
upon  the  least  sus|>icious  circumstances  measures  were  taken  to  fore- 
stall any  attempts  to  steal  the  seals.  The  .sea  is  usually  roujjh  in  the 
fall,  when  i)oachers  try  to  };et  in  their  w(uk ;  the  shores  are,  at  most 
places,  inac(!essible  from  lioats,  and  the  natives  are  vigilant  and  active. 
If  nnirine  hunting''  is  stoi»i>ed,  they  can  be  safely  trusted  to  <lefeiul  the 
I)roperty  upon  which  their  very  existence  is  <lei)endent,  as  they  have 
done  repeatedly,  against  any  single  .s<*hooner\s  crew.  ((Justave  Nie- 
baum.) 

There  were  occasional  raids  nmde  upon  the  islands  (Comnninder)  by 
poaclM'rs  during  our  twenty  years'  lease,  but  they  were  generally  unsuc- 
cessful in  killing  any  considerable  number  of  seals,  and  their  raids  had 
no  appreciable  effect  upon  the  rookeries,    (dustave  Niebaum.) 

During  those  years  the  lawless  occupation  of  seal  poaching  was  in 
its  infancy.  Marauding  ves.sels  from  time  to  time  were  seen  in  these 
waters,  but  the  islands  were  so  well  guarde<l  that  during  my  term  of 
oflice  tliere  never  was  a  successful  raid  or  landing  upon  either  of  the 
islands  of  St.  Paul  or  St.  George.  The  only  landing  upon  any  island  of 
the  group  was  made  in  dune,  1881,  upon  the  unoccupied  island  of  Otter 
(not  included  in  the  lease),  as  described  in  my  special  report  to  the 
Secietary  of  the  Treasury,  dated  duly  4, 1881.  On  that  o(!casion  a  pred- 
atory schooner  succeeded  in  landing  a  boat's  crew,  who  killed  40  or  uO 
seals,  when  they  were  ilriven  off  by  a  boat  sent  by  me  for  that  purpose 
from  St.  l*aul,  about  (5  ?niles  distant.     (II.  (J.Otis.) 

Until  1884  sealing  schooners  Avere  seen  but  very  seldom  near  the 
islands  or  in  liering  Sea,  and  the  few  seals  taken  by  the  hunters  who 
raided  the  rookeries  occasionally  are  too  i)altry  to  be  seriously  consid- 
ered, because  the  raids  were  so  few,  and  the  facilities  for  taking  many 
seals  oft'  so  utterly  insigniticaut.     (J.  C  Kedpath.) 


r'llS   111 

these 
M'ln  of 
of  the 
aiul  of 
Otter 
to  the 
pred- 
or  50 
iirpose 

ar  the 

'8  who 

loiisid- 

niaiiy 


8KAI-    I.Ii'K    ON    TIIK    I'KllllLoF    ISLANDS. 


243 


There  was  but  one  sin'cessfiil  raid  on  tin*  rookeries  while  I  was  upon 
the  ishmd  and  but  lii>')  seals  were  killed.  I  do  not  eonsidcr  that  raids 
on  the  rookerit's  have  anvthin{r  t(»  do  with  the  d»'ereas»'  of  the  number 
of  seals.    (T.  F.  Ifyan.) 

While  I  was  on  the  islands  there  were  n»»  raids  on  the  rookeri«'s.  and 
seal  life  was  never  depleted  at  that  lime  by  such  means.  (1».  F.  Serib- 
ner.) 

There  was  but  (»ne  raid  on  the  'ookeries  while  I  was  there,  and  that 
took  plaee  on  Otter  Island,  aboui  <iO  skins  bcin^^  taken.  After  that  laid 
the  (ioverninent  kept  a  man  on  Otter  island  during  the  entire  summer 
to  protect  it  from  marauders.  iJaids  on  the  islands  lu'vei-  affected  seal 
life  to  any  extent.     (W.  P..  Taylor.j 

1  do  not  reineinber  the  jirecise  date  of  the  lirsl  successful  raid  upon 
the  rookeries  by  sealinjj;  schooneis,  but  I  do  kmnv  tiiat  for  the  past  ten 
years  there  have  l)een  many  such  raids  atteni]  ted  and  a  few  of  them 
sui'cessfully  carried  ((Ut.ainl  that  as  the  number  of  scluMUiers  increased 
around  tlu;  islands,  tlu^  attempted  raids  increased  in  proi)ortion,  and  it 
has  been  deemed  necessary  to  keep  armed  yuanls  near  the  rookeiiesto 
repel  sueli  attacks.  Althoujjh  a  few  of  the  raids  w«'ie  successful  and 
a  few  hundred  seals  killed  and  carried  oil'  from  time  to  time  during  the 
past  ten  years,  the  ajitiie^^ate  of  all  the  seals  thus  destroyed  is  too  small 
to  be  mentione(l  when  eonsideiinji-  the  cause  of  the  sudden  decline  of 
seal  life  on  the  I'ribilof  Islands.     (Daniel  Webster.) 

DESTUl'OTlON   OF  TKMALE   [SEALS. 

Extoninatiou  of  peUtnic  catch  of  189l>. 

On  May  7  of  this  year  1  examined  IJof)  salted  fur  seal  skins,  ex  steamer 
i'maiilla  from  Victoria,  and  found  the  saiiu'  to  be  fresh  skins  taken  oft' 
the  animal  within  Ihree  months.  They  were  killed  in  the  North  I'aciti'.'. 
On  examination  I  found  they  were  the  skins  known  as  the  Northwest 
Coast  seals,  and  beh>n<>  to  the  herd  which  have  their  rookery  on  the 
I'ribilof  Islands.  The  lot  contained  '{10  skins  of  the  fur-seal  cow 
(matured).  From  the  shape  of  the  skins  most  all  of  these  cows  must 
have  been  heavy  with  pup,  and  same  cut  <uit  of  them  when  captured. 
Eighteen  skins  of  the  fur-seal  male  (matured).  Twenty-seven  skins  of 
the  fur-seal  gray  pup,  from  0  to  1>  m<»nths  old;  sex  doubtful. 

On  June  2  I  examined  78  saltetl  fur  seal  skins,  ex  steamer  Walla 
Walla  from  Victoria,  and  fouiul  the  same  to  be  fresh  skins  taken  ott' 
the  animal  within  three  months.  They  were  killed  in  the  North  I'aeitic. 
On  examination  I  found  they  were  the  skins  known  as  the  Noithwest 
i'oiist  seals,  and  belong  to  the  herd  which  have  their  rookery  on  the 
I'ribilof  Islands.  The  lot  contained  (it>  skins  of  the  fur-seal  cow 
(matured).  From  the  shape  of  the  skin  most  all  of  these  cows  must 
liave  been  heavy  with  pup.  and  the  same  cut  oi.t  of  them  when  cap- 
tured. Five  skins  of  the  fur  seal  male  (matured).  Seven  skins  of  the 
fur-seal  gray  pu|>,  from  (» to  0  months  old ;  sex  doubtful. 

On  .luiie  7  I  examined  L'(»S  salted  fiir-seal  skins,  ex  steamer  I'malilla 
from  Victoria,  and  found  the  same  to  be  fresh  skins  taken  ott"  the 
animal  within  three  months.  They  were  killed  in  the  North  Facitlc. 
On  examination  I  found  they  were  skins  known  as  the  Northwest  coast 
seals  and  belong  to  the  herd  which  have  their  rookery  on  the  I'ribilof 
Islands.  The  lot  contained  212  skins  of  the  fur-seal  co  v  (matured). 
From  the  shape  of  the  .skin  most  all  of  these  cows  must  have  been 


f 


!> 


ii 


*•; 


m  t  • 


;  ^ 


\r,    }|, 


; 


1    1 


1>44 


SKAh    hlKK    ON    TIIK    J'KII'.M.oK    IShAN'DS. 


lH'iiv.\  with  i»iijr,  iiid  siiiiM'  cut  txit  of  tlu>iii  when  ciiittiircd.  Kh-vcii 
skins  <>l  tlu'  (iir  si'iil  maU'  (mafiii  "(1),  I''iut.v  skiiis  of  tlu'  liir  seal  fiiay 
j)U|>.  IVoiii  (>  to  *>  iiioiitlis  old:  St".  «loul>ii;'l. 

On  tin' sanuMJatc  I  also  cxan:  i;r'l  lL'4  >alt<'(l  liir  seal  skins,  ex  stranicr 
I'linitilhi  iVoni  X'ictoiia,  and  fonnd  fiie  same  l<»  In-  t'n'sli  skins  taken  tttV 
the  animal  witliin  tlrce  iin»ntlis.  They  were  killed  in  the  North  I'aeilic. 
On  examination  I  found  that  they  were  the  skins  known  as  (he  North 
west  coast  seals  and  helonjj;  to  the  herd  which  hiive  theii-  rookei-y  on 
the  IMihilof  l>IaMds.  'i'lie  lot  <-ontained  !).'>  skins  (»!'  the  t'nr  seal  <!ow 
(nnitnred),  Kioni  the  shape  ol'  tlu' skin  most  all  of  these  cows  must 
liave  hvvu  heavy  with  yoiini;'.  ai'd  the  same  cut  out  of  iheni  when  cap 
tnred.  l-'itteen  skins  of  the  t'ni-seal  nnile  (niatnred).  Sixteen  skins  of 
Jlie  fur  seal  jfiay  pu|i,  from  <•  to  0  months  old:  sex  douWtfnl. 

I  notice  on  examining;'  st>als  caught  tliis  spring;'  that  there  is  a  lack  of 
the  lar<>ur  si/e  of  prodtieiive  animals,  and  the  lots  mostly  contain  the 
skins  of  the  niedium-si/ed  seals,  rnnninji'  from  -  to  .">  years  of  af^e. 
(Charles  ,1.  IW-hlow.) 

OntheliUth  inslat  t  I  «'xainined -MiOsalted  far  s«'al  skins.  «'x  schooner 
Emma  mifl  l.imixv  from  the  North  I'aeitie  (h-eau,  and  found  same  to  he 
fresh  skins  taken  ctV  the  animal  within  four  months.  They  were  killed 
in  the  North  [•acilic.  <  )n  examinaiion  I  lind  tliey  were  the  skin  ivnown 
^is  (he  Northwest  coast  skins,  and  lielonjn  to  the  herd  which  have  their 


rookerv  on  the  J'.ibilof  Island 


The  lot  (Contained  4  skins  of  the  fin- 


i  I 


seal  lar«»e  hulls  (l>rcedin<;  hulls):  \'1'.\  skins  of  the  fni'  seal  male  (mostly 
niatuied);  Its  skins  ot  the  fur  seal  ^'ray  i)up,  less  than  1  year  ohi,  sex 
(louhtful:  l,!rj  skins  of  the  fur  seal  c(»w  (mostly  n.atured).  From  the 
shape  of  the  skin  most  all  tlies*' eows  must  hasc  heen  heavy  with  pup, 
and  same  cut  out  of  thero  whi'w  captured.     (Charles  ,1.  Ilehlow.) 

As  a  lesull  of  the  work  I  have  |)erformed  for  so  nniny  years  1  am  ahle 
to  <listinji>nish  witluait  ditliculty  the  skin  of  ii  fennde  seal  from  that  of 
i\  male  seal.  Tlieie  are  generally  seveial  ways  in  which  I  can  tell 
theiu  apart.  One  of  tlu^  surest  ways  consists  in  seeinj;'  whether  any 
teats  can  he  found.  On  a  female  skin  above  the  a^^e  oi'  li  years  teats 
<'an  praetieally  always  be  discovered:  when  the  aniruiil  is  over  ■>  years 
old  evcMi  a  person  who  is  not  an  exitert  at  handlin*;'  skins  <;an  discovei 
two  prominent  ones  on  ea«jh  side  ot  almost  every  skin.  This  beirause 
after  tlu>  a^i'e  of  .'i,  siiul  i>ften  even  after  li,  almost  all  fenmles  ha'  i:.  been 
in  pup.  There  are  also  (eats  on  a.  nuile  skin,  but  fchey  are  «>idy  v«M'y 
sliffh'ly  developed.  VVln-n  the  fur  is  matted,  as  it  is  in  salted  fur-seal 
skins,  the  untie  teats  can  not  be  found,  but  the  female  teats  of  skins 
anoi'<^than  li  years  old  eaa  be  found  un<ler  all  eireumst  dices. 

I  have  been  able  to  test  all  my  ol)hervati()ns  as  t<»  Wm  teats  on  salted 
fur-seal  skins  l)y  followiii};  these  skir.8  tlirou^ih  the  various  pioi-esses 
whii'h  1  have  descii bed.  IJiirinj;'  these  jMOi^esses  the  skins  b<'«'ome  thin 
ner  and  thinner,  and  the  teats  nuuv  and  mor.^  lUJiiceable,  and  at  an 
early  stage  in  the  dressing  they  must  be  whcdly  removed.  There  arc 
other  ways  of  distinguishing  the  skins  of  the  two  sexes.  I  »vill  state  ;i 
few  of  UuMu. 

A  female  has  a  narrower  he.id  tha  n  a  male  seal,  liy  ( he  word  "  head  ' 
I  mean  here  to  include  that  part  of  the  body  from  the  head  down  to  the 
ndddle  of  the  baek.  I  believe  all  men  who  have  handled  tlu^  skins  ol 
both  sexes  havj  n«>tieed  this  point.  Then,  again,  when  the  whiskers 
have  not  been  cut  oft' they  generally  atford  a  safe  means  of  distinguish 
ing  the  sexes.  Male  whiiskers  are  miudi  more  brittle  and  of  :i  dai  kei 
€i;lor  than  those  of  the  female  animal.     When  the  male  seal  is  over  <> 


SEAL    MFK    <>\     rilK    I'UIIULOK    ISLANKS. 


24& 


skins 
sal  tod 

XM'SSt'S 

'  thin 

i\{  iin 

',('  an' 

Stat*'  ;i 


ytMi's  ols!  it  Ix'uiiis  to  liavo  a  man*',  am)  lor  tiiis  irasoii  it  is  after  tiiat 
i'^'e  «'all»Ml  a  wij:.  Finally,  it  is  jujMUTally  |>ossil>It'  tor  ini'  to  tell  tlie 
nkin:;  .n"  tlie  two  srxos  apart  by  Just  takiii^i"  a  look  at  tlii'in  or  tW'liii^- 
then:.  I  sup|)osu  I  can  do  this  hccaiisf  I  have  Ix'on  at  the  biisiiie^s  so 
Ion<;'  that  I  am  ancNpcrt  in  it. 

'I'Im' I'hict  ('lasst's  of  s«'al  skjns  that  1  have  liandlnl  an- tin-  Alaska, 
tlu' Noithwest  toast,  and  the  Copper  Island  skins.  1  can  always  dis 
tiii^iiish  the  skins  of  these  t-lasses.  'I'iie  Northwest  (!oast  skins  ai'e 
most  easily  told  '  y  the  very  jjreat  jtroport ion  of  females  eontaineil  in 
any  jiiven  lot.  Amon^-  the  Alaska  and  Copper  skins  I  ha\e  hardly  ever 
seen  a  female  skin,     i.lohn  •!.  IMielaii.) 

I  was  sent  to  New  York  from  Alhany  a  few  days  a<io  by  Mr.  (leorye 
II.  Treadwe'jl,  with  instriietions  to  ;.:()  thro(i<;h  a  certain  lot  o\'  seal  skin.s. 
wliitrh,  I  understand,  lie  had  recently  hon^ht  in  N'ictiuia,  an<l  to  tin<l 
(Mit  how  many  of  these  skins  were  taken  from  female  animals.  I  have 
spent  fonr  days  in  doi,,';  this,  working;  about  seven  hour>ia  da\. 

There  were  several  men  who  unpacked  the  skins  and  laid  them  hefor*? 
nie.  so  that  all  of  my  time  was  spent  in  e\aminin<:  t  he  individnal  skins. 
The  lot  contained  .'>,.Vi<)  skins.  1  fonnd  that,  witii  tiie  |M)SsiUle  e\ce|>> 
tion  of  two  liried  on»is.  they  were  taken  from  the  animal  this  year:: 
they  wen^  a  part  of  what  is  known  as  th  '  sprin;;'  iatch.  I  know  this 
t(»  he  the  case  1  v  tiie  fresh  app('araiice  ol'  the  Iduhhei'  and  iif  tlie  skiu 
as  a  whole.  This  affords  a  sure  way  of  telliii^j  whether  the  skin  li;is 
lain  in  salt  all  winter  or  whethei-  it  ha>  been  recently  salted.  I  per 
sonally  inspeett'd  each  tme  of  these  skins  by  itself  and  kept  an  accii 
rate  record  of  the  result.  1  divide<l  the  skins  according'  to  the  three 
following  ('lasses:  .Males,  females,  and  pups.  In  the  f-lass  of  jnips  I 
placed  only  the  skins  of  animals  less  tlian  '2  years  ol  a<;e,  but  without 
refereiM'e  t.>  sex. 

I  fonnd  ill  the  lot  ;{'.>.'»  males,  l.'.M»7  Icmales.  and  !>ss  pnps.  Leaving 
out  of  act'oiint  the  jnips.,  the  percenta.ye  (d' females  was  therefore  abmit 
S'J.  The  j;reat  majority  <d'  what  1  classj'd  as  male  skins  were  taken 
from  animals  less  than  .'»  years  of  a^^e.  There  was  not  a  single  wi^  in 
the  h>t.  On  the  other  hand,  iieaii\  all  the  (V'liiale  skins  w<'ie  those  of 
full  ;irowii  animals.  On  every  skin  which  I  (dassed  anion;:  the  females 
1  found  teats,  with  bare  spots  about  them  on  the  Inr  side.  Such  bare 
spots  ina've  it  absolutely  certain  that  these  teats  were  those  of  female 
skins 

Willi  re<iard  to  the  jmp  skins.  I  will  say  that  I  did  not  undertake  f(» 
deteiiiiiiie  whi'ther  they  wt're  males  or  females,  be-aiise  they  had  a 
thick  coat  of  blubber  which,  in  the  eas«'  of  an  anii:ial  less  than  L'  years 
old.  makes  it  v«'ry  haid  to  tell  the  sex. 

All  tif  the  skins  that  I  examined  were  either  shot  or  oxMreil.  I  did 
not  keep  a  close  count,  but  I  am  of  the  o|>inion  that  alxnit  T't  per  cent 
of  them  were  shot. 

The  result  of  the  examiiiation  is  altoii;  what  I  expected  it  would  be> 

I'lie  li]L>iires  only  conlirm  what  I  have  .'ways  iiotiie<l  in  a  general 
way.  that  nearly  nine  tenths  of  the  skins  in  any  shipment  of  Northwest 
coast  skins  are  tlio.se  of  female  animals,     (.loliii  .1.  I'helan.) 

Kx'tiHf  ilia  tion  »>/"  ratrli  of'  n:ssfls  srizni. 


About  seven  years  since  I  was  on  the  revenue  (iutter  Covwin  wlieii 
she  seized  the  Healinp:  selmoner  Son  IHii/o  in  Herinjj"  8eii.  On  the 
(U'hooiier'sde<'k  were  found  the  bodies  of  some  20  seals  that  had  recently 
iieen  killed.     An  examination  of  the  bodies  disclosed  that  all  of  thenu 


24() 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THK    PKIIMI.OF    18'  ANDS. 


i    I 


;  I 


witli  but  a  siii^'h'  exception,  were  feiiiales,  an<!  Itad  tlieir  yniiii;;  iiKsiil«> 
or  were  jfiviiij"'  suck  to  llieir  y(»uii;i'.  (Vit  of  s(Hin'  .'iOlt  or  (500  skins  on 
bosinl  I  only  f'niinl  some  .j  of  the  number  tliiil  were  taken  from  males. 
I  have  iilso  been  present  jit  iiunieroiis  otlier  seizures  of  senlinjj  vessels, 
8ume  1<S  in  number,  iind  i)inon<;  the  several  thousand  skins  sei/.ed  1 
found  on  (^\aminiltion  that  they  \ver<>  almost  invariably  those  of  females. 
There  certainly  was  not  a  large!-  proportion  of  males  than  ."»  to  KMJ 
skins.  This  great  slaughter  of  njother  seals  certainly  means  a  spee<ly 
destruction  of  seal  life,     (.huncs  H.  Douglass.) 

While  in  Unalaska  in  Septendiei-,  IS'.H,  awaiting  transportation  to 
San  Francisco,  I  had  an  opportunity  to  examiiu'  personally  the  catch 
of  the  steam  sloop  Chitlhinji;  whiirh  had  in'cn  warned  out  ot  the  sea, 
and  was  undergoing  repairs  at  the  hai'lxu'nanuMl.  The«-atch  amounted 
to  172  skins,  which  were  ail  taken  in  liering  Sea  at  various  distances 
from  the  seal  islands,  and  of  this  niunber  only  three  were  those  of  nndc 
Meals,  oiu'  of  t4M>se  IxMiig  an  old  bull,  and  the  other  two  being  younger 
inah>s.     (.\.  \V.  Lavender.) 

In  July,  1887,  I  captured  the  ])oaching  schooner  . I  H//f/  />«//// while  she 
was  hovering  about  the  islands.  I  examined  the  seal  skins  stn^  had  on 
board,  and  about  80  |ier  cent  w«Me  skins  of  females.  In  1888  or  1880  I 
examined  sonu'thing  like  ."t.OOO  skins  at  I'nalaska,  which  had  been  taken 
from  schooners  engaged  in  pelagic  scaling  in  IJering  Sea,  and  at  least 
80  or  S."»  per  <ent  were  skins  of  lenndcs.     (A.  I*.  Loud.) 

I  liave  pers'Mially  inspected  skins  tak»'n  ni>on  the  three  schooners 
Omcaril,  (jarolliif,  and  Thmiitnn,  which  skins,  taken  in  Bering  Sea, 
were  hnnlcd  in  I'nalaska  and  were  then  personally  inspected  by  me  in 
the  njonth  of  May,  l'^;'i7.  Tlu^  total  nnnd)er  of  skins  so  examined  was 
2,000,  and  of  that  number  at  least  so  pcr«*«'nt  were  the  skins  of  fenndi's. 
I  have  al8'»  examined  the  skins  taken  by  the  I'nited  States  levenue 
cutter  IvknIi  fnnn  one  of  the  North  I'atrilic  islands,  where  they  had  been 
deposited  by  what  is  known  as  a  poaching  s<rhooner  and  taken  to  I'na- 
laska, whi<'h  nuMd)ered  about  400  skins,  an<i  of  that  100  skins  at  least 
80  per  cent  were  the  skins  of  tenuile  seals.  !.  have  also  examin«'d  the 
skins  seized  from  the  ■faim-s  llainiltnii  l.eirix  in  tlie  year  1801,  i»y  the 
Uussian  gunboat  .l/ci/^  nuiida-ring  410,  of  which  at  least  00  percent 
were  th"  skins  of  female  seals,  l-'roni  my  hmg  observation  ol  seals  and 
seal  skins  I  am  able  to  tell  the  ditterein-e  between  tlu'  skin  ot  a  male 
and  tln'  skin  of  a  female  seal.     (T.  F.  Moigan.* 

I  examined  over  IL'.OIH)  skins  fro"i  s«'j'.ling  vessels  seized  in  bSST  and 
1880,  and  of  tiiese  at  least  two  thir«is  or  three  fourths  were  the  skins«>f 
females.     (L.  (1.  Shepard.) 


IIHASON    PRKiiNANT    KEMALKS    AKK   TAKKN. 

1  think  cow  seals  are  tamer  than  young  nnile  seals.     (Martin  lienson.) 

A  cow  seal  that  is  heavy  with  pup  is  sluggish  and  slee)»s  n)ore  soundly 
than  the  amies,  and  for  that  reason  they  are  more  readily  approached. 
(Henry  Brown.) 

They  are  very  tame  after  giving  birth  to  their  young  and  are  easily 
appr.>a<'hed  by  the  Imnters.  When  the  females  leave  the  islands  to 
fee<l  they  go  \ery  fast  to  the  fishing  banks,  and  after  they  get  their  food 
tliey  will  go  to  sleep  on  the  waters.  That  is  the  hunter's  great  chance. 
I  think  we  secured  move  n  proportion  to  the  nund>er  killed  tluMi  wedi<l 
in  the  N(Mth  INu'itic.     (.lames  !>.  Caitheut.) 


.sKAL  LiFi:  ON  Tin:  Fiaitii.or  i.si.amj«. 


•J47 


They  sleep  iiioie  and  are  less  active  siixl  inoieeasily  captured.    (Simeon 
Oliin-koo  tin.) 

1  tliink  the  female  seal  is  less  active  ami  more  easily  approached. 


(Teter  (iiurch. 


I  have  noticed  that  tiic  Icmalcs  when  at  sea  are  less  w  ild  and  distrust- 
ful than  the  l>aciielor  seals,  and  dive  less  ipiickly  in  tli'  jiresenee  of  the 
hunter.  After  l'eediii>i'  plentifully,  or  when  icstin^j'  after  heavy  weather, 
tlH*y  ai)pcar  to  fidl  asleep  U|M»n  the  surhice  of  the  water.  It  is  then  they 
become  an  easy  tarjicl  for  the  liniittMS.     (.lames  11.  Dou^ilass.) 

I  think  the  females  sleep  more  on  the  water,  and  are  less  active  and 


more  easilv  taken  than  the  nnile 


llofstad.) 


When  the  females  :ire  witli  pup  they  sh'cp  n|(»re.  are  less  active,  antl 
inoieeasily  approached  than  the  nnile  seals.     (1*.  Kaliiktday.) 

Think  cow.s  ai-eniuch  more  jdentiful  on  the  (M)ast,  sleep  more,  and  are 
inoie  easily  «*apture<l  than  the  male  seals.     (.lohn  Kowin«'et.) 

Think  cows  are  less  active  and  re.(piire  Miore  sleep  than  the  young 
male  seals.     i(Jeor;;e  Lache<'k.) 

I  am  infornu'd  and  l)eliev(>  that  the  reason  of  there  hein;:  such  a  hu'ne 
proportion  of  females  :imon^  the  coast  skins  is  because  the  nnile.  which 
is  powerful  and  stron;;,  usually  swims  more  readily  and  at  a  lonj^er 
<listanec  fr«>ni  the  coast,  and  are  so  scattered  and  active  and  hard  to 
cat«'h  that  it  does  mtt  pay  to  liiint  them.  The  female  heavy  witli  yonnff 
easily  tires  ami  sleeps  on  the  water,  and  is  easily  shot  while  in  that 
(■ondition.     ((ieoin(.  Iael)es.) 

.Mother  seals  heavy  with  y.*tin.i:  are  nuu-h  easier  taken,  foi'  they  are 
usimlly  asleep  on  the  water      iNNilliam  II.  Lon;"-.) 

i).  Why  is  it,  in  your  opinion,  that  mor<'  fennde  than  male  seals  are 
kille<l  by  the  poachers.' — .\.  Uecause,  first,  in  the  passajfe  <»f  the  seals 
to  the  islands  in  the  early  season  the  females  travel  in  groups  and  the 
males  scatter;  s«'condly.  after  arrix  in;;  at  the  islands  the  males  remain 
on  or  abcmt  the  liaulin;>'  ;{:i'ouii<ls.  while  the  fenmles,  having'  their  pups 
to  nurse,  ;>o  out  into  the  sea  to  ttbtain  food. 

i}.  Mow  do  you  tell  the  skin  of  a  female  from  that  of  a  male/ — A.  Wy 
the  nipples  and  ^^'eneral  appearance,     (.\ntoii  .Melovetlotf.) 

-\s  I  understand  the  fa«'t  to  be,  mo^it  of  the  seals  killed  in  the  open 
sea  are  females.  My  reasons  for  this  coiu-lusion  are  that,  from  my 
knowledge  of  the  si'al,  1  know  that  the  lemah' when  heavy  with  yonn^, 
as  they  are  durin;'  the  vnrly  part  of  the  season  when  on  thi-ir  way  to 
tlic  rookeries,  where  they  are  dt'livered  during  the  months  of  .luiic  and 
•luly.  are  much  heavier  in  the  water  and  much  less  abh'  to  escape, 
liccanse  they  aie  i-apable  of  remaining;- under  water  to  escape  foi' a  very 
Muich  less  period  of  tinu'  than  when  tlicy  are  not  heavy  with  youny,  (m- 
than  the  male  seal  would  be.     (T.  !•'.  .Mor;>an,) 

It  is  harder  to  take  an  old  seal  than  a  ,\oun;;'one,  the  older  ones  being 
Uhtvv  on  the  alert  and  are  not  less  active  when  preyuant.    (  W.  Ifoberts.) 

Of  the  seals  killed,  from  (>()  to  TO  per  «'ent  are  females,  which,  during 
their  northerly  migration,  are  iieavy  with  young,  slow  of  movement, 
and  reipiire  an  extra  amount  of  rest  and  sleep,  thus  hugely  increasing 
their  liability  to  Huceessful  attack.    (/.  L.  Tanner.) 

I  have  been  t(dd  that  it  is  easier  to  catch  the  female  seal  at  sea  than 
it  is  to  catch  the  male  Bcal,  bur  1  have  no  peisonal  knowledge  of  that 


li     '   .  : 


'•I 


^m. 


i   ]  '  V 


i 


1 ; 


i 

.A 


Him 


248 


SEAL    LIKE    ON    THE    PRIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


point.  I  siijujose,  however,  thiit  there  must  be  some  fouiHlatioii  lor  thr 
statfiiHMit  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  so  small  a  proportion  of  male  adult 
(teals  are  included  in  what  is  called  the  northwest  catch.  (Kmil 
Teichunmn.) 

The  cows  are  less  active,  sleej*  more,  and  are  more  easilv  ca|)tured. 
(M.  Tiilkahdaynahkee.) 

Cow  seals  sleep  sounder  on  the  water,  are  less  active,  and  are  easily 
captured.     (>)ames  Uiuita.jim.) 

Cows  are  more  easily  captured  because  they  have  pups,  iltudolph 
Walt<m.) 

They  are  less  active,  sleep  more,  and  are  easier  captured.  (Charlie 
Wank.) 

It  is  my  opinion  tiiat  fennile  seals  arc  more  easily  captured  and 
appear  to  l>e  more  tame  than  the  nnde  seal,  and.  I  think,  sleep  more. 
{V.  S.  Weittenhiller.) 

The  larjje  proportion  of  f«'nniU's  killed  in  the  North  Pacific  is  due  to 
the  fact,  as  I  explained  before,  that  males  pursue  their  way  to  tin' 
haulin}>'  groumis  with  dispatch,  w  liile  tlie  fenniles  are  more  leisurely  in 
their  nn>venients  and  tak«'  fre(|in'nt  rests.     I'V.  T.  Williams.) 


DECIJEASK   Ol'   SKALS. 

I'ercentiujr  lost  of  .seals  Idllrd. 

Kroni  my  experieiu-e  1  am  satisfied  that  .■{.').\  i)er  cent  shot  with  a  sliot- 
jjun  are  lost,  and  when  a  riHe  is  iise<l  a  iarjuer  per  cent  are  lost  when 
killejl.     (Peter  .\ndeison.) 

We  lost  three  out  of  four  we  killed.     ( II.  Andiicius. ) 

On  an  avera;;e,  we  .saved  one  out  <»f  three  that  were  killed.  (I»ern- 
hanlt  Hleidner.) 

It  is  my  honest  belief  tliat  tor  e\'ery  fur-seal  skin  obtained  by  pelajiie 
sealers  at  least  live  other  seals'  lives  aie  taken.     |.l.  A.   Uradley.) 

During'  the  trip  of  ISIM  I  don't  think  we  <;(>t  more  than  one  seal  out 
of  six  tluit  we  killed;  many  were  wounded,  and  others  were  shot 
dead  and  sank  be.'bie  the  boat  could  <;et  to  them.     (TInnnas  Ibown.) 

Native  hunters  secure  about  one  third  of  all  fur  seals  killed  at  .sea. 
while  in  my  belief  white  hnnteis  secure  ev«'n  a  less  number  in  |U'<»p<u'- 
ti(Mi  to  tlio.se  killed.     (.M.  Colieii.) 

An  averajie  hunter  will  j^ct  oiu>  out  of  foui'  td"  lireadiiny  seals  and  one 
out  of  three  of  sleepeis  that  he  kills,  l)ut  a  conuuon  hunter  will  not  get 
.so  many.     (Pet«'r  Collins.) 

.\ml  that  a  \ast  luimber  (»f  the  seals  killed  i>y  them  are  lost,  (Lean- 
der  Vo\.) 

It  is  \\\y  experit'iice  that  very  few,  if  any,  seals  were  lost  by  the  hunters 
who  u.se  the  spear,  but  fully  7o  per  cent  of  all  tho.se  killed  by  the  riHe 
were  lost.    (.lames  l)algar<luo.) 

From  myob.servation  of  the  methods  ('mjdoyed  by  the  open-sea  hunters 
1  believe  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  those  killed  by  them  are  lost. 
I  have  often  heard  sealers  so  express  themselves,  They  have  said  to 
me  that  they  get  only  about  one  out  of  five  shot  or  killed;  others  made 


SEAL    LIFi:    ON    THK    I'KIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


249 


the  loss  still  greator.     I  think  tht'  latter  .statement  more  nearly  correct. 
(M.  (J.  Erskine.) 

Of  seals  killed,  about  tour  out  of  five  are  .save«l.     ( !•'.  K.  Feciiy.) 

An  experienced  hunter  like  myself  will  net  two  out  of  three  that  he 
kill»,  but  an  ordinary  hunter  would  not  get  more  than  one  out  of  every 
three  or  four  that  he  kills.     (Thomas  (iibson.) 

I  lose  about  '><►  per  cent  when  1  u.se  the  shotgun,  and  more  an?  lost 
when  ritle  is  used.  I  always  shoot  them  in  the  head  when  possible,  but 
if  not  possible,  I  shoot  them  in  any  part  of  the  body  that  is  expo.sed. 
(Gonastut.) 

About  r>()  per  cent  are  lost  when  killed  with  a  shotgun,  and  a  larger 
per  cent  when  rille  is  used.     (.James  (iondowen.) 

The  iiuuters  would  get,  on  an  average,  one  out  of  every  four  they 
killed,     (.lanu's  (Jryme.s. ) 

On  an  average.  I  think  the  hunters  will  save  about  one  out  «>!'  three 
that  they  kill,  but  they  wound  many  more  that  esciipf  iin<l  die  alter- 
wards.     (James  llarri.son.i 

Kormeily  the  seals  were  gentle  and  the  approach  of  a  vessel  did  not 
even  alarm  them,  but  when  tiicaruis  ciimc  into  use  it  .so  frigliteiie<1  them 
that  they  had  to  be  shot  at  Ion;:  range  entailing  a  l(»ss  of  not  less  than 
three  out  of  every  four  or  live  killed,     i  .M.  A.  Ilealy.) 

.My  experience  convinces  me  that  a  larye  percentage  of  the  seals  now 
killed  by  slnioting  with  ritlesand  shot;;nns  art'  lost.  .My  estimate  wouhl 
be  that  two  out  of  every  three  killed  are  lost.  Formerly  the  killing  was 
d»tne  by  spearing,  and  in  later  year>  it  was  learned  that  shooting  them 
was  a  switter  method  of  killin;:.  At  the  start  tln' hunters  were  ine.x- 
]terience«l  and  a  large  proportion  wcr»'  lost.     (.lames  Kiernan.) 

I  use  the  shotgun  for  taking  seal,  and  sometimes  1  lose  one  or  two  out 
of  ten  that  I  kill,     (.lames  Klonacket.) 

I  have  made  it  m^  business  to  tind  out  what  propcntion  of  skins  of 
seals  kille«l  are  really  broiijuht  into  the  market,  and  from  the  infoiina- 
tion  whi«-h  I  obtaincil  from  the  sealers,  Imnteis,  and  those  owni'ig  (he 
skins  I  learned  that  on  an  av«'rag«'  only  about  one  out  of  six  killed  was 
secured,  varying  with  the  expertness  of  the  hunter,     ((leorgc  Liebes.) 

The  number  of  seals  actually  seemed  to  the  nund>er  kilh'd  does 
not  exceed  about  «.?ie  in  tour,  or  about  one  is  taken  for  every  three 
destroy«'d,  varying,  ol  cour.se.  with  the  skill  and  experience  of  the 
hunters,     i  Lsaac  IJcIm's.) 

Knnn  these  conversations  I  should  judge  tliey  tlid  not  secure  more 
than  one  half  of  the  seals  kilh-d:  and  this,  1  thiidv,  is  a  large  estiunite 
of  the  innnber  secnn'd      (A.  1'.  Loml.) 

!  have  fretpiently  noticed,  in  the  harbiu- of  Petropanlovsky,  that  the 
natives,  in  killing  Iniir  seals,  are  only  able  to  obtain  one  ainmal  out  of 
every  four  or  live  of  those  killed,  and  that  they  freipiently  wait  about 
four  day.*  for  the  bodies  to  be  washed  ashore.     (.John  Malowausky.) 

None  I  lost  wIumi  !  used  spear.  About  !.'(►  per  cent  are  lost  wheu 
kilhMl  with  shotgun.     (Nashtau.) 

An  experienceil  A  No.  1  seal  liunter,  in  shooting  sleeping  seals  with 
a  shotgun,  will  get  a  large  proiM)rtion  of  what  be  kills,  and  will  get  one 


.•i    i 


!i  ;  '^ 


II 

w 

1 

I    ;  1 

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*> 


1>50 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANU.S. 


out  of  foui-  breauhiii^  sciils  that  lie  kilKs;  but  aii  ordinary  foiniiiou 
hunter  like  myself  will  sonietiines  use  ten  cartiidj^es  and  not  get  one 
seal.  1  can  safely  say  tliat  a  conunou  hunter  will  only  get  one  seal  out 
of  three.     (Niles  Nelson.) 

The  w  hite  hunters  who  used  guns  In  Bering  Sea  were  banging  away 
at  the  seals  sometimes  all  day  long,  and  they  would  lose  a  great  many 
of  those  that  they  shot.  I  do  not  think  that  they  brought  to  the 
schooner  one-half  of  those  that  tiiey  killed,  to  say  nothing  of  those  that 
they  wounded  and  got  away.    (Osly.) 

Hut  sin«'e  it  has  become  the  praetice  to  hunt  seals  with  guns  a  good 
nniny  are  killed,  wounded,  and  lost,  lireen  hunters  bang  away  and 
wound  more  than  they  kill,  and  will  shoot  six  or  seven  l)efore  they 
get  one,  and  sometimes  more,  (iood  hunters  will  do  mneh  better.  I 
used  to  get  most  of  the  seals  I  killed,  but  I  have  killed  live  <lead  in 
succession  and  lost  the  whole  of  them.     (William  Parker.) 

Shotgun  is  exclusively  used  by  me  for  taking  seals.  Lose  about  *-*0 
per  cent  of  those  killed  with  shotgun.    (Abel  Ifyan.) 

The  captain,  mate,  and  myself  went  out  several  times  with  the  stern 
boat  and  we  killed  l."»  the  first  time  we  went  out.  I  think  we  went  out 
that  way  three  or  Ituir  tiines,  and  wo  u.-iuaUy  got  one  out  of  four  killed. 
I  recollect  one  day  when  we  w«'re  hunting,  bad  weather  sj't  np  and  we 
<lid  not  get  any  seals.  In  good  weather  we  gor  more  seals  than  we  did 
in  bad  weather.     (Peter  Simes.) 

And  we  got  one  out  of  live  killed.     (.John  A.  Swain.) 

On  my  first  voyage  1  think  we  got  two  out  of  every  live  that  we 
killed.     (Adolph  W.  Th'^mpson.) 

When  seal  were  struck  with  a  spear  none  w  e  lost;  lose  about .')(» jier 
i^eut  when  killed  with  shotgun.     (Charlie  TlaUsatan.) 

I  had  in  my  eni])loy  men  who  are  old  seal  hunters  and  who  were  for- 
merly engaged  in  that  business,  and  they  have  often  told  me  that  they 
lo»t  at  least  two  out  of  every  three  they  killed.     (M.  L.  \N  ashbnrn.) 

VervenUtye  lout  of  xeah  Hlnick. 

The  skill  of  the  hunter  has  a  great  deal  t«>  do  with  the  nund)er  of 
seals  secured  of  those  killed  or  wounded,  but  the  most  expert  does  not 
get  more  than  half  he  hits,  ami  the  average  for  hunters  in  general 
would  be  about  three  in  ten.     (C.  A.  Abbey.) 

We  secure  one  out  of  abojit  every  live  that  we  shoot  at  or  kill. 
(Charles  Adair.) 

An  experienced  hunter  wonhl  get  one  out  of  every  three  that  he  shot 
or  killed,  and  a  green  hunter  wcmld  get  about  one  out  of  every  seven  or 
4'ight  that  he  shot  or  killed.     (Charles  A<lair.) 

It  has  been  my  (Mistom  in  the  last  few  years  to  examine  the  h)g8  of 
sealing  vessels  ami  to  <;onvers<^with  otiicersand  hunters  of  such  vessels 
in  order  to  obtain  what  intbrimition  1  cmild  as  to  the  methods  employed 
by  hunters  and  the  h>ss  of  seals  occasioned  in  sn<-h  pursuit.  From  the 
logs  I  learned  that  in  many  instances  1(H)  rounds  of  ammunition  had 
been  fired  to  each  skin  secured,  and  often  more;  and  on  an  average  I 
found  that  not  over  five  seals  to  the  hundred  sliots  had  been  obtained. 
The  logs  further  showed  that  a  large  number  had  been  wounded  and 
lost.     1  also  ascertained  from  the  logs  and  from  conversation  with 


^iKAL    LIFK    «>N    THK    I'lMHILOF    IrSLANDS. 


•J.")l 


iiiastfis  of  siiiliiifj  scliooiiers  tliat  not  out'  seal  <»ut  of  ten  killed  or 
womnItMl  liail  Ihm'Ii  caiifjiit.  Tlie.seiin|uiiii'S  I  pursiu'd  at  Saii  Francisco 
until  (juite  rect'iitly.  Tin*  cliief  ivilliiij;  l»y  iMtacluMS  was  <louo  between 
the  passes  of  Aleutian  Areiiipela^'i)  and  tlie  I'ribilof  Islaiuls.  ((leorjjo 
K.  Adams.) 

Have  always  used  a  sliotj:;uu  and  ritle  in  takiu;^  seal  sin<'.e  a  youn^ 
man.  1  rarely  lose  any  seal  I  shoot,  as  I  never  shoot  at  tlieiu  uidess 
tiiey  are  very  close  to  the  b<»at.     (Adam  Ayonkee. i 

Have  always  usetl  a  shotgun  t'«»r  taking  seal,  an«l  lose  about  M)  per 
cent  of  what  I  shoot.    (Maurice  liates.) 

No  seal  were  hist  when  struck  with  spear.  About  40  per  cent  of  seal 
shot  with  shotgun  are  lost,  and  nntre  when  tlie  ritle  is  used.  (VViltou 
<".  Mennelt.) 

1  use  the  shotgun  for  taking  seal.  I  lose  about  ■-'•"»  per  cent  ot  the 
seals  shot.     (lOdwai'd  Henson.) 

The  spear  and  sliotgun  have  been  used  by  nie.  lUit  few  s<'als  are 
lost  that  are  striu'k  by  spear.  About  »»<»  per  cent  are  lost  when  shot 
with  shotgun,  and  a  larger  proportion  are  lost  when  ritle  is  used.  (Mar- 
tin Denson.) 

(Ml  the  I'ioiinr  we  had  a  couple  of  gootl  hunters,  who  wouhl  get 
almost  all  they  shot  at.  while  some  of  our  linnters  would  lose  a  good 
many  that  they  would  kill  and  wound.  A  green  hunter  will  not  get 
more  than  one  out  of  live,  and  I  have  known  (Uie  hunter  on  our  vessel 
wlio  sliot  eight  shots  and  got  oidy  four  seals.  Indian  hunters  that  use 
spears  .seldom  lose  any  tiiat  are  struck,  and  there  is  no  wounded  to  go 
away  and  die.     (Neils  l>on<le.) 

This  year  the  si'als  are  wilder  than  the  year  before:  1  think  it  was 
because  tiiey  were  hunted  so  much.  We  did  ni»t  <-apture  as  many  iu 
proportion  to  tiie  number  shot  as  w«'  did  the  year  picvious,  and  did  not 
.save  more  than  one  out  ttf  six  that  we  sliof.     (Thomas  ISrown.) 

We  got  on  an  averaj;e  three  or  live  out  of  e\«'ry  twehe  killed  and 
rouiuled.     It  dependsa  great  deal  upon  the  weather.     There  were  lots 


of  .seals  in  the  water  at  that  time.     ( l  honnis  iirown.) 

The  average  hunter  W(»uld  get  one  out  of  every  three  that  ne  shot; 
a  poor  hunter  not  nearly  as  many.  TiM're  are  L'l  bucksiiot  to  a  shell. 
'  •  *  When  they  are  in  school  slee|»iug  we  get  a  good  many.  We 
diti  n(»t  get  as  nniny  as  we  shot  at  in  Mering  Si-a  as  wc  did  on  the  <-oaat. 
If  we  got  one  out  of  cmmv  three  we  wer«'  doing  jnettv  well.  i<'|iarles 
("halall.) 

I  used  a  shotgun  almost  «'.v<-iusively  last  season,  and  lost  al>out  <uio- 
third  of  all  furs  shot.     (Julius  Christiansen.) 

1  think  about  TiO  per  cent  of  the  seals  shot  with  shotgun  are  lost,  and 
greater  i>roportion  are  lost  when  shot  with  a  rille.     (I'eter  Church.) 

I  always  use  the  shotgun  for  taking  seal.  I  think  about  !'."»  per  cout 
are  lost.'   (William  Clark.) 

()ver."»(>  percent  are  lost  when  shot  with  shotgun.    (Jcdm  C.CIemeut.) 

My  ob.servation  of  the  seal  hunting  by  white  hunters  in  ISSS  is  that 
tliey  do  not  secure  more  than  two  or  three  out  of  every  hundred  shot. 
The  number  of  shots  tired  by  a  hunter  in  an  iudinary  day's  sealing 
is  something  enormous,  and  the  waste  of  seal  life  in  the  water  is 


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252 


PEAL    l,IFK    ON    THK    PRIBILOF    ISLANItS. 


(Irendt'iil  to  cniitoinplsiti'.  *  •  •  'I'jiy  pi-oportitni  of  loss  of  soiils 
shot  W.V  wliite  liuiitt'is  in  the  Otto  was  (|iiite  as  {(ivat  in  KSIM  as  by 
the  hunters  in  the  year  before  stated.  I  have  never  seen  any  bhieii 
puiiM  in  tlie  North  I  initio  Ocean.     (Kouis  Culler.) 

AVlien  it  was  i-ouf^h  weather  we  {-ot  one  out  of  six  that  we  kijletl  or 
wonniled,  and  in  smooth  weather  we  rouhl  {ret  on  an  avera;;e  one  out  of 
three  and  sometimes  three  out  (»f  tive.     (.lolin  Dohrn.) 

On  an  avera^je,  all  the  hunters  pot  one  out  nf  three  oi  four  seals 
tiint  they  kiMed  or  wounded.  There  were  |denty  of  seals  in  tin-  waier 
at  that  time,     (iiit-hard  I)<dan.) 

We  ;iot  one  out  of  every  Hve  or  six  that  we  killed  ov  wounded.  We 
wonnde<t  a  jireat  many  that  we  did  not  jjet.     ((leor^-e  Fairehild.) 

When  I  was  a  youn^r  man  tlie  liulians  used  the  spear  for  takin;;-  seals; 
now  they  have  learned  from  the  white  men  to  use  tlu'  shc»tyun.  AlMuit 
three  out  of  ten  are  lost  that  arc  shot.     (Frank.) 

The  hunters  used  ritles  atul  shotjjuns.  They  ffot  about  one  out  oi 
every  six  they  shot  at  <)r  killed,  and  sometimes  they  ^ot  none.  Tin- 
{jreat  nnijority  of  them  were  fenuiles.  We  used  rilles,  we  had  experi- 
enced hunters  on  board,  and  we  jjot  one  out  of  every  thiee  killed  or 
wounded.     (William  Frazer. ) 

i).  What  pereentajje  of  seals  are  taken  compared  to  those  you  destroy 
indoin<;  sof  In  other  words,  how  many  do  you  actually  yet  of  those 
you  shoot  ? — A.  About  ■»(>  per  cent. 

i).  Is  it  not  a  fact,  when  you  first  started  in  the  business  and  was 
inexperiem-ed  in  hunting,  that  you,  like  all  other  bejiinuers,  <lestroyed 
a  much  larjxer  proportion  than  you  now  dof — A.  Ves:  a  little  more  in 
])roportion.     (Filward  W.  Funcke.) 

Indians  lose  a  less  nnnd)er  of  the  seals  shot  at  and  wounded  or 
killed  than  white  hunters.  When  they  use  s|)eara  tliey  yet  nearly  all 
they  wouiul.  When  they  use  slu»tjiuns  they  do  not  yet  nuM-e  than  one 
out  of  eiyht  killed  or  wounded.  In  conversation  with  boat  steerers 
and  boat  pullers  I  have  fre(|uently  heard  them  state  that  hunters  would 
sometimes  tire  from  To  to  !<H)  shots  without  brinyiny  in  a  single  seal. 
The  hunters  would  claim  they  secured  nearly  all  they  tired  at  or  killed, 
but  it  is  known  that  this  is  not  true.  It  is  impossible  to  say  what  pro- 
portion of  the  seals  lircd  at  are  killed  or  wounded,  but  taking  the  run 
of  hunteis,  good  and  pnor.  1  should  say  that  the  best  get  about  ")(»  per 
cent  of  those  shot  at.  while  the  |)o(»resr  do  not  get  more  than  one  out 
of  tifteen  fired  at.     ( !•'.  M.  (Ireenleaf.) 

The  native  hunt»'i's  used  spears  <  .<'lusivcly  •::  liunting  the  seals,  and 
secured  fully  tw(»thirds  of  all  stru«'k.  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  with 
firearms  not  m«)re  than  one-third  of  the  aniinals  sht>t  are  actually 
secui'ed.     (A.  .1.  (luild.) 

IIav<'  always  used  a  shotgun  for  taking  seal,  and  lose  about  '2'i  per 
cent  of  the  seals  I  shoot.    (Ilenry  llaldane.) 

J  use  the  shotgun  exclusivi'ly  for  taking  seal.  About  •»"»  per  cent  of 
the  seal  hit  are  lost.    (Martin  llannon.) 

(}.  According  to  y<uir  experience,  what  percentage  of  an innils  that 
are  shot  are  actually  taken  by  the  boats  ? — A.  That  depends  a  good 
deal  on  the  nuin  that  shoots  them.  Some  fellows  will  miss  four  out  of 
five  and  another  nniy  miss  three  out  of  five  and  cripple  them.  I  think 
on  a  general  average  we  will  get  about  three  out  of  five.    (H.  Haruisen.) 


toh 


SEAL    hiri:    ON    THE    PKIIJILOK    ISLANDS. 


253 


t).  Wliiit  perccMitagt*  of  seals  jiivtaUt'ii  roiiiparrd  to  tlaisf  yon  destroy 
ill  doiii;;  so;  in  oilier  words.  Iiow  many  <lo  you  actually  <;et  on:  of  those 
you  shoot.' — A.  We  ;iet  about  7."»  per  cent  of  them. 

(^.  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  when  you  first  started  in  the  luisiness  :uid 
was  inexperiemed  in  hunting;,  that  you.  like  many  others.  de>tio\«'d  a 
much  larjjer  proportion  than  you  ni»w  do  .'  -A.  Ves,  sir;  it  is.  i  Andrew 
.1.  llon'nian.) 

The  sliot};uii  was  exelusi\ely  used  Ity  our  hunters.  I  ciiii  form  no 
idea  as  to  the  amount  of  seals  lost.  Some  hunters  lost  iiau'e  and  some 
less.  It  ranges  all  the  way  from  10  to  7."»  per  rent,  a«'('ordiii<;'  to  stories 
told  l>y  hunters.     ((>.  Ilolm.i 

We  used  sliot;;uns,  and  seemed  ahoiit  two  seals  out  of  live  that  we 
shot.     (Alfred  Iivinjj.) 

The  Indian  hunters  with  spears  would  not  wound  or  lose  hut  very  few 
se.ilsthat  they  strueU,  hut  the  ordinary  white  hunter  will. on  an  average, 
lose  over  half  that  li(>  kills  and  wounds.     (.Iam«-s  .lamieson.) 

About  K>  per  cent  shot  with  shotjrun  are  lost.  When  the  ritle  is  used 
a  linger  per  eent  i.s  lost.     (•!.  .lohii.siui.) 

Have  always  used  shotjfun  ami  ritle  for  takiny'  seal.  I  never  lose  any 
.seal  when  I  shoot  them,  bet^anse  I  always  shoot  themelo.se  to.  (.lohnnie 
.lohntiii.) 

The  spear  and  ari'ow  were  used  to  take  seal  when  I  was  a  boy.  but 
now  I  use  the  shotffun  and  ritle.  At  least  ."it)  per  r<'nt  are  lost  when  shot 
with  shotj-un.  When  ritle  is  used  a  lai  ••■er  jtortion  of  .seals  are  lost.  (L*. 
Kahiktday.) 

I  always  use  the  shot<;un  for  killing  seal.  I  lo.se  about  four  out  of 
ten  that  I  shoot.     (Kiiij"'  Ivashwa.j 

I  always  u.se  the  shotgun  for  takin;;  seal.  Sometimes  I  lose  two  and 
three  out  of  ten  that  I  shoot.     (.Mm  Kas«)oh.) 

Fully  one-half  the  seal  shot  with  sIiotj;uns  are  lost,  ami  a  mueli 
larjfer  proi)ortion  when  the  ritle  is  usetl.  None  were  I().st  when  struck 
with  a  spear.     (Mike  Kethusdiu'k.) 

On  an  aveniji'e  we  '^ot  one  or  two  out  of  every  six  or  seven  that  we 
wounded  (U-  killed.     (James  Kennedy.) 

Constant  shootin;*:  has  frii^hteiied  them  ami  made  them  wild,  so  that 
they  have  to  be  shot  at  great  distances  unless  found  asleep.  .Much 
depends  f(U' sucetssful  huntinj*  upon  the  weather,  as  it  is  ditlieiilt  to 
j^et  accurate  aim  \.'lieii  both  the  hunter's  boiit  and  the  seal  are  in  motion. 
A  poor  hunter  tloes  not  secure  more  than  one  out  of  every  tive  shot  or 
aimed  at.     (iood  hunters  do  better,     ('lames  Kiernan.) 

The  lirst  sighted  was  August  t,  longitude  IJilP  .{2'  west,  latitude 
.*»2~^  4(1'  north.  During  the  days  following  August  4  canoes  were 
lowered,  but  their  search  for  .seals  was  fruitless.  On  August  14,  before 
entering  liei-ing  Sea,  a  seal  was  speared  by  the  Indians  otl'  Marmont 
I.sland,  which  was  bearing  N\V.  \  W.S'i  utiles.  We  entered  the  sea 
at  <i..'tO  p.  ni.  on  the  22d  day  of  August  and  at  0  o'tdook  the  following 
morning  we  got  our  first  seal  in  liering  Sea.  It  was  shot  by  one  of 
the  white  men  in  a  boat.  We  were  at  this  time  about  lio  miles  west  by 
north  of  Northwest  Cape  on  rnimak  Pass.  On  the  same  day  four 
other  seals  were  shot,  and  three  not  recovered.  Two  .sank  and  the 
other  escaped  badly  wounded.    The  following  day  the  captain  shot 


If   . 


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254 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    TIIK    PKFHILOF    ISLANDS. 


twi>,  losing;  uiK',  iiiid  tlio  oilier  Ixiat  l>i'oii;>lit  «»iie  seal  on  Ixtaril.  On  the 
25th  of  Auj,nist  we  weie  ILT)  miles  sontlieast  of  St.  <ieor^e  Ishiiid.  The 
Indian  linnteis  weie  out  all  da.v  and  Inou^lit  in  three  seals,  the  white 
hunters  fjettinu  none.  The  captain  informed  me  that  day  that  the  pre 
vious  year  he  had  taken  in  this  locality  lis  seals  in  one  day,  and  that 
one  <tf  his  hunters  ;iot  .'i.S  and  lost  40,  wliicii  he  shot.  The  next  day  the 
two  Itoats  ami  canoes  were  out,  and  the  captain  l)rou;L:ht  hack  one,  but 
had  shot  and  lost  six  others,  one  of  which  sank.  The  other  boat 
reported  that  they  had  shot  seven,  but  all  sank  before  they  could  get 
them,  the  water  being  so  colored  with  bhxKl  that  it  was  impossible  to 
see  tlie  bodies  sutticiently  to  recover  tlu-m  with  the  gatf.  The  two 
Indians  brought  back  ten  seals,  all  speared.  Out  of  the  number  taken 
on  board  four  wen^  lull  of  milk.  On  the  L'Ttli  the  Indians  brought  in 
two  seals  and  the  captain  one,  wliicli  were  all  they  had  seen.  On  the 
I'Dth  .seventeen  seals  were  taken;  the  captain  got  three,  having  lost 
two,  killed  or  wounded.  The  other  boat  brought  in  three,  having  lust 
two,  and  the  <'ook  shot  one  from  the  schooner's  de«k.  Out  of  these 
seven  were  females,  which  covered  the  decks  with  milk  wliile  they  were 
being  skinned.  1  am  coiivliic«'d  that  at  the  very  least  white  hunters 
lose  "»()  per  cent  of  the  seals  they  hit,  and  pi'ol>aldy  the  majority  of 
those  wounded  will  ultimately  die.     il'^rancis  \l.  King-llall.i 

When  a  seal  is  stiuck  with  a  spear  wc  never  htse  him.  About  oO  per 
cent  are  lost  when  shot  with  a  shotgun,     (b'obert  Kooko.) 

About  «»(►  per  c«Mit  of  the  seals  are  lost  when  shot  with  a  shotgun. 
When  lilies  are  used  a  much  larger  pr(»portion  is  lost.     (.lames  Lacheek.) 

Of  all  the  fur  seals  striurk  in  the  entire  season  by  Ixtth  implements 
in<ne  than  two  thirds  were  actually  set  ed,  the  greater  proiM>rtion  of 
losses  resulting  from  the  use  of  the  shotgun,     (.lames  K.  fieunan.) 

The  average  hunter  will  tire  ten  times  to  get  one  seal.  1  think  on  an 
average  he  gets  one  seal  out  of  every  three  killed.    (William  IF.  Long.) 

i).  \Vhati»ercentage  of  seals  are  taken  compared  to  those  you  destroy 
in  doing  so;  in  «)ther  words,  how  many  do  you  actually  get  out  of  those 
you  shoot? — A.  1  should  say  we  get  about  8()  i)er  cent  of  those  we 
shoot. 

Q,  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  when  you  first  started  in  the  business  and 
was  inexperienced  in  hunting,  y(Ui,  like  all  other  beginners,  destroyed 
a  nuu'h  larger  proportion  than  you  now  do? — A.  There  is  no  doubt 
about  that.     (Cliarles  Lutjens.) 

The  shotgun  was  used  exclusively.  Ovox  GO  per  cent  of  the  seals 
shot  were  lost,     ((leorge  McAlpine.) 

I  think  I  lose  about  (Hi  per  cent  of  the  seals  shot  with  shotguns. 
(J.J).  McDonald.) 

Taking  tlu'  general  average,  we  would  not  get  more  than  two  seals  out 
of  every  ten  that  the  hunters  shot  at.  Out  of  every  sixty-live  seals 
that  were  bi'ought  aboard  the  schooner  I  got  one,  so  I  tried  to  spear  as 
many  as  1  c()uldafter  they  were  shot.  We  caught  mon'i  seals  in  IJering 
Sea  than  we  did  gcung  along  the  coast,  as  we  found  more  of  them. 
*  *  •  All  the  s«>als  that  we  shot  at  in  rough  weather  were  lost.  In 
line  weather  they  sleep  on  top  of  the  water,  ami  we  do  not  lose  so  many 
of  them.    (William  M<Isaac.) 

No  seals  are  lost  that  are  struck  with  spears.  With  a  shotgun  about 
60  per  cent  are  h>st.    (.lames  McKeen.) 


SKAL    LIFK    ON    TIIK    I'RIIUI.OP    ISLANDS. 


256 


\\v  }jot  alxMit  oiM'  out  of  every  live  tliaf  we  killed  or  w«niinle«l.  Tliefo 
was  any  ainonnt  of  tliein  tliat  we  shot  and  did  not  ^et  at  all.  It  seemed 
aa  it'a  ;;ood  many  ^fot  away.  *  •  •  \V(>  had  some  wliite  and  Indian 
liuntei's.  I  do  not  tidnk  that  we  lost  as  many  that  year  in  propor- 
tion to  those  that  we  killed  and  woundetl.  They  were  better  hunter.-*. 
(William  MeLau^hlin.) 

Q.  Ace(»rdin<i'  to  your  experience,  what  pereentajje  of  animals  that 
are  shot  at  ar«' actually  taken  by  thel»oatsf — A.  Tliat  isaeeordiu};' t(»  the 
ammunition  tiiat  we  use.  Aliout  one  third  are  taken,  i  Daniel  .Mc- 
Lean.) 

VVe  liad  Indian  hunters  who  used  shot<;uns.  The  Indian  hunters  are 
more  e.xpeit  than  the  white  hunters  and  they  do  not  lose  so  many 
.seals  as  they  kill.  I  think  they  would  {tetcuieout  of  every  twoor  three 
kille<l  or  wounded.     (Thomas  .Mad<leu.) 

About  ."»(>  per  cent  of  the  .seals  shot  with  shot;iiin  are  lost.  (Kdward 
Maitland.) 

There  were  six  boats  on  the  vessel.  Some  of  the  boats  would  ^•^m^e 
in  without  a  .seal  after  beinj;'  out  all  day  lony-  shootin;;,  but  tlu-y  would 
wound  a  {jreat  many.  On  an  avt-rajic,  takin;;'  all  the  boats  tojjether, 
they  j-ot  one  out  of  every  li\eor  si.x  that  they  killed  or  shot  at.  We 
wounded  a  {jreat  many  that  we  c«udd  not  j;et.     (Patrick  Maroney.) 

About  .'»(>  per  cent  are  lost  that  are  shot  with  the  shotjiun.  (Clnirles 
Martin.) 

I  do  not  thiidc  tliey  would  fjet  more  than  (»ne  .seal  out  of  every  six  «u- 
seven  they  shot,  and  sometimes  only  (uie  out  of  ten.     (Henry  ^Iasou.) 

Our  hunter  was  a  ;;ootl  one.  Mis  mime  was  .loe  Williams.  I  think 
he  {jot  one  out  of  every  three,  on  an  averajje.  lie  u.sed  a  ritle  a  pfood 
deal,  and  was  a  tine  shot.  Some  of  the  hunters  in  the  other  boats  would 
shoot  at  the  seal  and  Jiot  };«'t  any  at  all,  and  come  in  it  nifjlit  without 
any,  or  maybe  one  or  two.  There  was  one  hunter  from  Nova  Scotia  that 
did  not  kill  any,  scarcely.     (William  Mason.) 

I  think  about  33  per  cent  of  the  seals  shot  with  a  shotfrun  are  lost. 
(K.  .Miner.) 

About  2(>  per  cent  of  the  seals  I  shoot  with  .shotgun  are  lost.  (Amo.s 
Mill.) 

i).  Wliat  percentage  of  seals  are  taken,  compsired  to  those  you  destroy 
in  doiuf:  .so:  in  other  words,  how  nniny  do  you  actually  get  out  of  those 
you  shoot? — A.  About  7."»  per  cent.    Wv  lo.se  ab«>nt  '2~>  per  cent. 

*}.  Is  it  not  a  fa«'t  that  when  you  lirst  started  in  the  business  and 
were  inexperienced  in  huntinjj',  that  you.  like  all  <»ther  bejjinners, 
destioyed  a  much  larjjer  proportion  than  you  do  now? — A.  Certaiidy; 
there  is  nod<>ubt  about  that,     fl'iank  Morean.) 

From  my  kn(»wled{ie  of  the  aquatic  hal)its  of  the  seal,  and  the  ditti- 
culty  of  accurate  shooting  when  the  object  is  in  tlu'  water,  I  am  of  the 
opinion  that  a  large  number  of  seals  are  killed  by  vessels  engaged  iu 
tiie  business  of  taking  seals  in  the  open  seas  which  are  not  caught.  I 
am  unable  to  form  an  estinnite  of  the  number  of  .seals  shot  or  speared 
from  vessels  which  are  lo.st,  but  in  the  last  two  or  three  years  of  my 
residence  at  St.  (ieorge  Island,  in  taking  l.~),(MK)  seals,  I  found  approxi 
mately  three  pounds  of  lead,  in  the  form  of  .slugs,  bullets,  and  buck- 
shot, which  1  personally  took  from  the  bodies  of  iinUe  seals,  some  of 


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si:al  i-ifk  on  thk  prihii.oi-'  islands. 


wliicli  wt'ic  SI)  liiully  woiiiidud  tliat  tlioy  woiiUl  liiiv<>  iMimI.  I  liave  pci 
soiially  «'\aiiiiiit'(l  the  lujj  of  the  scliooimr  Aiujil  l>ollii ,  jii  wliir.li  it  was 
stati'd  tliat  tli«*  liuiitui's  iVoiii  rliat  vi'ssol  };ot  aliotit  one  seal  out  olcvi'iy 
t«'ii  shot  at;  also  that  on  oii(>  orcasioii  tlicy  liicd  -'*tO  rounds,  suid  ^'o't 
L'O  scalH;  on  another  occasion  10(1  cartridges,  and  p>t  i»  seals,  and  which 
lo^  also  stiili'd  that  the  captain  personally  shot  and  kdled  7  seals,  ot 
whij'h  he  };<»'  J»"ly  one.     (T.  K.  Mory:»n.) 

They  Nst  very  few  of  the  seals  they  speared.  Tln-y  secured  iilMtiit 
all  of  the  seals  they  speared.     (John  Moriis.) 

When  in  iSerin;*'  Hea,  I  had  an  opportunity  to  (tbserve  the  ditterenee 
in  the  nund)er  of  seals  lost  by  killiu);  tliein  with  slntt^uns  and  bytakin;; 
them  witli  spears.     The  hunters  that  used  sliut{;nns  lost  more  tlian  um* 
half  they  shot,  while  the  hunters  that  used  spears  seldom  ever  lost  one 
tliat  they  hit.     (Moses.) 

It  is  ;>enerally  conceded  that  the  Indian  hunters  in  the  use  of  the 
.spear  seldom  lo.se  one  they  kill  or  wound.     (.Morris  Moss.) 

When  I  was  a  boy  I  used  a  shot{;iin  for  taking;  seal,  bought  from  the 
Hudson  l>ay  Company  at  Fort  Simpson,  and  have  always  u.sed  a  shot- 
gun tor  sealing;.  I  think  about  two  out  of  ten  seal  shot  are  lost.  (Smith 
Natch.) 

Sometimes  I  lose  two  and  sometimes  three  .seal  out  of  ten  I  sliuot. 
(Dan  Nathlan.) 

It  dcjiends  a  ;>reat  deid  upon  the  weather  as  to  the  amount  of  seals 
obtainetl  by  the  hunters.  After  a  heavy  blow  you  see  the  seals  lying 
on  top  of  the  water  asleej),  and  you  can  ^jet  very  elo.se  to  them,  and  on 
an  avera^je  you  woidd  j-et  two  or  three  out  of  every  live  or  six  you  kill 
or  wound,  while  in  loujjli  weather  you  wouhl  not  jict  one  out  of  live  oi' 
six  killed  or  wounded.     (John  O'lirien.) 

Not  being  hunters  of  experience,  our  men  lo.st  about  two  thirds  of 
all  tlie  seal  shot.  (loo«l  hnnti'rs  wouhl  not  lose  to  e.xeeed  2.'»  per  cent. 
(Nelson  T.  Oliver.) 

We  used  shotguns,  using  buckshot,  and  I  have  known  twenty  shots 
t<»  be  lire<l  at  a  seal  before  we  got  her.  WMien  we  .shot  at  "sleejjers" 
we  got  a  good  many  more  than  when  we  shot  at  "bachelors"  or  'Toll- 
ers," and  we  secured  on  an  averag*^  about  one  out  of  every  three  killed 
and  wounded.  The  percentage  of  loss  of  lhos(>  killed  and  wounded  is 
fully  as  great  as  I  have  stated.     (John  Olsen.) 

When  the  ritle  is  used  le.ss  than  one  seal  for  live  sli(»ts  is  secured; 
uiany  shots  miss,  but  of  tlio.se  seals  hit  about  one  half  are  .secured. 
(W.  Roberts. ) 

It  is  very  hard  toestinmtethe  number  lostof  those  shot,  but  I  .should 
Judge  an  expert  hunter  would  lose  certainly  from  10  to  (iO  per  cent, 
ami  a  hunter  not  particularly  expert  would  lose  from  SO  to  S.'»  per  cent, 
(li.  (I.  Shepard.) 

In  .some  instances  we  ran  upon  schools  of  seal  and  shot  live  or  six, 
all  of  which  would  be  lost;  in  other  instances  we  would  secure  about 
one-half  of  those  wounded.  One-half  of  all  seals  shot  on  the  coast  are 
lost.     (William  Short.) 

About  2.')  per  cent  are  lo.st  when  shot  with  a  shotgun,  ami  nu)re  are 
lost  when  shot  with  rifle.  Shotgun  and  ritle  are  used  by  lue  for  taking 
seal.    (Jack  Shucky.) 


SEAL    MFK    ON    THE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


257 


When  I  iisjmI  u  spoar  none  were  lost  that  were  Mtriiek.  When  «hot- 
{;iui  JH  UHeil  nearly  .'lO  per  rent  Hie  lost;  when  title  is  used  a  still  Itiif^er 
peirentu};e  in  lost.     (.Mtirtin  Sinpiy.) 

No  seal  were  lost  when  struck  with  •spear  or  arrow.  Fully  oO  per 
cent  of  seal  shot  with  shotgun  are  lost,  an<l  a  much  larger  per  <-ent  are 
lost  when  shot  with  a  ritie.    (.lack  Sitka.) 

Always  use  a  Hudson  Hay  gun  to  take  seal  with.  A  Hudson  Bay 
gun  is  a  single  barreled  shotgun.  Sometimes  I  lose  one  and  sometimes 
two  out  of  ten  that  ure  shot.     (Thomas  Skowl.) 

1  think  about  one-third  of  the  seal  shot  with  shotgun  are  lost.  (Fred 
Smith.) 

Verv  few  are  lost  when  struck  with  a  sjiear.  About  (!(>  per  cent  are 
lost  when  shotgun  is  used.    (William  II.  Smith.) 

An  ordiimry  hunter  will  not  get  more  than  one  out  of  four  that  he 
shoots  at.     (C'yrus  Stephens.) 

About  25  per  cent  of  seals  shot  are  lost,    (.losliua  Stickland.) 

Q.  What  percentage  of  seals  are  taken  compared  to  those  you  destroy 
in  doing  hi;  in  other  words,  how  many  do  you  actually  get  out  of  those 
you  shoot? — A.  I  guess  we  j^et  hardly  two  tliiids  of  what  we  shoot. 

Q.  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  when  you  tirst  started  in  the  business  ard 
was  inexperienced  in  hunting,  that  you,  like  all  other  beginners, 
destroyed  a  much  larger  proportion  than  you  do  now? — A.  It  is. 

1  have  always  understood  that .'{.'{  per  <*ent  of  seals  shot  with  shotgUiis 
are  lost.     (W.  Thomas.) 

The  hunters  use  shotguns  and  rifles  exclusively  for  taking  seal.  I 
think  that  from  what  I  have  been  able  to  learn  about  half  the  seal  shot 
are  lost,  the  hunters  being  unable  to  secure  them  before  they  sink. 
(John  C.  Tobnan.) 

About  00  per  cent  of  the  seal  shot  with  shotgun  are  lost.  A  much 
larger  |)er  cent  is  lost  when  ritle  is  used.     (I*eter  Trearsheit.) 

I  get  most  all  the  seals  that  I  hit  with  the  spear.  I  lose  one-half  of 
those  I  shoot  with  a  gun.     (.John  Tysum.) 

When  the  si)ear  was  used  all  seal  speared  were  secured.  About  50 
per  cent  of  tlie  seals  are  h)st  when  sliot  with  shotgun.  Whenever  1 
have  used  a  ritle  for  shooting  seal  a  much  larger  proportion  of  those 
killed  have  been  lost  on  act'ount  of  sh«»oting  them  at  a  h»nger  distance 
from  the  boat.     (.lames  ITnatajim.) 

1  think  I  generally  lose  about  75  per  cent  of  the  seals  shot  with  shot- 
gun.    ((Jeorge  Tsher.) 

1  have  learned  from  personal  ol)#ervatioii  antl  from  conversations 
with  jiarties  that  they  lose  in  kille«l  and  wounded  at  least  two  out  of 
every  three  obtained.  Otiier  sealers  have  told  me  that  their  loss  is 
much  greater.    (Charles  T.  Wagner.) 

About  50  per  cent  are  lost  when  shot  with  shotgun.  When  ritle  is 
used  a  much  larger  per  cent  is  lost.    (Rudolph  Walton.) 

I  have  often  conversed  with  the  hunters  relative  to  the  percentage 
of  the  loss  of  seals  to  those  taken,  and  some  lell  me  they  get  one  out  of 
five  or  six.    (Elkan  Wasserman.) 

S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 17 


.V, 


m 


.: 


n — rr 


I'M 


258 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THE    IMUKILOF    USLANliS. 


My  Imiiters  UiSe  sliotgnii  oxdiuiivcly.  Tliey  carry  a  rille  witli  them 
ill  tlie  boat,  but  liiive  not  usod  oiu»  this  season  to  my  knowledjje.  I 
think,  as  neai-  as  1  can  estitnatc,  about  :i3<\  (aT  cent  of  the  tteals  shot 
are  lost.     (  V.  S.  Wfitteiihiiler.) 

From  my  kii(»\vh'(i^e  ami  oxiM'rieme  in  the  business  it  is  my  eonvic 
tion  ihat  within  tlie  hist   few  years,  since  the  s<sUers  hav«'  i>ecome  so 
uuwiCioiis  in  the  I'aeilitt  and  Bering;  8ea,  that  not  more  than  one  out  of 
tltree  are  seeured.     (Michael  White.) 

I  always  use  the  shotjjun  for  takinj;  seal.  I  think  I  h)se  about  five 
out  of  every  ten  tiial  I  shuot.     (  Miliy  Williams.) 

That  for  every  tlnve  sleepinjj  seals  killed  or  wounded  in  the  water 
only  one  is  recovered.  For  every  six  iravelin;;'  seals  killed  or  wonnde<l 
in  the  watet  only  one  is  recovered.     (TiuMt.  T.  Willpims.) 

8onietina\s  I  lose  one  and  sonu'times  two  out  of  ten  that  1  shoot  with 
a  shotgun.     ( i-'red,  Wib.on,) 

When  the  spear  was  ised  'ery  few  seal  wer<'  lost.  About  i'>0  per 
cent  are  lost  wIumi  shot  w'th  shotjjun.  A  larjici'  p«'r  cent  are  lost  when 
killed  with  a  rille,  I  use  the  shotj-nn  for  taking  seal,  and  lose  about 
two  out  of  ten  that  I  shoot.     (I'dlly  Veltachy.) 

Sometimes  I  lose  one  and  sometimes  two  out  of  every  ten  that  I 
Blioot.  I  always  shod  the  seal  close  to  the  boat,  so  1  don't  lose  many. 
(Ha  'tings  Vethnow.) 

The  shotgun  is  used  altogether  for  taking  seal.  About  '^'^f^  per  cent 
of  the  seal  shot  are  lost.     (Alf.  Yohansen.i 

Always  use  shotgun  lor  taking  seal.  I  lose  but  veiy  few  seal,  as  I 
aiwavrt  shoot  them  very  close  to  the  boat.    (Paul  Y()ung,) 

llavii  always  used  the  shotgun  for  taking  seal.  Think  I  lose  about 
thrwfi  out  of  ten  of  those  I  shoot,    (Walter  Young.) 

ill  Jiuntiug  with  spears  1  capture  nearl;'  all  that  I  hit.  (Thomas 
Zolnoks.) 

Woiindiiiff. 

Those  only  wounded,  whether  fatally  or  otherwise,  dive  ami  escape 
capture.  The  let^s  .sev<'rely  wonmled  uuiy,  a»id  in  Jimny  cases  doubtless 
do,  recover  from  ".leir  wounds;  but,  in  the  nature  of  things,  nniny 
others  must  die  o  tlieir  injuries.  There  is  a  wide  range  of  chances 
boiwee'i  an  instantaneously  fatal  or  disabling  shot  and  a  slight  wound 
from  >vhich  the  victim  may  readily  recover,  with  obviously  a  largo  pro- 
portion of  them  on  the  fatal  sideof  the  dividing  lin<'.     (Dr.  .1.  A.  Allen.) 

Ag(tod  many  of  the  >.eals  that  I  1  ave  caught  in  the  last  thieti  or  tour 
years  have  shot  in  the  ni  and  sonnf  have  been  badly  wounded.  1  have 
seen  white  hiiuters  sli«)oting  seals  out  in  the  sea,  and  they  lose  a  great 
nmuymore  than  they  get,  and  we  sometimes  i-apture  some  of  those  that 
they  have  badly  wounded.     (Mowa  chup.) 

Have  caught  a  great  uuiny  seals  that  had  shot  in  them,  (Feter 
lirown.) 

We  often  take  seals  that  have  been  wounded  with  a  ritle  or  shotgun, 
and  in  their  bodies  ♦^here  are  a  large  nundu'r  of  shot.  (James  Clap 
lauhoo.) 


SKAL    lilFK    ON     THK    I'UII  ILOF    LSI.ANDS. 


259 


A  j{oo(l  many  arc  wouiuliMi  and  escape,  only  to  die  afterwards.  (Alfred 
Dardcaii.) 

Wlieii  I  jjet  seals  now  a  }j;reat  many  liave  shot  in  tlicm,  a  thin};  I  never 
B'tw  befoic  nntil  ahont  six  oi'  seven  years  ajjo.     (Krani;  Davis.) 

kSomc  that  I  shoot  arc  wonndcd  and  }>et  away,  and  probalily  die.  I 
have  canj^iit  a  aoinl  nuiny  seals  that  iiad  shot  in  them.     (Kllabush.) 

'S'!icy  kill  and  wound  a  jjreat  many  that  they  do  not  {fct.  I  have 
speared  a  >>'reat  numy  seals  that  had  shot  in  them.     (Selwish  .lohnson.) 

i  know  that  a  fivvAi  many  must  he  lo8t  l»y  the  white  hunters,  for  a 
great  many  tlal  1  <'ateh  have  shot  in  them,  and  some  are  l>adly  wounded, 
(.lames  lii}>'htiiouse.) 

hurini;  the  killin-:'  season  on  the  Commander  Ishunls  we  fre<|Uently 
tind  in  the  bodies  both  bullets  and  shut.     (John  Malowowansky.) 

I  have  captured  :t  ^rcat  numy  seals  with  the  spear  and  foniul  shot  in 
them.     (John  'rysniii.) 

When  I  hey  were  woumicd  wc  lunl  ti  chase  them,  and  tlu'n  sonu'times 
would  n<»t  jjet  them.     (Tatiiek  Maroiri.) 

While  out  seal  liuntin;^'  last  y»>ar  1  eaptu;cd  a  few  seals  that  the  white 
hunters  had  wounded  and  lost,  and  found  a  aood  iniiny  shot  in  their 
bodies,  i  have  captured  a  ;;ood  nmny  seals  lately  thai  had  buckshot 
in  tlu'm.     (('h.uley  White  ) 

At  the  times  when  the  male  seals  ari'  on  the  rookeries  the  larjje 
catclu's  arc  made.  .V  traveliiifr  seal  is  alert,  cautitius,  ipiick  of  Itcaiinj;, 
ami  easily  disturbed.  A  sh'cpiujn-  seal  is  at  the  mercy  of  anyone.  The 
lar^ie  proportion  of  traveling;  seals  shot  at  and  lost  is  due  to  th(>  timitlity 
of  the  aninnil;  in  fact,  all  the  hunters  admit  that  when  there  is  niiu'h 
shoot  in};  };oin^  on  the  seals  are  \ery  dillit-ult  to  m'i.  The  loss  of  slccp- 
iu};  seals,  which  I  «'sliniate  as  two  lost  for  one  saved,  is  due  to  the  fact 
that  unless  the  bullet  nv  shot  kills  the  animal  instantly  it  will  imme«li- 
ately  dive,  antl  it  is  not  easy  to  kill  a  seal  instantly.  The  head  of  the 
8cal  aflbrds  but  a  small  nuirk.  ICvcn  in  the  case  of  a  slccjier,  the 
motiiMi  of  the  water  keeps  itnn)vin};.  The  boat  from  which  the  hunter 
shoots  is  also  nu)vinp,  and  v  hile  tlu-re  are  nu'ii  who  at  a  distance  of  r»(> 
or  (Ht  yards  can  shoot  a  snnill  object  under  su«'h  cireumstaiu-es,  they 
are  extremely  rare.  They  aie  famous  as  experts  and  they  are  hi};hly 
rewarde<l  for  their  skill.  Cerlaiidy  iu)t  (UU'  in  ton  of  all  the  seal  hunters 
can  truthfully  asscil,  nor  do  they  altciupt  to  do  so  when  in  a.  coi.lidcn- 
tial  liunuu',  that  they  kill  M)  per  cent  of  tneir  seals  dead.  I  was  in  the 
comitany  of  a  number  of  them  in  Victoria,  in  ISSt),  and  heard  them 
lalkiii};  anion}:  thcMiselv^'S  of  their  prowess.  S<»ntc  put  forward  claims 
which  til*' others  derided.  .\iiy  estimate  in  excess  of  tne  one  I  have 
already  }iiven  called  <(Utli  niicoinplimentary  renmrks  and  char}i»'s  of 
boastlulncHs.  The  disinclination  of  tlies<>  ummi  to  state  the  absolute 
facts,  and  they  alone  know  what  (he  facts  are,  in  relation  to  the  num- 
ber of  seals  shot  an<l  lost,  has  been  intiMisilicd  lat<'ly  by  the  Ici'linj; 
that  it  is  necessary  for  them  to  make  a  };ood  sho\\in}>  to  back  up  the 
claim  thit  pela{;ic  sealiii};  is  not  abstdutciv  of  the  seal  herd.  (Thomas 
T.  Williams.) 

Man)  of  the  seals  I  have  spcar(>d  had  shot  and  bullets  in  them. 
This  was  never  seen  lu'fore  until  about  ei};ht  years  a};o,  and  m)W  it  is 
a  frequent  occurrence.    'Wispoo.) 

A  };reat  nniny  that  I  have  cau};ht  in  the  last  three  or  foiir  yeiM'«  Inive 
shot  in  then),  and  many  have  been  badly  wtninded.     (Thonnis  /iwnoks.) 


m 


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r-'-m 


260 


«KAL    MFE    OW    ThiK    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


Prfcentatff  Utnt — *t»'»er(d  Httitementx. 


We  hswl  a  low  on  l>uunl  l)er»nsi>  wumi*'  of  tbe  huiittTs  wt»ro  jfreen 
huiidH  anil  the  men  would  n«it  {fo  oiiiT.  \i*  tlif  Units  witli  them.  Thoy 
took  tlir  huiitei's  out  of  onr  IniatK  and  put  thetn  into  the  other  boats 
that  made  no  <'a(<h.and  then  we  kirked  dt*.*  tbeyshnuhl  jnit  tlie  jjreen 
hunters  iv.to  tmr  Itoats,  Itecanse  everythiitjf  ttt*y  would  slioot  wonid  sink 
on  titem  and  be  lout.     (Charles  Adair.) 

The  destrin'tiv«'ness  to  seal  life  by  ]te]»pif  hnntinj;  is  very  {^rcat.  The 
majority  of  seals  killed  are  pr«-}rniiMt  iHiial***.  so  iliat  tw^»  lives  are  often 
aae.ritieeil  in  secnriiij;  one  skin.  I'liis  **  trivr  wlM'tli.'i  Hrejirins  or  spears 
are  usi'd.  In  a<lditioii  to  this,  tiie  nnirH.»'r  <«^  skiiiM  r«ark#'ted  does  not 
re|)resent  tin*  nnnilH-i  iir;«<Hlly  destroy«'d.  for  ma-n*  *i»-  kilb*,*!  that  arc 
not  jM'cured.  wliile  tttlM-rs.  •lM)uj{h  latally  woinic..'  '  -  !  jii*»ss^-»iH  strength 
euouffh  to  esrape  their  ))Ut'iiviej-s.     ^.\.  \i.  Ali'Xa..  .■ 

Of  tli«)se  killed  the  numb*'!'  «*.ved  varies  with  th»  lai.  if  the  hunters. 
Last  year  we  k>Ht  sery  few.     i^hiM'leH  Avery.) 

A  very  U'W  are  lost  when  sh.>*'  with  tin-  shotgiiii,  j>s  \«n»  iitwwt  thein 
0if$iuv  tf>  the  boat.     ^JohnnN   Bai'(''<'«vit«'h.) 

In  linntin;^  with  the  spear  w«'  don'r  lose  iiiaii>  that  wr  iHt.  I  iwver 
hunted  with  awus.     (I'etei'  Hrown.) 

K.Kperienci'd  hunters  lose  v«'ry  few  s«'al  that  are  .-CMtt.  but  i»«>!ijit»**r8 
lose  a  great  many.     ((Charles  Campbell.) 

As  to  the  |M'r«enta;i<'  of  seals  lo«<t  ii  pelagir  sealin;;  when*  the  mm  0f 
firearms  is  eiii|il(>,\«Ml,  I  am  not  ablr  to  statt-  of  my  own  olisrrv.itioA' jmmI 
experience,  but  from  conversation  with  those  iMiy;aj;cd  in  tit*'  businesi*  f 
am  of  tlie  opinion   tti^t   'lie  number  senircd   is  small  compared    wiui) 


those  hmt  in  attcnipt.x  to  .s»<<iii-«-  the 


III. 


W.  (  .  Coulson.) 


None  were  lost  «h#'n  the  sp^^ar  was  usf^l.  Vhen  the  shotgun  is  us*'^ 
BOinetimcH  thev  are  lost.  A  fern'  nM»»t'  are  i<"«f  *lien  ritle  is  used. 
(Charlie  Dahtlin. 

Were  I  engaged  M  pi>v««iif  in  -Mealing  I  should  preler  the  Hi>ear  to  the 
ritte  t)i'  sholgiin,  an4$  I  InHi^'ve  it«  umt  is  not  near  so  deAtiuetive  to  seal 


lite. 


•lames  Dalgai'dii^). 


The  Indian-^  have  alw.4ys  bunt,»d  .s*al  with  ^  uliotguit.  and  lam.'>ioir,v 
to  .say  that  titey  have  kilj*'^  a  ^yeat  many  »»«)re  tlutu  they  .secuietl. 
(William  Dnncan.) 

From  the  ammiinitMMi  w*'  furiiMlied  fliei'  '  '•  im-^t  fhaf  wHne  of  ^le 
hunters  on  an  averag*'  used  f'om  l»o  lo  tin  mi  ds.  •  .simi  to  u  .neal, 
while  others  used  from  hu'ty  to  tifly  rounds.      «»eorge  Kogel.) 

Have  always  used  the  shotgun  for  killing  seal.  -mhI  \mt  very  few  are 
lost.     ((JhiefKrank.) 

Have  always  used   spear  for  taking  x'al.  and   but   very  few  are  h>st. 


(Chad  t  ieoige 

A  very  large  number  of  shots  are  thrown  away.  In  the  ease  of  the 
Tliisilr,  in  lu'r  v<»ya;;e  of  I.sfM.  she  brought  in  but  nine  skins,  while  licr 
hunters  had  llred  away  L'OO  pounds  of  shut  Hht  had  poor  hunters. 
(!<:.  M.  (iieenleaf.) 

That  in  pelagic  sealing  twice  as  many  M<*i»l>i  m'c  hmt  as  are  captured. 
(W.  l».  Crimth.) 


f 


SKAL    LIFi:    ON    THK    PRIHILOF    I.  LANDS. 


261 


Always  shoot  the  seal  close  totlie  boat  and  rarely  lose  one ;  but  when 
shot  at  with  the  litle  1  lose  a  piod  many,     (llooiiiah  Dick.) 

I  have  always  used  spears  in  hunting  seal-*,  and  seldom  wounded  or 
hit  one  that  I  did  not  avt  until  in  18M1,  wliieh  year,  and  the  only  (Uie, 
1  went  to  ik'iing  Sea,  and  used  the  shotgun  part  of  tlie  time.  1  found 
in  the  use  of  tlie  shotgun  that  a  };reat  many  of  tlie  .^^eals  tiuit  were 
killed  or  wounded  were  lost.     (Alfre«l  Irviny;.) 

Welosebutvery  fewsealstliat  we  liitwitii  aspear.     (Selwish.Iohnson.) 
When  seals  were  struck  with  a  spear  none  were  lost;  a  jjreat  nniny 

are  lost  when  the  shotj^un  is  used.     (('.  Klansineck.) 

I  have  often  heiird  them  say  that  they  only  }j«'t  two  or  three  out  of  a 
school,  and  when  they  kill  them,  if  they  do  not  yet  them  rifjht  away, 
tliey  will  sink  and  be  lost,  I'lirther.  tliat  they  lose  a  mmd  nuiny  that 
tiiey  kill,    (.lames  Kafkin.) 

if.  i3oyou  treiierally  slioot  seals  with  a  ri(le«u'shot};un  f — A.  A  shot- 
gun.    Nitiety  per  cent  aic  killed  with  a  sliot«;un.     (Frank  .M(U'eau.) 

Always  use  the  sliot^juii  f(n'  taking;  seals.  I  hise  very  few,  as  I  always 
slioot  them  «'lose  to  the  boat.     (Matthew  Norris.) 

I  <*an  not  say  how  many  seals  are  killed  and  wounded,  but  there  is 
no  doubt  that  ^rcen  hunters  l«ise  many,  while  those  m<»re  experienced 
in  business  lose  fewer.     ; Morris  Moss.)  ^ 

We  used  the  spear  m<»re  than  the  jjun  and  si-mred  nearly  all  of  them 
thiit  we  hit  with  it,  but  lost  a  ^jreat  many  seals  that  we  shot.  We  pre- 
fer to  use  the  spear,  be<'ause  in  st)  <loin;;  we  do  not  lose  so  many  or 
fri;;hteu  them  away.     (Osly.) 

The  sliot;:nn  is  not  as  fatal  as  the  lille,  but  it  ruins  the  skins  of  tliu 
HCiils.     (Adolphus  Sayers.) 

Ilreech  loading'  llrearms  (ritles  and  shot(>'uns)  are  the  instrumt.its 
|)riMcipalIy  emphned  by  |)ela};ic  fur  seal  hunters,  botii  native  and  white. 
Hy  nu'ans  of  these  weapons  a  greater  number  of  Mkins  are  secured  in  iv 
Ncasou  tluin  when  spears  are  used;  but  tli'  proportion  of  sciils  struck 
411(1  lost  to  tiiose  actually  seemed  is  much  less  than  when  tli<>  spear  ia 
i<<ed.     (John  W.  Smith.) 

riu'  best  hunter  will  tire  about  liO  i-artridp's.  and  they  avt  Hi  or  I'J 
><  lis.  whih'  a  hunter  of  less  experience  will  lire  100  roimds  and  f^et 
•.'>Miin<:.  but  will  wound  and  disiil>le  them.     (A'lolph  \\  .  'I'liompson.) 

I  have  always  used  spears  in  hunting  the  seal,  and  seldom  lo.se,  any 
i  liir,     I  Charley  White.) 

Ill  attciiii»tiiiji'  to  determine  the  sex  of  seals  killed  in  the  lUMiiiy  Sea 
and  the  North  I'acilic.  iiiid  ot'  the  iiiimlier  of  seiils  kille<l  in  excess  of 
•hone  a»'tuiilly  secured  by  the  hunters.  I  iisid  interviews  with  upward 
^  *tty  Heal  liunt«'rs,  aside  IVoin  interviews subseipiciitly  had  with  indiiin 
itin'i-i*  I  find  this  portion  of  my  work  l»y  far  the  most  dilliiult.  Much 
disnis  ,'iii  had  already  been  had  alioiit  the  tlamaf^in};  flfcet  of  pela^io 
>eiihiiK-  'Hid  the  liiiiit«>i's  were  loatii  to  iell  how  man,\  seals  were  killed, 
uiui  n«>t  recovered,  and  wer»!  olten  averse  to  makiii;;  t ruthl'iil  reports 
ahiiiit  the  sex  of  the  animals  killed,  but  by  frequent iiiy'  tlieii  liaiiiitH 
aii'l  ciiltivatiiitr  their  <-<nnpany  lor  loiiy  periods  I  succeeded  in  yetting; 
lUriiiate  statements  from  a  number  <if  them.     iTIieo.  T.  Williams.) 

1  fouinl  that  at  tlrst  the  hunters  were  disposed  to  brag  of  their  skill 


■ill':  ■;*:*:  '■ 


i 


m 


i  ! 


I       I 


262 


SEAL    LIKE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


and  to  <>vorestiinate  tlieir  success  in  securing  skins  of  seals  sliot  at. 
Tlie  reason  tor  that  was  that  I  was  about  to  engage  in  sealing  enter- 
prises and  that  1  was  making  inquiries  for  the  puritose  of  ascertaining 
their  skill  as  hunters,  with  a  view  to  engaging  them.  The  practice  in 
liritisti  Cohimbia  is  to  pay  tlie  best  hunters  tiie  higliest  rate  per  skin. 
Men  wlio  couM  shoot  fairly  well,  but  wlio  use  a  shotgun,  couhl  be 
secun'd  ibr  a  sciiling  v<»yiige  from  !?l  to  !i<l.r»()  per  skin,  while  hunters 
who  shot  with  a  rifle  anil  were  of  recognized  skill  in  some  instances 
were  piii<l  as  high  as  $2.'A)  per  skin,  ami,  generally  speaking,  as  high 
as  $ii  per  skin.  The  reason  for  this  is  obvious  to  those  who  have  inter- 
ested themselves  in  the  sealing  business.  A  seal  killed  with  bui'kshot 
is  so  much  pnmttnred  fre(|uently  that  the  pelt  is  of  lesser  valiu'.  It  is 
not  pnjfitable  (or  s«'hooiiers  to  engage  as  hunters  men  who  miss  their 
chances  of  killing  the  seals  and  blaz«' away  indiscriminately,  with  snuill 
results.  ICven  tliough  the  huntei'  is  oidy  paid  for  the  skin  he  recovers, 
the  h»ss  to  the  vessel  by  his  failuie  to  kill  when  an  oppori unity  olfers 
is  c(|nivaleMt  to  t!ie  prolit  it  would  have  made  on  the  skin  if  secured. 
For  these  leasonsand  on  account  of  the  gt'ueral  pronen«'ssof  men  who 
ccuisider  themselves  experts  in  the  use  of  any  weapon  to  brag,  the  seal 
hunters  of  Uritish  Colundua,  as  a  class,  grossly  exaggerate  the  percent- 
age of  skins  they  recover  to  the  nund)ei()f  sealsaimed  at,  wounded,  or 
killed.     (Theo.  f.  Williams.) 

In  attem))ting  toascerlain  exa<tly  the  nundicr  of  .Neals  kilhul  and  lost 
by  the  lieringSca  hunters,  I  t'onnd  a  wide  divergence  of  statement.  It 
is  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  tin*  seal  hunter  to  have  the  n'putation  of 
losing  but  few  seals.  lie  is  paid  by  the  skin,  and  the  more  lie  catches 
the  greater  his  rennmeiation;  but  that  is  not  all  The  hunter  \\ith  the 
best  reputation  as  a  sure  catcher  is  in  the  greatest  tlemaiul,<'aii  secure 
employuM'ut  in  the  best  schooner,  ami  tJu'  largest  sum  of  advance 
money.  Ilesides  self-interest,  there  (unnes  vanity  to  urge  the  hunter 
tonnike  the  biggest  reputation  i)ossible  Ibr  himself.  To  use  a  connnon 
expression,  tin*  seal  Ininters  all  brag  about  their snreness of  aim.  The 
best  shots  use  a  ride  ami  lire  at  a  range  of  from  M)  to  1L'."»  yards.  The 
poorer  shots  (lepeiul  on  a  shotgun  loaded  with  bu<'ksliot.  and  will  lire 
at  a.  seal  up  to  ."•«»  yards  away.  The  Indian  hunters  use  spears,  ami 
paddle  noiselessly  up  to  the  sleeping  seal  to  i»lunue  the  spear  in  its 
shoulder.  They  nevev  attempt  to  spear  a  seal  that  is  awake.  An 
Imliaii  hunter  will  paddle  in  among  a  lot  of  ^'sleepers"*  ami  spear  them 
one  alter  the  other,  while  a  whit*'  hunter,  who  uses  llreaiins,  alaiins 
every  seal  in  the  iu'ighb(uhood  at  the  first disclnuye.  The  Indianslosn 
about  one  third  of  all  they  speai',  either  from  failiMe  to  kill  wlien  they 
striki^  or  beca'i.-e  the  dea«l  seal  sitd;s  too  (piickly  Ibc  them  to  secure  it. 
The  white  hunters  do  not  gel  on«'  half  of  all  they  shoot.  Some  hunters 
are  very  i'areful  shots  and  will  not  lire  ui-less  the  seal  is  well  within 
range,  but  the  seal  is  likely  t«)  sink  before  the  boat  can  get  to  it,  or  if 
woumled,  will  divelike  a  ilash  t()  getaway.  A  numlierol  liuntershave 
boasted  that  they  secuie  {>."»  seals  for  inn  siKtts,  and  some  ha\e  made 
nllidavits  of  even  moie  wonderful  expl'  its.  They  presinn*'  too  much 
on  public  ignorance  an<l  ci'ednlity.     (Tlieu.  T.  Williams.) 

F«)rtunately,  itis  not  lu'cessary  to  dei»end  on  the  statements  of  the  seal 
hunters.  I  secured  ai'cess  t<i  the  ship  accounts  (»f  several  seah-rs.  and 
f«»und  that  in  every  case  the  ctuisumptiou  of  ;!inmuiiition  showe<l  more 
than  ten  cartridges  used  foi  t'veiyseal  skin  captiiied.  I  sp'.nt  consid- 
erable tinu' annuig  the  Siwash  hniian  scalers,  and,  wiiile  they  brag  of 
their  individual  prowess,  they  admitted  a  loss  of  ;{(>  per  cent  at  lea^t. 


\ 


SEAL    MFK    ON    THK    I'UIIUI.or    ISLANDS. 


263 


On  tliin  subject  I  appeiHl  a  statiMiieiit  made  by  Captain  Olsen,  of  the 
aetiling  bark  licssie  Ktiter.  at  \'i(!toria. 

Captain,  Dlseii,  of  the  Anieiiran  schooner  ll<:iHif  h'litt'r,  of  Astoria, 
reached  Viitoria  Se|)teinber  L'7.  188t».  In  the  ollice  of  the  American 
consul.  Col.  Ji.  Stevens,  he  sai<l:  "  I  took  r»5(»  skins  in  lleiiny  Sea.  Of 
these  27  were  pups,r)20  females,  and  .{  male  seals,  which  1  killed  otVthe 
islatid  of  Kadiak.  Most  of  the  female  s<;als  were  with  yoiin^'.  1  had 
a  green  crew  and  j;reen  hunters.  They  used  sh<>t};iuis  and  sonu'timea 
the  rille.  They  got  al)out  one  8«'i'.l  for  every  three  they  aimed  at.  Some 
they  missed  alt«»<j;etlier,  and  some  of  the  wounded  ones  got  away.  There 
is  great  risk  of  losing  a  traveling  seal.  The  .sleeping  .seals  blow  up  an 
air  bladder  that  keeps  them  from  sinking,  but  the  seals  when  awake  sink 
easily.  I  looks  are  used  to  grapple  them,  but  if  the  iioat  is.sonu'  distaut^e 
from  the  seal  when  it  is  killed  it  does  not  often  get  it.  l-'or  that  it-ason 
rille  shooting  at  long  rang*'  hardly  pays.  1  will  get  about  i*7.7."i  for  some 
of  my  skins  and  ^.S  for  otiiers.  My  voyage  will  pay,  be "ause  I  ran  the 
boat  on  the  cheap.  I  otdy  had  tvo  men  to  tiie  boat,  and  only  ])aid  my 
hunters  $1  perski!)  instj-ad  of  ^'J,  whieli  is  paid  to  lirst  class  liunters. 
Some  very  skillful  liunters  do  not  lose  nniiiy  skins.  Tiiey  will  never 
tire  unless  a  seal  is  at  close  rang**,  and  they  generally  k  II.  Of  course 
they  lo.se  some  from  sinking.  .\II  the  hunters  brag  al>ou*  how  \i'\y  they 
lose,  l)ecause  thev  M-jmt  the  rei'Utation  of  being  good  luinters.  The 
better  reputation  tlu'y  have  the  Itetter  rhiuiee  they  get. 

If  liering  Sea  were  open  many  new  men  would  come  in.o  the  busim>ss 
and  the  loss  would  lie  gieater.  Only  a  few  men  make  succ<'ssful  hunt- 
ers. It  is  like  being  a  clever  rille  shot.  If  the  best  hunters  lose  ten 
or  iiftceii  in  a  hundred,  the  other  kind  lo.se  ten  times  as  nmny,  if  not 
more,  (ireen  hands  will  throw  away  a  lot  of  ammunition,  shoi»ting  at 
cerything  they  .sc«',  whether  it  is  in  range  or  not.  Von  can  not  stop 
tliju'i.     They  will  wouml  more  than  they  kill.     (T.  T.  Williams.) 

DESTItUCTION   OF   MUSING    1  r.MALKb*. 

We  entered  IJering  Sea  through  the  Muckawa  I'iiss  the  1st  of  duly, 
ami  commenced  hunting  seals  wJuMcver  we  i-ould  lind  them,  annuig 
which  were  a  great  many  cows  giving  milk,  which  we  killed  from  .'{0  to 
loU  miles  from  the  islands.     j<'h:ii'les  Adair.) 

1  have  no  exact  information  as  to  the  proportion  of  male  and  fennde 
Kcals  killed  by  pelagic  hunters,  hmt  it  is  m>  linn  conviction,  from  my 
knowledge  of  the  h.il»itsof  the  m;iiles  in  not  leaving  the  islands  during 
til!'  breed.iiig  season,  .ind  the  well  .>!iown  fact  that  niothei' seals  go gieat 
<listanees  in  .search  of  food  wliih-  nuising  tlieii  young,  tliat  the  females 
are  slaughtcied  in  great  niiiiiliers  cinring  their  jouneys  to  and  IVom  the 
islands  l)y  pelagic  hunters.     ((Jeoi^e  If.  .\(lams. i 

And  when  in  Bering  Si-a  we  take  seals  iViMii  10  to  12(»  miles  from  the 
seal  islands.     (William  Keiidt.i 

.\iid  the  larger  pro|iortioii  of  those  killed  in  liering  Sea  are  also  cows. 
Have  killed  cow  seals,  with  milk  in  thei'i.  <»."»  miles  iVoiii  the  IMibilof 
Islands.  •  •  •  A  few  mule  ><'als  are  taken,  ages  ranging  from  t  to 
r»  years.  Once  in  a  while  we  catch  an  <»ld  hnP  in  the  I'acilic  Ocean. 
(.Martin  llen.son.) 

We  came  out  of  liering  Stsi  the  latter  part  <tf  August  and  had  caught 
about  1,700  seals  between  the  I'riltilof  Islands  and  Cnalaska.  We 
<auglit  them  from  10  t<»  100 «»r  more  mile.s  oil  St.  tJeorgi'  Islaiul.  (Niels 
Honde.) 


P 


il 


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IT 


■      \i     i 
■i     . 


ill 


pi> 


I  If; 


264 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PBIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


Wu  entered  Bering  Sea  the  middle  of  May  and  eaptiired  MM  wliile 
in  tiiere.  Must  of  these  were  niotlier  seals  with  their  breaHts  full  of 
milk.    (Thonnis  lliadley.) 

I  hunted  in  Herini;  Sea  in  188!)  (that  bein^  the  only  year  I  ever  went 
to  that  sea)  and  hunted  seitls  with  spears  alxiut  70  miles  southwest  oiV 
the  islands,  and  our  eat<-h  was  nearly  all  cows  that  had  given  birth  to 
their  young  and  ha<I  milk  in  their  teats.     (Peter  Uiown.) 

Have  killed  rows  with  milk  about  (»t)  miles  olf  the  Pribilof  Islands. 
A  few  «dd  bulls  were  killed  by  me  last  season.     (Clmrles  Campbell.) 

At  least  seven  out  of  eight  seals  esiught  in  Mering  Si-a  were  mothers 
ill  milk.     (ChiirlesChallall.) 

We  entered  the  sea  through  the  (nimak  Pass,  and  (■:iptured  therein 
about  M)  seals,  most  all  of  which  had  milk  in  their  breasts.  (Louis 
Culler.) 

The  wnters  weie  full  of  tln'in  at  thiit  time.  \\v  ciiught  them  from  50 
to  (iO  miles  oft'  th(>  seal  isliinds.     (.lohn  haltoii.) 

Ibit  the  seals  I  caught  in  llering  Sea  were  most  all  cows  in  milk. 
(Frank  Davis.) 

Th<>  proportion  of  female  seals  killed  in  liering  Sea  is  e<pially  large, 
but  the  destrut;ti<»n  to  seal  lif«'  is  much  ;^r»'atcr,  owing  to  the  fact  that 
when  a  nntther  seal  Ih  killed  her  suckling  pup  left  iit  the  rookery  also 
perishes,  impregnation  having  also  taken  place  before  she  left  the 
rookery  in  sean-h  of  food,  the  fetus  of  the  next  year's  birth  is  likewise 
de8troy«>d.     (.lames  II.  Douglass.) 

We  left  San  Francisco  and  llshed  \\\\  the  coast  until  we  entered  Bering 
Sea,  in  July,  iumI  sealed  about  the  sea  until  we  were  driven  of!"  by  the 
revenue  <'utter  Conrin.  l-'nun  there  we  went  to  the  ('oi>i>er  Islands. 
Our  whole  catch  amounted  to  !H)0  skins,  and  we  killetl  most  of  them  with 
ritles.  We  only  got  alMiut  on«'  out  of  eight  tlnit  we  simt  at,iunl  they 
were  most  all  females  giving  Ukilk  <>r  in  pup,  VN'lien  we  cut  tlit  hide  oft' 
you  could  see  the  milk  running  from  th(^  breasts  of  the  seals.  The 
8econ<l  year  we  got  <»ver  )..'WM>  skins;  scnnc  of  tlicm  were  cows  wiMi  pups 
in  them,  and  most  all  the  rest  were  cows  giving  milk,  and  stane  of  the 
latter  we  killed  as  far  from  tliemokcricsas  rnimak  Pass.     (Peter  Dulfy.) 

We  entered  Mering  Sea  aixait  Apiil  an«l  we  got  T!)."*  in  there,  the 
largest  part  of  which  were  motlo-r  seals  in  milk.  Wlien  we  were  skin- 
ning them  the  milk  would  run  on  the  deck.     (John  I'Vfe.) 

I  kn«nv  that  tally  ""»  per  cent  ot  tliost'  wc  caught  in  I5«'ring  S«'a  were 
cows  in  milk.     (Thomas  (iibson 

My  observation  ami  the  infoi ntation  <>4)itaiiied  fiom  seal  hunters  con- 
vince nu'  that  fully  !•<►  per  ccor  oi  ihc  mmN  Ibund  swimming  In  llering 
Sea  during  tlu'  breeding  Hea>«>ii  are  lemaU-s  in  s<*arcli  of  food,  and  tlieir 
slaughter  results  in  the  destructitm  of  lier  young  bv  starvation.  (M.  A. 
Healy.) 

While  in  liering  Sea  we  cruised  aioiind  tln»  Pril>ilof  Islands  in  all 
directicms.  oft<'n  comiiig  within  vi<>\v  ot  I  hem  lint  never  landing  oi'  umk- 
ing  any  atteinpt  to  do  so.  The  proportion  ot  females  taken  to  males 
was  about  70  per  cent,  more  than  two  tiiirds  of  these  being  nursing 
cows,  while  the  renmin«ler  were  1' year  olds  ami  yearlings.  On  first 
entering  the  sea  an  occasional  luegmint  cow  w<udd  be  taken,  but  this 
was  um;ommon.    Of  the  nmles  taken  in  Bering  Sea  the  nund)ers  of 


^ 


8KAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


265- 


yearliii};s  and  very  youiiK  baulielors  was  about  equal;  no  bulls  were 
ever  taken.    (Norman  IIo«lf;Hon.) 

Those  that  I  secured  in  Bering  Sea  were  nearly  all  feniales  and  had 
Ifiven  birth  t<t  their  youn^  and  were  in  milk.  Our  vessel  eaptured 
about  4<>0  seaJH  at  a  distance  of  about  KK)  miles  from  the  I'ribilof 
Islands,  most  all  of  which  were  cows  in  milk.     (Alfred  Irvinfj;.) 

We  entered  the  sen  and  caught  about  a  thousand  there.  We  sealed 
all  over  <»n  this  side  of  Herin;;  Hea,  sometimes  bein^  over  liii)  miles  otl 
the  seal  islands,  and  sometimes  we  were  chtser.  1  did.  not  pay  any 
attention  to  the  proportion  of  females,  but  I  know  we  skinned  a  ;;reat 
nnu  that  were  ^iviu};  milk,  becan>e  the  milk  would  run  frinn  their 
breasts  onto  the  deck  when  they  were  beinj*  skinned.  We  killed  mother 
seals  in  milk  over  1(N>  miles  from  the  seal  islands.  VN'e  p'uerally  shoot 
them  when  they  are  asleep  on  the  water.  •  •  •  We  cau{;ht  between 
3(M>  and  4(MI  seals  on  the  coast  and  (»0b  in  lierinj;  Sea.  We  sealed  ou 
the  American  side  o*'  Bering  Sea  ai'onnd  the  I'ribilof  Islands,  any- 
where troll)  10  to  l."M  miles  otf.  The  capture  of  ISIMI  was  about  the 
same  in  proportion  to  sex  as  the  year  before,     (.lames  Keaii.) 

We  entered  Berinj,'  8(>a  about  the  lattt-r  part  of  , Inly  and  captured 
L'OO  seals  from  2(t  to  KKI  miles  off  the  settl  ishinds.  A  lar^'e  i>roportion 
of  them  were  females  nursing  their  yonnj;  and  their  teats  were  large 
and  full  of  milk      (.lames  Kennedy.) 

I  have  observed  that  tln»se  killed  in  the  North  Pacifi*;  were  mostly 
fenmles  carryinjr  their  young  and  were  generally  caught  while  asleep 
on  the  water,     (.lames  Kiernan.) 

The  same  day  after  a  chase  of  an  hour  we  were  seized  by  the  t'.  S.  S. 
Moliiriiii.  The  total  cat<'h  of  seals  at  the  time  of  seizure  was  4H,  and 
at  least  L'O  were  teniales,  the  majority  of  which  were  in  milk.  All  the 
seals  were  taken  from  1LM>  to  180  miles  from  St.  (Jeorge  Island.  ( Krancig 
K.  King- Hall. I 

When  in  Ueriiig  Sea  we  are  usually  from  TiO  to  loO  miles  from  the 
Pribilof  Islands.     (An<lrew  Laiiig.) 

I  have  killed  females  in  milk  in  irnimak  Pnss,  and  even  out  in  the 
Tacilic  Ocean,  L'OO  miles  from  the  land.     (I-'.  N.  Lawson.) 

In  Bering  Sea.  where  wj*  obtained  about  40(>  skins,  males  and  females 
in  about  eciual  nnmbeis  were  taken.  The  femah  s  were  mostly  nursing 
cows,  while  the  males  were  young  ones,  lietwei-n  the  ages  of  U  and  5 
years,     (.lames  K.  licunan.) 

Another  fact  in  connectloji  with  o|»eii  sea  sealing  is  that  the  great 
majority  of  seals  killed  are  females,  and  tliat  ;i  great  pjirt  of  tlie  females 
are  pregnant,  or  i>i  iiiilU.  The  inilkiiig  females  iire  most  all  killed 
while  visiting  the  feeding  grounds,  which  are  distant  4(»  or  «»0  miles,  or 
ev<'n  farther  from  the  islnnds.  The  I'einale  necessarily  feeds  so  thiit  she 
can  sn|)ply  nonrishment  for  her  yoiiiig,  while  tlie  males  during  the  siun- 
iiier  st'ldom  h-avt'  the  islands.  Tliis  acc(»niits  for  the  large  number  of 
temales  killed  in  Bering  Sea.     (A.  I',  liond.) 

if.  I)i<l  you  ever  kill  any  seals  later  in  the  season  that  were  giving 
milk? — A.  Ves,  sir.     (Alexander  Mcliran.) 

Those  we  caught  in  Bering  Sea  were  mostly  all  females  with  milk  in 
their  breasts.  ♦  •  *  'I'he  next  season,  18!>o,  we  got  on  the  way  up 
between  100  and  '_'0()  seals,  and  then  we  entere<l  Bering  Sea  about  the 


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8KAL    LIKE   ON   TIIK    PRIItll.OF    ISLANDS. 


18th  or  19th  of  July,  and  I  caiii^hMlO  sealH,  mostly  all  feiiiali's.  •  •  • 
WliiMi  we  were  in  Heriiit;  Sea  we  hunted  t'roiu  40  to  L'0()  miles  oft'  the 
seal  islands.    (I'atrii'k  Maroney.) 

About  two-thirds  of  those  caught  in  Itering  Sea  were  females  that 
had  bij;  teats  and  were  giving  milk.  We  eould  tell  tiiat  when  we  were 
skinning  them,  because  the  milk  would  run  out  on  the  decks.  ( Wil- 
liam Mason.) 

Wo  sealed  around  I'nalaska,  but  did  not  go  toward  the  Pribilof 
Islands.  VVe  caught  l,1>Un  seals,  all  of  which  were  captured  in  tlie  sea, 
close  to  llnaliiska;  most  idl  of  them  were  cows  in  milk;  but  when  we  first 
entered  the  sea  we  kille«l  a  few  <'ows  that  hiid  pups  in  them.  •  •  • 
Tlmt  year  wv  sesded  east  of  the  ishind  and  caught  iii»ont  sun  seals.  I 
do  iu)t  km)w  linw  far  we  were  from  the  islands,  for  we  cmild  n(»t  see 
them.     The  seals  we  caught  were  nn)stly  cows  with  milk.     (Moses.) 

I  was  sealing  in  Hering  Sea  during  .Iidy,  August,  and  Septend)er, 
lS.s."i  and  l.ssri.  I  was  cruising  in  HeringSea  aroumi  alMtnt  the  I'nbilof 
Islands,  and  fmni  loo  to  •SOU  mil(>s  otV.  The  principal  portion  of  tlu> 
cruising  was  between  tin'  Aleutian  and  I'rlMlof  islands.  Ouv  of  the 
principal  sealing  grounds  is  otf  ISogslof.     (Mies  Nelson.) 

After  i'ntcring  tlu'  sea  we  got  one  female  with  a  very  large  pup,  which 
I  took  out  alive  ami  kept  it  for  three  or  four  days,  when  it  died,  as  it 
would  not  eat  anything.  All  the  others  had  given  biitli  to  their  young, 
and  their  lueasts  were  full  of  milk,     (.lolin  Olson.) 

The  seals  tak  'ii  in  liering  Sea  are  neaily  all  grown.  We  g<'t  but  very 
few  young  seals.  I  think  we  catch  in  liering  S(>a  more  mah's  in  ]U'o- 
portion  to  fenndes  than  wc  do  on  the  coast.  We  catch  a  good  many 
females  in  Hering  Sea  that  have  given  birth  to  th<>ir  young  on  the 
islands  and  are  in  milk.  1  have  caught  plenty  of  (;ow  seals  in  milk 
1(10  miles  or  more  from  the  islands,  but  seldom  gel  any  that  have  a  pup 
in  them  in  those  wati'is.     (William  Taikcr.) 

We(>ntered  Hering  Sea  about  the  l.~»th  of  August  through  the  I'ninnik 
Pass  and  captured  therein  1,101  seals,  most  of  which  were  cows  in  milk. 
On  that  voyage  we  caught  fcnnile  seals  in  milk  over  SO  miles  from  the 
rooki'ries  where  they  had  left  their  young.     ((!harles  IVterstm.) 

The  seals  captured  In  IJcring  St-a  were  fully  S(»  per  cent  fenndes  that 
ha»l  given  birth  to  their  young.  A  fact  that  I  often  noticed  was  that 
their  teats  would  be  full  of  milk  when  I  skinned  them,  ami  I  haveseen 
them  killed  (nun  JO  to  KH)  mdes  from  the  seal  islands.    ( ICdwin  V.  Porter.) 

Q.  How  do  you  know  thi;t  the  marauders  kill  females  princi])ally  ? — 
A.  I  know  that  the  fenmlcs,  after  giving  birth  to  their  young  on  the 
rookeries,  troquent  the  open  sea  in  sear«'h  of  tbotl.  whereas  tlie  nudes 
fre(pient  the  Imnling  grcuinds  or  waters  immediately  aiound  it.  At 
various  tinu's  I  have  seen  skins  which  were  sei/e«l  by  the  cutters  fr<un 
the  poachers.ami  they  were  substantially  female  skins.    (.1.  (<.  K'edpath.) 

I  have  been  in  Mehring  Sea  but  a  part  of  one  season.  Of  the  seals 
taken,  about  one-third  were  males,  one  third  females  with  young,  one- 
third  barren  and  yearlings.     (W.  Roberts.) 

I  have  taken  nursing  females  when  as  much  as  100  ndles  from  I'rib- 
ilof  Islamls.  I  estimate  that  the  seals  killed  by  pelagic  hunters  are  at 
least  *M)  |)er  cent  fenndes;  this  estimate  is  based  on  tlu'  great  number 
•of  motherless  pups  I  have  observed  on  the  rookeries,  ami  also  <»ii  state- 


Y% 


SEAL    LIFE   ON   THE    FKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


267 


n^^iitH  made  to  ni»  by  iiiivny  en;;aj;;(Ml  in  ]M>hi);ic  sealing  whom  1  met  and 
conversed  witli  at  Tnalaska.    (T.  F.  Kyaii.) 

We  cau^'ht  lUl  seals  in  Ilerin;;  Sea  that  year  (1.S84)  from  'M)  to  1  »0 
miles  oil'  the  seal  ishiiids.  'Die  most  of  them  were  females,  tor  the 
reason  tiiat  they  are  not  as  cntc  as  males.  A  ^reat  many  of  the  t'enmles 
had  their  breasts  t'nil  of  milk,  which  wonid  run  ont  on  the  dtM'k  when 
we  skinned  tliem.  •  •  •  .My  tliird  vnyajie  was  in  1S.SJ>.  1  sailed 
from  Yokohama  on  tlie  Atrfir,  aliont  the  latter  pait  of  .laiiiiary.  We 
eleared  uniler  the  Anieriean  tla^'.  •  •  •  \v,.  entered  Herinjj  Sea 
about  the  17th  of  May  and  eaiijrht  about  !M»o  seals,  the  most  of  them 
aroutul  the  fisliiiij^-  banks  Just  north  of  tlie  Aleutian  Islands.  The 
majority  of  them  wen-  mother  seals,     (.lames  Sloan.) 

The  majority  of  st-als  tak«'n  in  Ih-rin;,'  Sea  are  cows  with  milk.  Hut 
a  very  few  yearlin;;'s  are  taken,  and  once  in  a  while  an  old  bull  is  taken. 
The  inah'  seals  taken  are  between  "J  and  I  years  old.  •  •  •  i  luive 
taken  female  s«'als  so  miles  i»lV  the  Pribilof  Islands  that  were  full  of 
milk.     (  Fred  Sinitii.) 

Have  killed  cow  seals  that  were  fid!  of  ndlk  over  40  miles  from  the 
Pribilof  Islands,     (.loslina  Stickland.) 

I  have  never  <'a|»tured  any  emvs  in  milk  alony  the  coast,  but  when 
in  Ih'rin;;  .Sea  in  ISSO  I  sealed  rdV  alnnit  !>0  ndh's  fr<»ni  tiie  seal  islands 
ami  caii^'ht  cows  in  ndlk  there,     (.lohn  Tysnni.j 

The  majority  of  seals  killed  in  the  water  are  females,  and  all  the 
fenndes  killed  in  lierin^'  Sea  are  mothers  who  have  lett  I  heir  ]mi|is  on 
the  rookeries  and  pine  some  distance  from  the  island  in  seareh  of  food. 
(  Daniel  VV«d>ster.) 

Ninetv-rtve  per  eent  of  all  the  seals  killed  in  llerin;;  Sea  are  females. 
(Theo.  t.  Williams.) 

Thousands  of  the  female  seals  were  captured  by  the  pelagic  hunters 
in  Heriii;*'  Sea  durin^^  the  season  of  1S*M,  the  most  of  wjiicli  had  to  be 
secured  quite  a  distance  fri>;n  the  rookeries,  (twin<«'  to  the  pres«'iice  of 
arnu'd  vessels  pa  troll  in;;'  the  sea  for  miles  around  the  islands.  That  I  lie 
slaufjhter  of  the  seals  was  mostly  of  females  was  eonfirnnMl  by  the 
thousands  of  d<'ad  pups  lyiny  on  tiie  rookeries,  starved  to  death  l>y  the 
destruction  of  their  moiluMs.     (W.  II.  Williams.) 

Wi'  cau^iht  a  W'w  seals  in  there  ( I'.erin;;'  S<'a).  When  we  llrst  went  in 
we  did  not  see  nniny,  but  altei-  we  were  there  awhile  we  saw  plenty  of 
them  that  had  hwar  bi'easts  that  were  full  of  milk,  and  our  catch  were 


most  all  female; 


The  aveiaue  would  lie  about  one  male  to  ten  females. 


We    killed   cows  in    milk    b'lO   mdes    tVom    the   seal    islands,     (.lohn 
WoodrulV.) 

DKSTlirCTION   OK   FKMAl.K   SKALS. 

Ti'Htiiitonti  of  juUnfir  Hi  (tiers. 

My  experience  in  seal  huntinf;  is  that  a  nnich  greater  number  of 
fenndes  are  taken  at  sei»  than  males  of  the  fur  seal  species;  and  of  the 
fenndes  ihe  majority  arc;  prcjjjnant  ov  milkint;.     (Andrew  Amlerson.) 

i).  Do  yon  know  of  what  sex  the  seals  were  that  you  have  taken  in 
the  I'acillcaud  IJerinn  Sea  * — A.  Yes;  I  have  taken  both  male  ami  fennde 
seals,  but  1  suppose  the  jjri'ater  per  cent  that  I  have  taken  would  be 
abiMit  1M»  per  cent,  or  even  more. 


T      1 


:    I      f 


1-4 


Ill 


268 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILoF    ISLANDS. 


Ii<4l 


Q.  What  perceiitajjiJ  of  tlie  Kkins  you  have  taken  wore  cows? — A. 
About  IN)  per  cent,  tor  the  simple  reason  that  the  hulls  are  not  niigra 
tory.    ((ieorge  Ball.) 

Most  all  the  seals  taken  by  me  have  been  cows.  1  think  cows  sleep 
more  and  are  more  ensily  a])proache(l.  Never  killed  but  seven  ohl  bulls 
on  the  coast  ot  Washiiifjton  in  my  life,  but  have  taken  a  few  pups  every 
year.    (Wilton  C.  Bennett.) 

Think  the  mii.jority  of  the  seals  taken  are  cows.  Never  killed  but 
two  old  bulls  in  my  life.  Have  killed  (piite  a  number  of  yearling  seals 
and  some  young  males  li  or  .'(  years  old.     (Kdward  Menson.) 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  what  sex  the  seals  were  that  you  have  taken  in 
the  I'ai'iHc  and  Bering  Sea? — A.  Mostly  femiilcs. 

Q.  What  percenfiige  of  the  skins  you  have  taken  were  cows? — A. 
About  Hi)  per  cent.    (Daniel  Claussen.) 

From  n«y  experience,  observation,  and  conversation  with  seal  hunters 
I  am  ot  the  opinion  that  fully  To  per  cent  of  their  catch  are  feniales. 
(Leander  Cox.) 

I  saw  one  stdiooner's  catch  examined  at  Unalaska  in  1S8'.),  and  there 
were  found  a  liirge  percentage  of  fenuile  seals  among  them.  (M.U. 
Erskine.) 

Of  those  taken  probably  four  out  of  five  are  fenmles.     (F.  F.  l-'eeny.) 

The  seals  taken  by  them  (the  (J.  II.  White  and  the  Kate  Manning) 
were  nearly  all  fenniles.    ((Jeorge  Fogel.) 

Have  never  killed  an  old  bull  in  my  life,  nor  have  seen  one  the  Inst 
few  years.    (Luke  Frank.) 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  what  sex  the  st'als  were  that  you  have  taken  in 
the  I'acilic  and  Bering  Sea? — A.  The  mnjority  of  them  are  females. 
Last  year  I  killed  72,  and  out  of  the  72  there  was  only  3  nniles. 

Q.  What  percentiige  of  the  skins  ycai  have  taken  were  cows? — A. 
About  J>0  to  y.">  per  cent.     (Luther  T.  Franklin.) 

Ot!"  Cape  Flattery  there  is  hardly  a  dozen  large  nniles  taken  out  of 
every  thousnnd  large  senls  whose  skins  are  called  (irst  class;  all  the 
males  taken  here  are  snmll  ones.     (Thomas  Frazer.) 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  what  sex  the  seals  were  that  you  have  taken  in 
the  Tacitic  and  Bering  Seaf — A.  About  '.K)  per  cent  of  them  were 
females. 

Q.  What  iK'rcentage  of  the  skins  you  havf«  taken  were  cows  ? — A. 
About  '.M»  per  cent.    (E<lward  W.  Funcke.) 

We  canght  alxtut  !(»(►  seals  before  entering  the  sea.  Over  100  of  them 
were  cows,     (.lohn  I'yfc.) 

Caught  1,."»(K>  seals  on  that  v<)yage.  We  caught  some  a  little  ways 
from  Yictoriii,  and  on  tin*  way  up  to  Bering  Sea,  but  the  most  of  them, 
about  1.2(K».  we  caught  in  IJeringSca.  1  was  told  by  the  men  that  they 
were  nearly  all  females,  and  1  tlionght  so,  too,  from  the  milk  that  1  saw 
in  their  bn'asts  when  they  were  on  the  deck.  I  saw  over  a  hundred 
little  jMips  taken  from  the  seals,  which  they  threw  overboard.  ((Icorge 
Grady.) 

To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief  about  seven  of  every  ten 
seals  killed  in  pelagic  sealing  are  females.    (W.  P.  (hiftith.) 


tilt 


SKAL    LIFE    ON   TlIK    rUlHILOl'    ISLANDS. 


2()9 


Q.  What  Hex  aru  tlie  seal.s  taken  by  you  or  usually  killiMl  l>y  liuutiiig 
vessels  in  the  North  Pacific  or  Heriii);  SealF — A.  Mostly  temaU's.  The 
biggest  perrentajir,  I  think,  are  females. 

Q.  VViiat  pereentage  of  theni  are  cowsf — A.  I  couhln't  tell  you. 

Q.  Out  of  100  seals  that  you  wouhl  cateli  oidinarily  what  part  of 
them  would  bcuowsf — A.  I  am  under  «)ath,  and  I  e«Mild  not  tell  you 
exactly.  All  1  can  say  is  the  greater  jiortiun  of  them.  (Charles  II. 
Uogman.) 

Think  the  seals  taken  by  me  have  been  about  equally  divided  between 
females  and  males.  Have  taken  a  nundter  of  yearlings  and  sonu;  L'  and 
3  year  old  males.     Have  never  killed  an  old  bull.    (Henry  Haldaiie.) 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  what  sex  the  seals  were  that  you  have  taken  in 
the  Pacific  antl  HeringSea? — A.  Twothinis  of  them  are  lemales. 

Q.  What  percentage  of  the  skins  you  have  taken  were  cowsf — A. 
Two-thirds,  1  Hliould  say.     ( William  Henson.) 

i).  Do  you  know  of  what  sex  that  you  have  taken  in  the  Parillcand 
Uering  Sea  f — A.  The  seals  that  I  have  taken  were  principally  females. 

Q.  Wliat  percentage  of  them  are  lemales* — A.  It  is  very  seldom  that 
you  ever  get  hold  of  a  male,     ((iustave  Isaaeman.) 

My  experience  has  been  that  tin-  sex  of  the  st'als  usually  killed  by 
hunters  emphiyed  on  vessels  under  my  command,  both  in  the  ocean  and 
Bering  Sea,  were  cows.  1  should  say  that  not  less  than  so  per  rent  of 
those  caught  each  year  wen-  of  that  sex.     (.lames  Kiernan.) 

We  caught  about  400  or  .'lOO  seals  before  we  got  to  Hering  Sea.  I 
don't  know  the  precise  number.  They  were  bulls  and  females  mixed 
in,  but  the  general  run  of  them  w<>re  tenuiles.     (William  Isaac.) 

Q.  Of  what  sex  are  the  seals  taken  by  you  or  usually  killed  by  hunt- 
ing vessels  in  the  North  Pacillc  or  Hering  Sea  ? — A.  l'rin<'ipally  females. 

<^.  What  would  be  your  Judgment  as  to  the  percentage?  Out  of  UM) 
that  yt)U  kill,  how  nnmy  of  them  would  be  females? — A.  Say  I  would 
bring  L>,000  seals  in  here,  1  nmy  have  probably  about  100  unties;  that 
is  a  large  average.     (Alexander  McLean.) 

Q.  What  percentage  of  them  are  cows?  Suppose  you  catch  100  seals, 
how  many  mah's  would  you  have  among  them? — A.  About  H».  The 
seals  killed  by  me  werealiout  half  malesand  half  females;  have  killed 
but  one  old  bull  in  my  life.  1  have  killetl  quite  a  number  of  yearling 
seals,  Imt  lu'ver  examiiu'd  them  as  to  sex.     (Frederick.  Mason.) 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  what  sex  the  seals  were  that  you  have  taken  in 
the  Pa<'illc  and  Hering  Sea? — A.  Mostly  females. 

<J.  Wlmt  percentage  oi  the  skins  yon  have  taken  were  cows?— A.  1 
should  Jiulg*'  about  00  per  c«'iit.     (Frank  Moiean.) 

I  i^an  not  give  the  exact  t'stimate  of  the  sex,  but  1  know  that  a  large 
portion  of  them  arc  females.     (Niles  Nelson.) 

Ingoing  up  the  coast  lo  Fnimak  Pass  w(>  caught  about  too  seals, 
nmstly  females  with  young,  and  put  their  skins  on  boaiil  the  Ihoiuhv, 
an  ICnglish  stejimboat,  at  Alatack  Hay,  and  after  we  got  into  Hering 
Sea  we  cau,;li>  :'  '0.  We  had  'JOO  at  the  tinw  the  lii'utenant  ordered  us 
out  of  the  8  'a,  tin  remainder  we  caught  after.     (John  Olscn.) 

We  begab  seal  ng  ot!' Cape  Flattery  and  captured  about  itOO  seals 
along  the  coR.;t,  most  all  of  which  were  fennilesand  yearlings.  We  did 
not  capture  over  50  nuiles  all  told  on  this  voyage.    About  \M  per  cent 


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270 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


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of  all  the  seals  we  captured  in  the  water  were  female  seals.  We  canglit 
350  seals  along  the  coast,  all  of  whicli  were  females  excepting  L'O. 
(Charles  Peterson.) 

The  majority  of  seal  killed  by  me  have  been  cows;  have  killed  a  few 
small  iiiiiles.    (Showoosch.) 

From  what  I  have  been  able  to  learn,  the  majority  of  seals  taken 
around  Kodiak  are  females.     (J<>hn  C  Tolnian.) 

In  my  conversation  with  men  engaged  in  seal  hunting  in  the  open 
water  of  the  ^'orth  I'acilic  and  J-ering  Sea,  I  have  not  been  able  to  get 
SafHcieiit  information  to  form  a  reliable  estimate  of  the  average  number 
saved  out  of  the  total  nund)er  shot  nor  of  the  percentage  of  females 
killed.  As  a  rule,  t'.ie  hunteis  are  extremely  reticent  about  giving 
information  on  the  subject  to  officers  of  the  Government,  but  from  the 
well-known  fact  that  the  female  seal  is  mu(!h  more  easily  approached 
than  the  male,  and  sleeps  more  freciuently  on  the  water,  and  is  less 
active  when  carrying  her  young,  1  have  no  doubt  that  the  female  is  the 
one  that  is  being  killed  by  the  hunter.     (Francis  Tuttle.) 

I  believe  the  number  they  seizure  is  small  as  compared  with  the  num- 
ber they  destroy.  Were  it  males  oidy  that  they  killed  the  damage 
would  be  temporary,  but  it  is  mostly  females  that  they  kill  in  the  oi)en 
■waters.    (Daniel  Webster.) 

I  never  jiaid  any  particular  attention  as  to  the  exact  number  of  or 
pro])ortion  of  each  sex  killed  in  Bering  Sea,  but  I  do  know  that  the 
larger  i)ortion  of  them  were  females,  and  were  mothers  giving  milk. 
(Michael  White.) 

DECREASE   OF  SEALS. 

Opinions  of  lohite  scalers. 

I  have  noticed  a  perceptible  and  gradual  decrease  in  seal  life  for  the 
past  few  years,  and  attribute  it  to  the  large  number  of  vessels  engaged 
in  hunting  them  at  sea.    (Andrew  Anderson.) 

In  the  sea,  seals  are  much  more  timid  and  make  off  as  fast  as  possible 
at  the  approach  of  a  vessel,  while  formerly  they  were  usually  quite 
curious  and  would  sport  and  play  about  the  vessel  when  come  up  with. 
I  believe  this  decrease  and  timidity  is  due  to  the  indiscriminate  slaughter 
of  the  seals  by  pelagic  sealers.    (C.  F.  Anderson.) 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  the  decrease? — A.  I  attribute  the  decrease 
to  the  indiscriminate  slaughter  of  the  seals.     (George  Ball.) 

T  believe  that  the  decrease  in  fur-seal  life,  which  has  been  constant  of 
late  years,  is  due  i)rincipally  to  the  number  of  vessels  engaged  in  hunt- 
ing them  at  sea.    (J.  A.  Bradley.) 

Seven  or  eight  years  ago,  when  seals  were  hunted  almost  wholly  by 
Indians  with  spears,  a  vessel  hunting  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Flattery 
was  sure  of  getting  several  hundred  skins  in  about  three  months,  from 
March  to  the  end  of  May,  but  at  the  present  time  a  vessel  is  doing  well 
if  she  gets  a  much  smaller  number,  because  the  skins  bring  much  higher 
prices.  The  records  of  "catches"  in  the  last  three  or  four  years  will 
confirm  any  person  who  examines  them  in  the  belief  that  the  seals  are 
decreasing  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  on  the  American  side.  I  have  no  reason 
to  doubt  that  it  is  the  same  on  the  Kussian  side.  At  present  they  are 
hunted  vigorously  and  with  better  methods  than  formerly.   The  hunters 


Sp 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


271 


have  had  more  experience  and  nnderstaud  their  habits  better,  but 
liotwithstaudiug  this,  the  catches  are  decreasing  ott"  the  coast.  (William 
Breunan.) 

Seals  were  not  as  numerous  in  1887  as  they  were  in  1877,  and  it  is  my 
belief  that  the  decrease  in  numbers  is  due  to  the  hunting  and  killing  of 
female  seals  in  the  water.     (James  L.  Carthcut.) 

Have  noticed  that  seals  are  becoming  \ery  scarce  on  the  coast  the 
last  few  years.  Tiie  cause  of  the  scarcity  of  tlie  seals,  I  think,  is  too 
many  schooners  in  the  North  Pacific;  Ocean  and  Uering  Sea  and  the 
indiscriminate  killing  of  females  with  pup  in  the  water.    ( Peter  Church.) 

Q.  Has  there  been  any  decrease  in  the  quantity  of  seals  as  compared 
to  the  previous  years? — A.  1  think  there  has.     ^I3aniel  Claussen.) 

Q.  If  there  is  a  decrease,  to  what  do  you  attribute  it? — A.  To  the 
killing  and  hunting  of  them  by  seal  hunters.  I  think  the  indiscriminate 
killing  of  seals  in  Uering  Sea  is  the  cause  of  their  scarcity  along  the 
coast.     (John  C.  Clement.) 

There  were  not  nearly  as  many  seals  to  be  found  in  1889  as  there 
were  in  1888.  I  think  the  decrease  is  caused  by  the  great  destruction  of 
females  killed  in  the  sea  by  the  hunters.     (Peter  Collins.) 

I  attribute  this  decrease  [of  the  seals]  to  the  terrible  slaughter  now 
going  on  in  the  sea.    (Leander  Cox.) 

There  can  be  but  one  cause  for  the  scarcity  of  seals,  aiul  that  is  the 
indiscriminate  killing  of  them  in  the  water,  and  unless  that  is  stopped 
the  seals  must  soon  be  exterminated.  The  sea  otter,  which  were  plenty 
on  this  coast  at  one  time,  are  now  scarcely  seen  at  all,  and  the  indis- 
criminate slaughter  of  them  in  the  water  has  almost  entirely  extermi- 
nated the  animal.  Some  few  remain  in  the  far  north,  but  they  are  very 
hard  to  secure.    (William  Duncan.) 

Until  hunting  and  killing  were  commenced  by  hunters  in  the  open 
sea,  I  observed  no  appreciable  decrease  in  the  number  arriving,  which 
was  about  1884.  In  my  opinion  the  chasing  of  the  seals  and  the  shoot- 
ing of  them  has  a  tendency  to  frighten  them  and  disturb  them,  and 
prevents  their  increasing  as  they  would  if  they  were  left  undisturbed 
in  the  waters.    (M.  C.  Erskine.) 

The  large  decrease  of  seals  in  the  waters  of  the  ocean  and  sea  must 
unquestionably  be  caused  by  the  indiscrimi.iate  killing  now  going  on  by 
poaching  schooners,  and  if  not  discontinued  it  will  most  certainly  be  a 
matter  of  a  very  few  years  before  the  seals  will  be  exterminated.  (M. 
C.  Erskine.) 

The  seals  have  most  decidedly  decreased  in  number,  caused  by  the 
continual  hunting  and  killing  in  the  open  sea.    (P.  F.  Feeny.) 

I  give  them  four  years  more,  and  if  they  keep  on  hunting  them  as 
they  do  now  there  will  be  no  more  seals  left  worth  going  after.  I 
attribute  the  decrease  in  numbers  to  their  being  hunted  so  much.  My 
experience  is  that  the  seal  herds  in  the  North  Pacific  and  Bering  Sea 
have  been  greatly  dejdeted  within  the  last  few  years  by  the  constant 
pursuit  and  killing  of  them  in  the  water  by  hunters.    (George  Fogel.) 

In  my  opinion,  seals  and  all  other  fur-bearing  animals  are  decreasing, 
and  the  cause  is  pelagic  hunting.    (William  Foster.) 

Q.  Has  there  been  any  decrease  in  the  quantity  of  seals  as  compared 


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272 


SEAL  lifp:  on  the  pribilof  islands. 


■llil 

1M|! 


with  previous  years? — A.  I  liave  not  been  on  the  islands  in  tlie  last  few 
years,  but  I  should  imagine  there  has  l>een  a  ftieat  decrease. 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  the  decrease? — A.  To  the  number  of 
vessels  that  are  up  there  engaged  in  killing  seals,  nearly  all  of  which 
are  females.  Last  year  there  were  72  vessels  fitted  out  from  Victoria 
alone,  to  say  nothing  of  vessels  that  are  titted  out  at  other  places. 
(Luther  T.  Franklin.) 

The  seals  are  not  so  numerous  off  Cape  Flattery  as  they  used  to  be 
some  years  ago,  and  it  is  my  opinion  it  is  owing  to  the  constant  hunting 
by  so  many  schooners.     (Thomas  Frazer.) 

Q.  Has  there  been  any  decrease  in  the  quantity  of  seals  as  compared 
with  previous  years? — A.  There  is  a  decrease  of  about  20  or  'M)  per 
cent. 

Q.  To  what  do  j'ou  attribute  the  decrease  1 — A.  1  attribute  it  to  their 
being  overhunted.     (Edward  W.  Funcke.) 

I  am  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  fur-seal  life  has  considerably 
<lecreased  of  late  years,  and  believe  it  is  due  principally  to  pelagic 
sealing.     (A.  J.dould.) 

While  at  anchor  off  St.  Paul  Fsland,  the  pui)s  playing  about  the  vessel 
were  very  few,  and  while  making  a  ]>assage  between  Unalaska  and 
Pribilof  Islands,  during  the  breeding  season,  did  not  see  a  d(>zen  in  the 
open  sea  dnring  the  whole  trip,  where  formerly  I  met  hundreds.  In 
^oing  from  Unalaska  to  Atka  and  returning,  during  the  last  of  May 
and  the  tirst  part  of  .lune  of  this  year  (181)2),  I  did  not  see  a  single  fur 
seal  in  the  water.  1  attribute  this  great  decrease  to  the  indiscriminate 
slaughter  of  the  species  by  pelagic  sealers  an»l  their  wastetul  methods 
of  securing  skins.     (Charles  J.  Hague.) 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  this  decrease? — A.  Too  many  in  the 
business,  I  suppose;  too  many  after  them. 

Q.  Woijld  you  attribute  it  to  the  killing  of  the  females,  and  thereby 
there  are  not  nearly  as  many  born? — A,  Certainly;  it  has  got  all  to  do 
with  it. 

Q.  Then  really  you  attribute  the  decrease  to  the  killing  of  the  fe- 
males?— A.  Yes,  sir.     (H.  Harmsen.) 

1  am  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  the  decrease  in  numbers  of  seals 
in  the  North  Pacific  and  liering  Sea  is  owing  to  i)elagic  hunting,  and 
that  unless  discontinued  they  will  soon  become  iso  nearly  extinct  as  to 
be  worthless  for  commercial  purposes.     (J.  M.  Hays.s 

I  think  the  seals  are  not  near  as  plenty  as  a  few  years  ago,  and  they 
are  nuich  more  shy  and  harder  to  catch  now  than  they  were  when  I 
first  went  out  sealing.  I  think  this  is  caused  by  hunting  them  so  much 
with  guns.     (James  Hay  ward.) 

Q.  W  there  is  a  decrease,  to  what  do  you  attribute  it? — A.  To  the 
amount  of  seal  hunters  and  hunting  that  is  actually  going  on.  (Andrew 
J.  Hoffman.) 

Seals  have  decreased  very  fast  the  last  three  years.  The  decrease  is 
caused,  I  think,  by  the  indiscriminate  killing  of  seals  in  the  water. 
(E.  Hofstad.) 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  the  cause! — A.  Killing  off"  the  females. 
Whale  killers  and  sharks  kill  a  good  many.    (Gustave  Isaacson.) 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  the  cause  of  this  decrease? — A.  The 
increase  of  the  fleet  and  killing  off'  all  the  females.    (Frank  Johnson.) 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIMIUJF    ISLANDS. 


273 


■  the  fe- 


iiease  is 
water. 


My  knowledge,  being  from  long  experience,  is  that  the  seals  are 
becoming  gradually  scarcer  in  the  northern  waters,  particnlarly  so  iu 
later  years.  The  cause  of  this  decrease  I  believe  to  be  tiie  indiscriniri- 
nate  slaughter  of  the  mother  seals.  They  are  hunted  too  much,  and 
hence  mother  seals  are  becoming  scarcer,  which,  if  not  checked,  will 
lead  to  their  early  extermination,     (.lames  Kiernan.) 

He  also  told  uic,  from  his  own  knowledge,  that  the  rdiuckelset  Indi- 
ans had  a  few  years  ago  caught  ott"  the  coast  l,(iO()  seals  in  a  season, 
and  that  now  they  could  catch  hardly  any;  that  the  white  men's  guns 
were  not  only  destroying  the  seals,  but  driving  them  farther  from  the 
coast.     (Francis  R.  King- Hall.) 

In  my  opinion,  fur-seal  life  has  not  only  enormously  decreased  in 
numbers  since  188(J.  but  it  has  become  greatly  scattered  and  grown 
wilder  and  more  timid,  forsaking  many  jdaces  where  they  were  formerly 
to  be  found  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  engaged  in  feeding.  This  I 
attribute  to  the  large  nuniber  of  vessels  engaged  in  killing  fur  seals 
indiscriminately  at  sea.     (James  E.  Lennan.) 

If  they  keep  on  hunting  them  in  Bering  Sea  and  the  North  Pacific  in 
the  same  way  they  have  done  in  the  last  few  years,  they  will  exterminate 
them  in  the  same  way,  because  most  all  the  seals  killed  are  females. 
The  young  ones  will  all  die,  and  every  female  seal  \  ou  shoot  makes  the 
killing  of  two,  because  after  the  seal  has  given  birth  to  her  young  the 
pup  will  starve  to  dejith  on  the  land,  or  when  you  shoot  them  in  the 
water  they  may  have  a  pup  inside.     (Caleb  Lindahl.) 

I  have  observed  a  very  great  de»!rease  in  fur-seal  life  since  188."),  and 
believe  it  is  almost  entirely  due  to  the  Lirge  numbers  of  vessels  engaged 
in  pelagic  sealing.     (E.  VV.  Littlejohn.) 

The  seals  are  nmch  less  plentifnl  the  last  year  1  sealed  than  the  first. 
I  attribute  this  decrease  to  the  hunting  of  them  iu  the  water  and  the 
increased  number  of  boats  and  men  engaged  in  the  business  iu  the  last 
few  years.     (William  H.  Long.) 

Q.  Has  there  been  any  decrease  in  the  quantity  of  seals  as  compared 
to  previous  years?— A.  There  has  been  a  decrease. 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  the  decrease? — A.  To  the  hunting  of 
the  seals  iu  Bering  Sea.    (Charles  Lutjens.) 

There  can  be  but  one  rer.son  for  the  decrease,  and  that  is  they  are 
hunted  too  much  in  the  open  waters.     (J.  D.  McDonald.) 

There  were  not  as  many  seals  in  1890  as  there  were  in  188!).  I  think 
there  are  t,o  many  boats  and  hunters  out  after  them  that  they  are  being 
killed  off.    They  are  hunted  too  much.     (William  iMcIsaac.) 

There  were  not  as  many  seals  as  formerly.  Have  noticed  the  decrease 
in  the  hist  three  years;  caused,  I  think,  by  the  indiscriminate  killing  of 
female  seal.    (James  McKeen.) 

I  was  also  cod  fishing  in  1884.  There  were  a  great  many  more  seals 
in  the  water  then  than  there  were  in  1889.  In  1884,  when  we  were  cod 
Ashing,  we  met  the  steam  whaler  Thrasher,  and  I  heard  the  captain 
remark  that  it  was  a  damned  shame  the  way  they  were  killing  the  female 
seals  in  Bering  Sea.     (William  McLaughlin.) 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  this  decrease? — A.  I  think  this  is  on 
account  of  killing  those  female  seals  when  they  have  pups,  and  the 
business  is  getting  so  that  so  many  vessels  are  going  into  it,  and  they 

S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 18 


1    • 


m 


I 


'ii 


ll  ;   i 


il  i 


274 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'lilBILOF    ISLANDS. 


I 

} 


are  killing  those  pups  off.    A  seal  lias  not  got  a  cliance  to  go  to  work 
and  iiKiease. 

Q.  The  mother  seals? — A.  Yes,  sir.     (Alexander  McLean.) 

Q.  Have  you  noticed  any  decrease  in  the  (juantity  of  animals  in  the 
last  few  years? — A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribiite  tiie  cause? — A.  Killing  off  the  females. 
(Daniel  McLean.) 

I  have  given  up  tiie  sealing  business  because  the  slaughtering  of  the 
female  seals  is  unikiug  them  so  scarce  that  it  does  not  pay.  (James 
Maloy.) 

I  think  seals  .are  not  as  plentiful  as  they  used  to  be;  caused,  I  think, 
by  the  indiscriminate  killing  of  females  with  pup.     (G.  E.  Miner.) 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  that  decrease? — A.  From  the  kilUng  of 
seals,  both  by  liunters  and  others.    (Frank  Morreau.) 

Deponent  further  says  that  he  thinks  that  the  decrease  in  tlie  num- 
ber of  seals  found  in  the  rookeries  and  the  increase  in  the  number  of 
dead  pui)s  are  caused  directly  by  the  open  sealing  in  the  sea,  commonly 
called  poaching.     (T.  F.  Morgan.) 

I  am  not  able  to  say  wliethcr  the  seal  herd  is  decreasing,  but  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  where  they  are  hunted  and  harassed  at  all 
times  by  so  many  hunters  they  arc  sure  to  be  driven  from  their  usual 
haunts,  if  not  totally  destroyed.     (Nelson  T.  Oliver.) 

Seals  were  not  as  plentiful  in  188()  as  they  were  in  188.1.  I  think  the 
prhicipal  cause  of  that  decrease  is  on  account  of  killing  the  females  in 
the  water,  and  also  through  their  getting  shy  by  being  chased  by  the 
boats.     (Nilcs  Nelson.) 

Since  the  use  of  rifles  and  shotguns  has  become  common  seals  are 
miich  less  in  numbers  and  are  more  shy  and  timid.     (William  Parker.) 

Seals  are  not  near  as  plentiful  as  when  I  went  out  in  1888,  and  I 
believe  the  decrease  is  due  to  their  being  hunted  so  much  with  shot- 
guns and  rides.     (Edwin  P.  Porter.) 

I  know  that  the  seals  are  rapidly  decreasing,  and  I  believe  it  is  causea 
by  killing  fcmjiles  in  the  water.     (Adolphus  Sayers.) 

I  took  very  great  interest  in  the  seals,  because  I  used  to  hunt  them 
myself,  and  1  noticed  a  great  decrease  in  the  number  of  seals  from  what 
there  was  formerly,  when  1  was  on  sealing  voyages.  It  was,  in  fact,  so 
marked  that  I  called  the  captain's  attention  to  it,  saying  that  we  had 
seen  very  few  seals.  They  have  been  getting  scarcer  every  year  since 
I  have  been  going  to  Bering  Sea,  and  if  something  is  not  done  right 
away  to  protect  them  there  will  be  no  more  seals  in  these  waters.  I 
know  as  a  fact  that  they  are  killing  them  indiscriminately,  and  all  the 
hunters  care  about  it  is  to  get  a  skin.  1  know  something  about  it,  as  I 
have  been  sailing  from  this  coast  up  along  those  waters  for  nineteen 
years,  and,  as  I  said  before,  I  paid  particular  attention  to  them,  and  I 
firmly  believe  if  they  allow  the  killing  in  the  sea  to  go  on  as  they  are 
now  doing  it  will  only  be  a  question  of  a  few  years  before  there  will  not 
be  enough  to  i)ay  anyone  to  hunt  them.    (James  Sloan.) 

I  think  the  seals  are  decreasing  in  number  all  the  time,  because  there 
are  more  vessels  out  hunting  after  them  and  are  killing  off  the  female 
seals.    (Cyrus  Stepherns.) 


arker.) 


36  there 
female 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


275 


Q.  If  there  is  ii  decrease,  to  what  do  you  attribute  it? — A.  On 
aceouut  of  so  much  extermination  and  hunting  by  tlie  seal  hunters. 
(Gustave  Sundvall.) 

[have  heard  that  seal  have  been  decreasing  the  last  tew  years;  caused, 
1  think,  by  pelagic  sealing.     (W.  Thomas.) 

The  decrease,  i  tiiink,  is  caused  by  the  indiscriminate  killing  of 
female  seals.     (Rudolph  VValson.) 

Fnmi  what  1  kiinw  seals  liave  l)een  decreasing  very  fast  in  recent 
years.  Think  the  decrease  is  caused  by  tlie  indiscriminate  killing  in 
the  North  Pacific  Ocean  and  IJering  Sea.     (l\  S.  Weittenheller.) 

My  exi)erience  is  that  tlie  seals  have  been  decreasing  in  numbers  tor 
the  last  six  or  seven  j-cars,  and  within  tiie  past  two  or  three  years  very 
rapidly,  owing  to  the  indiscriminate  killing  of  tliem  by  pelagic  hunters 
and  vessels  engaged  in  that  business  in  the  waters  of  the  Nortli  Pacific 
and  Bering  Sea.     (Michael  White.) 

INOKEASK  OF  SEALING  FLEET. 

Pelagic  sealing  as  an  industry  is  of  recent  origin  and  niijy  be  said  to 
date  from  1870.  In  1880,  according  to  the  official  report  of  the  Cana- 
dian minister  of  marine  and  lisheries,  7  vessels  and  213  men  were 
engaged  in  pelagic  sealing  in  the  Noith  Pacific,  securing  13,000  skins, 
valued  at  8103,200.  The  same  authority  states  that  in  18S(!  20  vessels 
and  459  men  secured  38,007  skins,  valued  at  $380,070.  In  1801  the 
number  of  United  States  and  Canadian  vessels  had  increased  to  over 
100;  upward  of  2,000  men  were  engaged,  and  more  than  02,000  skins 
were  secured.     (Report  of  American  conimissioners.) 

The  number  of  seal  skins  actually  recorded  as  sold  ^as  a  result  of 
pelagic  sealing  is  shown  in  the  following  table: 


War. 

Nuiiiber. 

1 

Vcar. 

1877 

NiiinliPr. 

5, 700 
9,  .■.9:t 

12,  .'pOO 

13,  (illU 

i;),54i 

Year. 

1882 

188:; 

1884     .      . 

Xuniber. 

1 

1 

Year. 

1,^87 

Number. 

1872     

1  (12!) 

. .       17.  700 

9,  195 

n  14,  Olio 

'Xi  800 

1871! 

'.'.     "'4,' 949 
1,640 
2.  042 

1878 

1888 

:t7  789 

1871 

1K79    

18811 

1881 

1889 

1 890 

40,  098 
48  'ilO 

187.'j . 

XHsr, 

\Sii\ 

i;t,  (100 

;18,  907 

1870 

1891 

62,  500 

((  yiimber  estimati'd  t'rnm  value  yivcii. 

One  reason  for  deponent's  opinion  that  the  total  nund)er  of  .seals  in 
the  Pacific  and  Bering  Sea  has  diminished  very  rapidly  is  the  fact — 
which  deponent  knows  from  the  lact  that  he  buys  so  large  a  portion  of 
the  poacher.s'  catch — that  there  are  now  engaged  in  what  is  called 
•'poaching"  about  80  vessels,  and  that  about  live  years  ago  not  more 
than  10  vessels  were  engaged  in  i)oaching;  that  tlie  total  number  of 
skins  brought  in  by  the  whole  80  vessels  is  now^  not  very  much  greater 
than  the  number  brought  in  five  years  by  10  vessels.  The  poaching 
vessels  a  few  years  ago  have  been  known  to  get  as  many  as  3,000  or 
4,000  skins,  and  deponent  has  bought  4,000  skins  from  one  vessel, 
whereas  no  poaching  vessel  now  gets  more  than  a  few  hundred  with 
the  same  size  crew.  One  vessel  last  year  sailing  from  Victoria  made 
a  catch  of  1,900  skins,  but  this  is  now  an  altogether  exceptional  catch, 
and  this  vessel  had  a  crew  twice  as  large  as  poaching  vessels  for- 
merly carried,  and  was  equipped  with  from  12  to  15  boats  instead  of  5 


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SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


or  (i.  One  or  two  other  poaeliiiifjj  vessels  al.so  inside  liir;>e(,'atclie.s — that 
is,  over  1,LJ()0  skins — but  the  averaj^e  catch  of  the  |)oa('hiiig  vessels  is 
uot  more  than  a  lew  huiulrod  each.  This  is  true,  aUhough  the  poaeli- 
iug  vessels  are  now  equii>pe(l  with  much  more  exp.rieneed  shooters, 
with  better  ritles.  and  with  better  boats  than  any  of  the  vessels  liad 
five  years  ago.  Many  of  the  poaciiing  v<'ssels  now  have  boats  pointed 
at  both  ends,  so  that  th<'y  can  go  backward  and  forward  with  equal 
ease;  the  old  i)oacher  only  had  ordinary  ships'  boats.  Deponent 
knows  this  to  be  true  because  he  has  seen  the  boats  and  talked  with 
the  captains  of  the  schooners  about  them.     (Herman  Liebes.) 

1  never  saw  many  sealing  schooners  before  1884,  but  they  have  been 
coming  more  and  more  every  year  since,  and  i  notice  that  as  the  schoon- 
ers multiply  in  the  sea  the  seals  decrease  on  the  rookeries.  (Aggei 
Kushen.) 

From  1885  to  the  present  time  the  tleet  of  ])redatory  vessels  has  con- 
stantly increased  in  proportion  as  the  seal  herd  has  decreased  on  the 
rookeries.  *  *  *  A  very  noticeable  decrease  in  the  herd  commenced, 
as  1  have  already  pointed  out,  in  188«i,  and  was  coincident  in  time  and 
proportionate  in  extent  with  tlie  nund)er  of  seals  destroyed  in  the  water. 
The  business  ot  pelagic  sealing  in  IJering  !Sea  tirst  assumed  consider- 
able proportions  in  1884,  and  in  that  year  dead  pup  seals  tirst  became 
numerous  enough  upon  the  rookeries  to  excite  remark  upon  the  islands. 
As  the  sealing  tJcet  increased  the  starved  anlnuils  became  more  numer- 
ous. In  1887  fourteen  vessels  were  seized  for  illegal  sealing,  and  the 
efleet  was  seen  in  the  following  year,  when  a  much  less  number  engaged 
in  the  business  and  the  Bering  Sea  catch  amounted,  as  I  am  informed, 
to  about  ;?4,000  skins  against  about  I!),(HH)  or  20,000  in  1888.  The  lailure 
of  the  United  (States  Government  to  vigorously  pursue  in  1888  and  the 
following  ye.ars  the  repressive  policy  so  auspiciously  begun  in  1887,  led 
to  a  large  inerq^se  of  the  sealing  lleet  and  corresponding  destruction  of 
the  herd,  but  the  luohibition  of  pelagic  sealing  nevertheless  continued, 
and  the  usual  proclamation  was  published  by  the  Government  warning 
all  parties  not  to  kill  seals  in  Bering  Sea  or  waters  adjacent  to  the 
Alaskan  coast.    (H.  II.  Mclntyre.) 

Up  to  1883  and  1884  it  was  only  an  occasional  venturesome  vessel 
that  came  ai'ound  and  secured  a  few  hundred  skins  and  thought  itself 
lucky  and  cleared  out,  but  since  that  time  not  even  the  smallest  craft 
is  satisfied  unless  it  secures  its  thousands  of  pelts  regardless  of  sex. 
(W.  S.  Hereford.) 

While  in  Bering  Sea  during  the  summer  of  1809  I  never  saw  a  vessel 
sealing  about  the  islands  or  anywhere  in  the  sea,  nor  did  I  hear  any 
report  of  the  presence  of  such  sealing  vessels  in  those  waters.  (J.  A. 
Henriques.) 

I  do  not  know  of  any  sealing  schooner  that  went  to  Bering  Sea  until 
Captain  McLean  went  there  about  nine  years  ago  in  the  Favorite. 
(William  Parker.) 

Q.  What  effect,  in  your  opinion,  does  the  increase  in  the  number  of 
poaching  vessels  in  Bering  Sea  have  upon  seal  life? — A.  Since  the 
number  of  sealing  vessels  has  increased  the  number  of  seals  coming  to 
the  islands  has  correspondingly  decreased.  *  *  *  In  1884  the  seal- 
ing schooners  became  numerous.  I  believe  there  were  about  30  in  the 
sea  that  year,  and  they  have  increased  very  rapidly  every  year  since, 
until  now  there  are  said  to  be  about  120.    (J.  O.  Redpath.) 


SEAL    LIFK    ON     I'lIE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


277 


I  first  went  out  in  1885,  in  the  sciiooiier  Cify  of  San  Dicyo^  cliartored 
by  myself  and  others,  and  my  cateh  tor  that  year  was  between  U,.">(I0 
and -',400  seals.  Of  that  number  about  1,0(M)  weie  cau^iht  in  Bering 
Sea.  Tliere  were  but  very  fe-  vessels  sealing'  ;it  that  time.  (Michael 
White.) 

DECREASE  OF  SEALS — PELAGIC  SEALING  THE  SOLE  CAUSE. 


ili» 


tf 


^87,  led 


Opinions  of  Indian  hunters. 

Fur  seals  were  formerly  much  more  plentiful,  however,  but  of  late 
years  are  beeominy  constantly  scarcer.  This  is,  we  think,  owinj-'  to  the 
number  of  vessels  enyafted  in  hunting  them  at  sea.    (.lohn  AlexandrolT.) 

Fur  seals  were  formerly  observed  in  this  neighborhood  in  great  num- 
bers, but  of  late  years  tliey  have  been  constantly  diminishing,  owing 
to  the  large  number  of  sealing  vessels  engaged  in  hunting  and  killing 
them.    (Nicoli  Apokchee.) 

I  have  noticed  that  seal  have  decreased  very  rapidly  in  the  last  three 


years, 


owing 


the 


to  too  many   schooners  engaged  in  sealing  alonj 
coast  of  Alaska  and  liering  Sea.     (Adam  Ayonkee.) 

The  seal  .are  not  near  as  plentiful  as  they  used  to  be.  The  cause  of 
the  decrease  is,  I  tiiink,  to<>  many  scliooners  hunting  them  off  Prince 
of  Wales  Island  and  around  Dixons  Entiance.    (Maurice  Bates.) 

Seal  are  not  as  plentiful  on  the  coast  as  they  used  to  be.  They  have 
been  decreasing  very  fast  the  last  few  years.  I  tiiink  this  is  caused  by 
the  indiscriminate  killing  in  the  water.     (Wilton  C.  Bennett.) 

Seal  are  getting  very  scarce.  I  think  the  cause  of  the  scarcity  is  too 
many  people  hunting  seal.     (Edward  Benson.) 

Seals  were  very  plenty  in  tlie  straits  and  around  the  cape  until  about 
six  years  ago,  when  the  white  hunters  came  in  schooners  and  with  shot- 
guns and  commenced  to  kill  them  all  off,  and  now  there  is  none  in  the 
straits  and  we  can  not  get  but  one  oi-  two  where  we  used  to  get  eight  or 
ten.  They  are  very  shy  and  wild,  and  are  decreasing  very  rapidly. 
(Bowachup.) 

White  hunters  came  here  about  live  or  six  years  ago  and  commenced 
shooting  the  seals  witii  guns,  since  which  time  they  have  been  rapidly 
decreasing  and  are  becondng  very  wild.  Wlien  we  hunt  seals  with 
spears  we  creep  upon  them  while  asleep  on  the  water  and  spear  them. 
A  few  years  ago  my  people  would  catch  from  8,000  to  10,000  each  year; 
now  we  get  only  about  1,000  or  less.  *  *  »  Seals  used  to  be  very 
numerous  along  the  coast  about  Cape  Flattery,  and  no  decrease  was 
ever  noticed  in  their  numbers  until  soon  after  the  white  hunters  came 
around  here — about  seven  yeai's  ago — and  commence<l  shooting  them. 
Since  that  time  they  have  decreased  fast  and  have  become  very  shy. 
(Peter  Brown.) 

They  were  formerly  much  more  plentiful  than  now,  which  is  owing, 
we  believe,  to  the  number  of  vessels  engaged  in  killing  them  at  sea. 
(Ivan  Canetak.) 

Years  ago  seals  were  very  plentiful  from  5  to  10  miles  from  the  shore. 
I  could  see  them  all  around  in  bunches  of  from  10  to  20  each,  but  since 
the  white  man  has  commenced  to  kill  them  with  the  rifle  and  shotgun 
(in  the  last  five  or  six  years)  they  have  decreased  very  rapidly.    (Charlie.) 


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278 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


Fur  st'jils  have  (Un'reast'd  very  rapidly  duriiiK"  tlie  last  five  years,  and 
we  believe  it  is  due  to  tlie  larj^e  number  of  vessels  engaged  in  bunting 
them  at  sea.     (Vussili  Chichinot!'.) 

Have  noticed  the  seiil  are  decreasing  very  fast  the  last  four  years; 
too  many  sehooners  are  hunting  them  in  the  open  waters  of  the  Pacilic 
Ocean  and  Bering  Sea,     (Chinkootin.) 

The  last  tive  years  fur  seal  has  been  growing  very  scarce,  and  it  is 
hard  to  get  any  now.  There  are  too  many  white  men  with  scihooners 
bunting  tliem  off  Dixons  Entrance,  and  unless  it  is  stopped  the  seal 
will  be  all  gone.     (William  Clark.) 

Seals  are  now  very  scarce  and  wild  along  tlie  <'oast.  I  believe  the 
cause  of  this  is  that  white  hunters  have  been  hunting  them  so  much 
with  guns.     (James  Claplanhoo.) 

Seals  used  to  be  very  i)lentiful,  an<l  1  never  noticetl  any  dectrease  in 
their  number  until  white  hunters  commenced  coming  here  and  killing 
them  with  guns,  about  six  or  seven  years  ago;  since  tliat  they  have 
decreased  very  rapidly  and  have  got  very  shy.  Our  tribe  used  to 
have  no  diflficulty  in  catching  8,<KM)  to  l(>,0()()  seals  and  now  we  can 

not  get  a  thousand.    (Circus  Jim.) 

I  have  been  out  sealing  on  the  coast  this  sjjring  in  a  schooner  that 
carried  10  canoes,  with  two  hunters  to  each  canoe.  We  were  cmt  three 
days  and  caught  5  seals.  If  we  had  l)een  <nit  that  long  six  or  eight 
years  ago  with  the  same  crew  we  would  have  taken  between  (50  and  100 
seals.  Seals  are  wild  and  shy  now,  and  have  be<*ome  very  scarce.  I 
think  the  reason  for  this  is  that  thej'  have  been  hunted  so  much  by 
white  hunters  who  use  firearms.     (Jett".  Davis.) 

Some  years  ago  the  fur  seal  were  plenty  off  the  islands,  but  since  the 
schooners  have  liunted  them  they  are  nearly  all  gone,  and  it  is  hard  for 
the  Indians  of  this  village  to  get  any.    (Eshon.) 

Seals  are  not  so  i)lentiful  as  they  were  a  few  years  ago.  They  began 
to  decrease  about  five  or  six  years  ago.  A  good  many  years  ago  1  used 
to  capture  seals  in  the  Straits  of  San  Juan  de  Fuca,  but  of  late  years, 
since  so  many  schooners  and  white  men  have  come  around  here  shoot- 
ing with  guns,  only  a  few  come  in  here  and  we  do  not  hunt  in  the 
Straits  any  more.  I  used  to  catch  40  or  50  seals  in  one  day,  and  now 
if  I  get  ()  or  7  1  would  have  great  luck.  I  have  to  go  a  long  distance 
to  get  seals  now.  Seals  are  wild  and  afraid  of  an  Indian.  They  have 
become  so  since  the  white  men  and  the  trader  began  to  slu)ot  them  with 
shotguns  and  ritles.  In  a  short  time  there  will  be  no  seals  left  for  the 
Indian  to  kill  with  a  spear.    (Ellabush.) 

Fur  seals  were  formerly  much  more  numerous  than  of  late  years,  and 
are  each  year  becoming  constantly  scarcer.  1  believe  this  decrease  is 
due  to  the  number  of  vessels  which  are  engaged  in  hunting  them  at 
sea.    (Vassili  Feodor.) 

When  1  was  a  young  man  there  were  h)ts  of  seals  around  Queen 
Charlotte  Islands,  but  now  they  have  become  scarce.  The  last  few 
times  I  was  out  after  them  I  did  not  see  a  seal.  They  have  been  grow- 
ing scarcer  every  year  since  the  white  man  began  hunting  them  in 
schooners.    ^  Frank.) 

Fur  seal  are  not  as  plenty  as  they  used  to  be,  and  it  is  hard  for  the 
Indians  to  catch  any.  I  think  there  are  too  many  white  men  in 
schooners  hunting  seals  around  Dixons  Entrance.    (Chief  Frank.) 


to 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


279 


Since  the  white  men  have  been  huntiii}''  the  seal  with  schooners  they 
have  become  very  scarce,  and  it  is  hard  for  the  Indians  to  get  any  ia 
their  canoes.    (Luke  Frank.) 

Seal  have  decreased  on  the  coast  very  fast  the  last  four  years.  The 
reason  of  the  decrease  is  too  much  hunting  and  indiscriminate  killing. 
(Chad  George.) 

The  seal  are  becMiming  very  scarce,  caused,  I  think,  by  the  white  men 
hunting  them  too  much.     (Charles  Gibson.) 

Seal  are  becoming  very  scarce  this  last  three  or  four  years,  and  Iiulian 
hunters  can  hardly  kill  them  now.  Too  many  schooners  are  hunting 
seal,  and  Indian  Imnters  have  to  go  a  long  way  in  their  caiioci  in  order 
to  get  any,  and  they  seldom  kill  one.     (Gonastut.) 

Have  noticed  that  seals  are  dectreasing  the  last  four  years,  caused,  I 
think,  by  too  many  white  men  hunting  seal  in  the  waters  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean  aiul  l>ering  Sea.    (James  Gondowen.) 

Fur  seals  have  decreased  in  numbers  of  late  years,  and  we  believe  it 
is  due  i)rincii>ally  to  the  large  number  of  vessels  hunting  them  at  sea. 
(Nicoli  Gregoroff.) 

The  seal  are  not  nearly  as  plentiful  as  they  once  were,  and  I  think 
they  are  hunted  too  much  by  schooners.     (Henry  llaldane.) 

Seals  are  not  as  plentiful  now  as  they  were  before  whiie  men  com- 
menced hunting  them  with  guns  around  here  some  six  or  seven  years 
ago.  They  are  more  shy  now  and  it  is  much  more  difficult  for  the  hunt- 
ers to  creep  uj)  and  spear  them  tlian  it  was  a  few  years  ago.  (Alfred 
Irving.) 

Years  ago  we  could  see  seals  all  over  the  water.  They  are  not  so 
plentiful  now.  They  have  been  growing  less  and  less  ever  since  the 
white  man  came  in  and  began  to  hunt  them  with  guns,  about  six  or 
seven  years  ago,  and  so  many  vessels  went  into  the  business.    (Ishka.) 

My  idea  is  that  there  are  too  many  camp  fires  iiround  on  the  coast  of 
Alaska  that  scare  the  seals  out  to  sea.  The  seal  smell  the  smoke  and 
wont  come  near  the  laiul ;  and  there  are  a  large  number  of  people  shoot- 
ing seal,  which  scares  them  away  also.    (Jack  Johnson.) 

There  are  too  many  schooners  hunting  seal  ott  Prince  of  Wales 
Island,  aiul  it  is  hard  for  Indians  to  get  any  in  canoes.  (Johnnie 
Johnton.) 

Have  noticed  that  seal  are  decreasing  very  fast  the  last  few  years 
along  the  coast,  caused,  I  think,  l)y  pelagic  sealing.  *  *  *  Think 
the  seals  are  most  all  killed  by  the  pelagic;  seal  hunters  in  the  waters  of 
the  North  Pacific  Ocean  so  far  from  the  land  that  the  Indians  have  no 
chance  to  get  any  in  canoes,  as  they  only  go  a  short  distance  from  the 
shore.    (P.  Kahiliday.) 

Do  not  know  why  the  munber  of  the  fur  seal  seen  about  these  islands 
are  now  less  than  in  former  years.    (Samuel  Kahoorotl'.) 

I  think  the  seal  are  about  as  plentiful  along  this  coast,  but  much  more 
scarce  farther  west.  The  cause  of  this  scarcity  is  too  much  pelagic 
hunting.    (Philip  Kashevaroff.) 

When  I  was  a  young  man  the  seal  were  very  plentiful  around  here, 
but  since  the  schooners  began  hunting  them  they  have  become  very 
scarce.    The  white  hunter  destroyed  the  sea  otter  and  will  soon  destroy 


4 


'§1 


n 


•ilA 


m 


280 


SEAL    LIFE   ON    THE    PKIBILUF    ISLANDS. 


the  Meal.  1  don't  like  to  see  the  schooners  around  here  hunting;  seal, 
for  they  kill  everythinff  they  see,  and  unless  they  are  stopped  the  seal 
will  soon  be  gone.    The  sea  otter  is  already  gone.     (King  Kashwa.) 

Heals  have  been  growing  scarcer  the  last  Hve  years,  since  the  wliite 
man  began  hunting  them  with  schttonors,  and  it'  they  are  not  stopjied 
the  seal  will  soon  be  all  gone.     (Jim  Kasooh). 

Seals  have  de(Meased  very  rapidly  along  this  coast  in  the  last  three 
or  four  years.  The  decrease  is  caused  1  think,  by  schooners  using 
shotguns  and  rides  and  killing  mostly  feni;   i*  seals.   (Mike  Kethusduck.) 

Tlie  reason  of  the  scarcity  is,  I  think,  that  there  are  too  many  white 
hunters  sealing  in  the  open  waters.     (Kinkooga.) 

Seal  are  becoming  very  scarce  on  the  t-oast.  The  reason  they  are 
becoming  so  scarce  is  that  hunters  shoot  them  with  guns  and  kill  cows 
with  pup.     (().  Klananeck.) 

Seal  used  to  be  plentiful,  but  now  they  are  nearly  all  gone.  They 
are  too  much  hunted  by  the  white  men  with  s,!hooners.  (James  Klo- 
racket.) 

Seal  have  beconu!  very  scarce  the  last  three  years,  and  what  few  there 
are  are  very  wild  and  hard  to  get  at.  1  think  the  reason  that  seal  have 
become  seance  is  that  they  are  hunted  too  nuich,  and  too  nmny  feniales 
killed  with  pup.     (Robert  Kooko.) 

Have  noticed  that  seal  are  decreasing  very  fast  the  last  few  years. 
I  think  the  cause  of  the  decrease  is  tlnat  there  ar"  too  niany  schooners 
hunting  seal  in  Bering  Sea  an<l  along  the  North  Pacitic  Coast.  (John 
Kowineet.) 

Seal  are  not  as  plentiful  as  in  former  years;  have  noticed  the  decrease 
in  the  last  three  or  four  years.  Think  the  cause  of  the  decrease  is  the 
great  number  of  schooners  sealing  in  the  North  Pacilic  Ocean  and  Ber- 
ing Sea.     (George  Lacheek.) 

Seals  are  not  nearly  so  plentiful  now  as  they  used  to  be.  About  seven 
years  ago  white  men  commenced  to  hunt  seals  in  this  vicinity  with  guns, 
since  which  time  they  have  been  decreasing  in  numbers,  and  liave 
become  wild  and  hard  to  catch.  *  *  *  Seals  are  not  so  plentiful 
and  are  more  shy  than  they  used  to  be,  and  are  more  ditlicult  to  catch, 
because  they  have  been  hunted  so  nuich  for  the  last  five  or  six  years 
M'ith  guns.     (James  Lighthouse.) 

White  hunters  in  numbers  commenced  to  hunt  them  around  Cape 
Flattery  with  guns  about  six  years  agt>,  and  since  that  time  the  seals 
havr  decreased  very  rapidly.    (Thomas  Lowe.) 

Since  the  white  man  with  schooners  has  been  hunting  seal  they  have 
been  growing  scarcer  every  year,  and  unless  they  are  stopped  the  seal 
will  soon  be  all  gone.  The  hulians  now  have  to  go  a  long  way  and 
suffer  great  hardships  in  order  to  get  any.    (Charles  Martin.) 

After  careful  inquiry  among  our  oldest  people  and  weighing  my  own 
experience  and  observations,  1  believe  the  decrease  of  the  Alaskan  fur 
seal  is  due  altogether  to  pelagic  hunting.    (S.  Melovidov.) 

Since  the  schooners  have  conunenced  to  hunt  seal  they  are  becoming 
very  scarce,  and  the  Indians  have  to  go  a  long  ways  to  get  the  few  that 
they  do.     (Matthew  Morris.) 

Years  ago  seals  were  much  more  plentiful  than  they  are  now,  and  I 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THE    nUHILOF    ISLANDS. 


281 


They 


aud  I 


could  see  them  all  around  in  bunclu'S  on  the  water,  but  since  the  white 
man  came  here  and  commenced  to  kill  them  with  the  riHe  and  the  shot- 
gun, within  the  last  five  or  six  years,  they  have  rapidly  decreased  in 
number.     (Moses.) 

When  I  was  a  youii}?  man  seals  were  very  ])lentiful  of!"  Prince  of 
Wales  Island  and  IJixous  Entrance,  but  since  the  schooners  have 
begun  hunting  seals  they  have  become  very  scarce,  and  Indians  now  are 
obliged  to  go  a  long  ways  to  kill  any,  and  sometimes  they  will  hunt  for 
days  without  getting  a  seal.     (Nashtou.)  • 

Since  the  white  men  with  schooners  began  to  hunt  seals,  the  last  live 
or  six  years,  seals  have  become  very  scarce,  and  it  is  hard  for  the  1  iidians 
to  get  any  now.  They  have  to  go  a  long  way  and  hunt  a  long  time  in 
order  to  get  one  or  two  seals.     (Smith  Natch.) 

The  last  four  or  live  years  seals  have  been  growing  s(!arcer  every 
year,  owing,  I  think,  to  too  many  white  men  hunting  seals  in  schooners 
ort"  Queen  (Jliarlotte  Islands  and  in  JMxous.    (Dan  Nathlan.) 

I  think  the  reasiui  of  the  seal  be(;omiiig  so  scarce  every  year  is  that 
there  are  too  many  white  men  hunting  seal  in  I>ering  Sea  ami  the  Pacitic 
Ocean  and  it  should  be  stoj)ped.     (Nechantake.) 

Seals  are  not  near  as  plenty  as  they  used  to  be;  too  many  ininters  are 
catching  them  and  indiscriminately  killing  them.     (James  Neishkaitk.) 

When  I  was  a  young  nmn  seals  were  much  more  j)le'i{.ful  than  tliey 
are  now.  The  last  three  years,  since  the  schooners  began  hunti  :ig  seals, 
they  have  becom.  ,  f^^y  scarce,  and  it  is  hard  lor  the  Indians  tv  g<  t  any 
now.    This  year  they  have  killed  but  two.     (Nikla  ah.) 

The  Indian  fur-seal  hunters  of  my  people  all  tell  me  that  tlie  fur  seal 
are  becoming  very  scarce;  too  nniny  white  men  are  killing  them  all  the 
time,  and  they  kill  cows  with  pup,  as  well  as  other  kinds.  1  am  the 
chief  of  my  peoi)le,and  they  all  tell  me  what  they  know.    (Peter  Olsen.) 

Seal  are  getting  very  scarce  along  the  coast;  cans*'  of  the  scarcity 
is,  1  think,  too  many  schooners  hunting  them  off  Prince  of  Wales  Island. 
(Abel  Ryan.) 

Since  the  schooners  have  hunted  seal  ott"  the  Priuce  of  Wales  Island 
the  seals  have  bei^ome  scarce,  and  it  is  hard  for  the  Indians  to  get  any 
in  canoes.    In  former  times  they  used  to  get  plenty.    (Jack  Shnoky.) 

The  disapi)earance  of  the  fur  seal  is  due  to  the  killing  by  pelagic 
seal  hunters,  who  appear  in  large  numbers  off  this  ])art  of  the  coast; 
and  the  scarcity  of  the  fur  seals  is  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  ves- 
sels engaged  iu  seal  hunting.     (Alex.  Shyha.) 

Seal  have  become  very  scarce  the  last  few  years.  Too  many  white 
men  are  engaged  in  killing  seal.    (Martin  Singay.) 

Have  noticed  a  large  decrease  in  seal  in  the  last  three  years,  caused, 
I  think,  by  pelagic  sealing  in  Bering  Sea  and  the  North  Pacific  Ocean. 
(Jack  Sitka.) 

Since  the  white  men  have  been  hunting  with  schooners  they  have 
become  very  scarce,  and  Indians  are  obliged  to  go  a  long  way  and  stop 
away  from  home  a  long  time  in  order  to  get  any,  and  after  being  away 
there  four  or  five  days  they  frequently  return  without  killing  one  seal, 
they  have  become  so  scarce.    (Thomas  Showl.) 

There  are  no  seal  left  now ;  they  are  most  all  killed  off.    The  last  ten 


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282 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PUIRILOF    ISLANDS. 


years  the  seal  have  been  decreasing  very  fast — ever  since  the  white  men 
with  schooners  began  to  hunt  them.    (George  Skultka.) 

Seal  have  been  growing  scarce  along  the  coast  the  last  four  years. 
Think  there  are  too  many  schooners  engaged  in  sealing  in  the  North 
Pacific  Ocean  and  Bering  Sea.    (M.  Thlkahdaynahkee.) 

Have  noti(!ed  a  large  decrease  the  last  four  years.  I  think  tliat 
pelagic  sealing  in  Bering  Sea  is  the  cause  of  the  seal  becoming  scarce 
along  the  coast.    (Charlie  Tlaksatan.) 

Have  heard  all  the  Indians  of  different  tribes  say  that  seal  nrebe<'om- 
ing  very  scarce  in  the  last  three  or  four  years.  They  also  say  that  unless 
the  schooners  are  stoi)ped  from  sealing  in  Mering  Sea  and  the  North 
Pacific  Ocean  the  seal  will  all  be  gone,  and  none  will  be  left  tor  the 
Indians  or  anyone  else.  The  seal  have  become  so  scarce  of  late  years 
that  I  don't  know  much  about  them.     (Twongkwak,) 

During  the  last  five  or  six  years  seals  have  decreased  in  numbers 
very  rapidly.  A  great  many  of  the  white  men  are  i)Oor  hunters  and 
lose  a  great  many  of  the  seals  that  they  shoot.  They  shoot,  .and  shoot, 
and  shoot,  and  don't  get  any  seals,  and  that  makes  them  wild,  so  that 
an  Indian  cjin't  get  near  them  with  a  spear.     (.lohn  Tysum.) 

Have  noticed  the  seal  have  been  decreasing  along  the  coast  the  last 
four  years.  Think  the  cause  of  the  de<;rease  is  that  tliere  are  too  many 
schooners  engaged  in  pelagic  sealing  in  Bering  Sea.    (James  irnat.ojim.) 

Last  year  was  a  very  bad  season.  The  Indians  think  scarcity  of  seals 
is  due  to  the  method  of  hunting  them  adopted  by  the  whites,  by  which 
the  seals  are  scared  away.    (Francis  Verbeke.) 

Have  noticed  the  seal  are  decreasing  very  fast,  particularly  the  last 
four  years,  caused  by  the  indiscriminate  killing  of  seal  in  the  waters  of 
the  North  Pacific  Ocean  and  Bering  Sea.    (Charlie  Wank.) 

So  many  schooners  and  white  men  are  hunting  them  with  guns  all 
along  the  coast  that  tiiey  are  getting  all  killed  off.    (VVatklns.) 

Formerly  the  Indians  hunted  them  for  food,  but  nowadays  white  men 
and  Indians  hunt  them  for  their  fur,  and  they  are  rapidly  dinnnishing 
in  number.    (Weckenunesch.) 

Seals  were  always  plenty  in  the  Straits  of  San  Juan  de  Fuca  and 
along  the  coast  until  the  white  hunter  came  here  and  commenced  slioot- 
'ing  them  some  six  or  eight  years  ago;    since  that  time  they  have 
decreased  very  rapidly.    (Charley  White.) 

Seals  are  becoming  very  scarce  since  the  white  men  began  hunting 
them  in  schooners,     (liilly  Williams.) 

Seals  have  become  scarce  the  last  three  or  four  years,  and  the  cause 
of  it  is,  I  think,  the  indiscriminate  killing  of  seals  in  the  water.  (Fred 
Wilson.) 

Seals  are  not  near  so  plenty  as  they  were  seven  or  eight  years  ago. 
I  think  the  cause  of  this  is  that  they  have  been  hunted  so  much  by 
white  hunters,  who  use  shotguns  and  rifles.    (Wispoo.) 

Have  noticed  the  seal  are  decreasing  very  fast,  owing  to  so  many 
schooners  hunting  seals  in  the  waters  of  the  North  Pacific  Ocean  and 
Bering  Sea.    (Michael  Wooskort.) 

The  seal,  like  the  sea  otter,  are  becoming  very  scarce.  I  think  if  the 
schooners  were  prohibited  from  taking  seal  in  Bering  Sea  and  along  the 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


283 


coast  of  Alaska  the  seal  would  become  plentiful  au<l  tbe  Indians  could 
kill  then)  once  more  in  canoes.     (Yahkah.) 

Since  the  white  men  witli  schooners  began  to  hunt  seal  off  I'rince  of 
Wales  Island  the  seal  have  become  very  scarce,  and  unless  they  are 
stopped  from  hunting  seal  they  will  soon  be  all  ^one.  If  the  white  men 
are  permitted  to  hunt  seal  mucli  longer  the  fur  seal  will  become  as 
scarce  as  the  sea  ottei*,  which  were  quite  plenty  around  Dixons 
Entrance  when  I  was  a  boy.  Tlie  Indians  are  obliged  to  go  a  long  way 
for  seal  now  and  often  return  after  two  or  three  day>'  hunt  without 
taking  any.     (Hastings  Yethnow.) 

Seal  have  been  decreasing  very  rapidly  the  last  few  years,  and  it  is 
hard  for  our  jieople  to  get  them.  There  are  too  many  white  men  hunt- 
ing then)  witl)  scl)oo))ers  off  i'rince  of  Wales  Island.     (Paul  Young.) 

Since  the  white  n)an  began  to  hunt  seal  they  are  bccoujing  very 
scarce.     (Walter  Young.) 

Within  the  last  live  or  six  years  seals  have  decreased  in  )iuinber  very 
fast  and  a)'e  becoming  very  shy,  and  it  is  diflictUt  to  creep  u])on  them 
and  hit  then)  with  the  s])ear.  Years  ago  the  heads  of  seals  along  the 
coast  would  stick  up  out  of  the  water  almost  as  thick  as  the  staivi  in 
the  heavens,  but  since  the  white  n)en  with  so  many  schooners  have 
come  and  began  to  shoot  and  kill  then)  with  the  guns  they  have  become 
very  scarce.     (Ilish  Yulla.) 

If  so  n)any  white  hunters  keep  hunting  the  seal  with  shotguns  as 
they  do  now  it  will  be  but  a  short  tin)e  before  they  will  be  all  gone. 
(Thomas  Zolnoks.) 

DECREASE   <»K   SEALS — RESULTS   OF    INDISCUIMINATE   SLAU(JHTER. 


1.! 


I       »    I 


It  is  impossible  to  distinguish  the  sex  of  a  seal  in  the  water,  unless 
it  is  an  old  b)dl.  1  am  unable  to  .state  anything  as  to  the  ju-oportion 
of  females  takoi,  but  the  seal  hunter  shoots  evei'V  kind  of  seal  he  sees. 
(0.  A.  Abbey.) 

I  can  not  tell  the  difference  between  the  male  and  female  seal  while 
in  the  water,  except  it  be  an  old  bull.     (I'eter  Brown.) 

I  shoot  all  seal  ti)atcome  iiea)'ti)e  canoe  and  use  no  (liscrimi  nation, as  I 
can  not  distinguish  a  young  bull  fi-ou)  a  cow  iu  tiie  water.  All  hunters 
shoot  everythijig  tliat  <'omes  near  thei)-  boats.     (Akatoo.) 

No  discrin)ii)atiou  is  or  can  be  used;  everything  is  gaine  that  comes 
within  range  of  the  hunter's  weapon.     (A.  li.  Alexiimler.) 

It  is  impossible  to  distinguish  the  male  fiom  the  fen)ale  at  a  distance 
in  the  water.   (II.  Andricius.) 

It  is  impossible  to  distingJiish  sex  who)  the  seals  are  swin)n)ing,  and 
killing  is  indiscriini))a^e.     (Charles  Avo-y.) 

The  sex  of  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water.  I  shoot  everything  that 
comes  near  the  boat.     (Adau)  Ayonk'ee.) 

1  used  no  discrimii)ation,  but  killed  everything  that  can)e  near  the 
boat  in  shape  of  a  sea).  Never  stopped  to  ask  if  it  is  female  or  not.  A 
few  ohl  bulls  have  been  taken  by  me.     (Johnny  Barouovitch.) 

Everything  that  comes  near  the  boat  in  the  shape  of  a  seal  is  shot, 
rega)<lles8  of  sex.    (Maurice  liates.) 


;  w 


T 


284 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOP    LSLANDS. 


The  sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water;  I  shoot  everything 
that  comes  near  the  boat.    (Wilton  C.  Bennett.) 

We  kill  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat,  and  use  no  discrimina- 
tion, but  shoot  them  regardless  of  sex.    (Edward  Benson.) 

We  kill  everything  regardless  of  sex;  the  sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be 
told  in  the  waters.    (Martin  Benson.) 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  distinguish  the  female  seals  from  the  male 
in  the  water  unless  it  is  an  old  bull.     (Bernhardt  Blcidner.) 

It  is  not  possible  to  make  any  distinction  between  males  (other  than 
large  bulls)  and  females  of  the  fur-seal  species  at  sea  and  there  is  none 
attempted.  Full-powered  bulls  are,  however,  readily  recognized  at  sea 
by  their  nuich  larger  size  and  darker  fur;  they  are  seldom  taken,  their 
pelts  being  comparatively  valueless.  The  slaughter  is  therefore  indis- 
criminate, the  object  being  to  secure  all  the  skins  possible.  (J.  A. 
Bradley.) 

.We  used  to  shoot  at  anything  we  ran  across,  and  got  about  a  third 
of  what  we  killed  or  wounded.  1  do  not  know  how  many  miles  ott"  the 
seal  islands  we  were  when  we  caught  them,  as  1  did  not  know  the  dis- 
tances.   (Thomas  Bradley.) 

It  is  not  easy  to  tell  a  bull  from  a  cow  or  either  from  a  year-old  pup 
when  they  are  in  the  water,  and  tlie  hunters  must  shoot  at  all  the  seals 
they  see.  If  they  get  them  they  are  fortunate,  for  at  the  best  numy 
are  lost.  Some  hunters  rarely  miss  a  seal  they  fire  at.  but  many  are 
wounded,  and  a  seal  with  a  i'harge  of  bullets  and  buckshot  in  him  must 
be  in  very  vigorous  health  to  recover.  Some  hunters  never  miss  a  seal 
during  the  season,  but  if  others  get  one  out  of  four  they  wound  they 
are  doing  well.    (William  Brennan.) 

It  is  i)ractically  imi)0S8ible  to  distinguish  the  age  or  sex  of  seals  in 
the  water  while  approaching  them  while  at  a  reasonable  gunshot  dis- 
tance from  them,  excepting  in  the  case  of  old  bulls.     (Uenry  Brown.) 

Use  no  discrimination,  but  kill  all  seal  that  come  near  the  boat. 
The  best  way  to  shoot  seal  to  secure  them  is  to  shoot  them  in  the  back 
of  the  head  when  they  are  asleep  with  their  noses  in  the  water.  (Peter 
Brown.) 

I  can  not  distinguish  male  seals  from  female  at  a  distance  in  the 
water,  unless  it  be  an  old  bull  with  a  long  wig.    (Landis  Callapa.) 

I  can  not  distinguish  male  seals  from  female  ii  the  water  except  in 
the  case  of  an  old  bull,  which  is  told  by  its  size.  Use  no  discrimination, 
but  kill  everything  in  the  shape  of  a  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat. 
(Charles  Campbell.) 

There  is  no  way  of  distinguishing  the  sex  of  fur  sejils  (except  large 
bulls)  in  the  water  at  sea,  nor  do  hunters  ever  make  any  eilbrt  to 
do  so,  but,  on  the  contrary,  kill  all  seals  they  can  indiscriminately. 
(Vassili  Chichinoff.) 

Sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water  unless  it  be  an  old  bull. 
All  seal  are  shot  that  come  near  the  boat,  regardless  of  sex.  (Simeon 
Chin-koo-tin.) 

It  is  imi)ossible  to  distinguish  the  sex  of  the  fur  seal  in  the  water  at 
sea,  and  no  effort  was  made  to  do  so.  We  killed  all  fur  seals  indis- 
criminately.   (Julius  Christiansen.) 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS.  285 

The  sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be  distinguished  in  the  water.  1  shoot 
everything  that  conies  near  enough.    ( Peter  Church.) 

I  am  unable  to  tell  a  male  seal  from  a  female  while  in  the  water, 
unless  it  be  an  old  bull  with  a  long  wig.    (James  Claplanboo.) 

The  sex  «!an  not  be  told  in  the  water,  and  all  are  shot  that  come  near 
the  boat.  No  discrimination  is  nsed;  iiunters  kill  everything  they  see. 
(John  C.  Clement.) 

In  pelagic  sealing  no  distinction  is  made  by  hunters  as  to  the  sex  of 
the  seals,  the  killing  being  done  indiscriminately.  It  is  not  possible  to 
distinguish  between  the  male  and  female  seals  at  sea,  even  if  a  hunter 
so  desired,  and  this  is  the  reason  why  pelagic  sealing  will  soon  result 
in  the  total  extermination  of  the  species.     (M.  Coh«^n.) 

The  hunters  will  kill  any  seals  that  come  along,  it  being  impossible  to 
tell  the  sex  in  the  water.     (Teter  Collins.) 

All  seal  are  killed  tliat  come  near  the  <'anoc,  whether  it  is  male  or 
female;  1  make  no  ditterence.  In  former  years  tliere  were  lots  of  seal, 
but  now  there  are  very  few.  Too  many  s(!hoon«  rs  hunting  them  all  the 
time  in  the  water,  killing  tlie  mother  seals  as  well  as  others.  (Charlie 
Dahtlin.) 

"We  tried  to  shoot  them  while  asleep,  but  shot  all  that  came  in  our 
way.    (Alfred  Dardean.) 

Use  no  discrimination  in  killing  seal,  but  shoot  everything  that 
comes  near  the  boat  in  the  shape  of  a  seal.  Hunters  shoot  seal  in  the 
most  exi)osed  part  of  the  body.     (George  Dishow.) 

I  can  not  tell  the  sex  of  the  seal  in  the  water.    (Peter  Dufty.) 

I  never  examine  them  to  know  whether  they  are  male  or  female  seal. 
I  can  not  tell  the  difference  in  the  water,  and  shoot  everything  without 
knowing  whether  they  are  male  or  female.    (Hchon.) 

While  there  is  some  difference  in  the  appearance  of  the  female  and 
old  male  seals,  I  do  not  think  it  would  be  possible  for  the  hunters  to 
tell  that  ditterence  in  the  sea  at  any  great  distance.    (M.  C.  Erskine.) 

Everything  in  shape  of  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat  is  killed. 
(Chief  Frank.) 

I  can  not  tell  the  sex  of  a  seal  in  the  water;  use  no  discrimination, 
but  kill  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat.    (Luke  Frank.) 

There  is  no  way  by  which  hvnters  can  distinguish  sex  while  the  seals 
are  in  the  water,  nor  do  we  aim  to  do  so;  the  killing  is  always  done  in 
an  indiscriminate  way.    (Thomas  Frazer.) 

i  could  not  tell  whether  a  seal  was  a  male  or  female  while  it  was  in 
the  water,  unless  it  was  an  old  bull.    (William  Frazer.) 

There  is  no  way  that  I  know  of  to  distinguish  the  sex  of  a  seal  when 
it  is  in  the  water.  No  attempt  is  made  to  discriminate  the  sex  so  as  to 
kill  only  males.    (F.  F.  Feeny.) 

Can  not  distinguish  the  sex  of  seal  in  the  water,  but  spear  every- 
thing that  comes  near  the  boat,  regardless  of  sex.     (Chad.  George.) 

I  have  never  examined  the  seal  as  to  sex.  I  shoot  everything  that 
comes  near  the  boat,  and  use  no  discrimination  whatever.  (Charles 
Gibson.) 


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286 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIblLOF    ISLANDS. 


I  kill  everything  that  cornea  near  the  boat,  and  use  no  discriniination, 
as  the  sex  can  not  be  told  in  the  water,  except  it  be  an  old  bull,  which 
is  told  bj'  its  size.    (Gonastut.) 

Can  not  distinguish  sex  of  seal  in  the  water.  Hunters  use  no  dis- 
crimination, and  kill  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat.  (James 
Gondowen.) 

We  have  no  way  of  distinguishing  fur  seals  in  the  water  at  sea  as  to 
whether  males  or  females,  and  do  not  try  to  do  so,  but  kill  all  we  can 
indiscriminately.    (Nicoli  Gregorott".) 

Every  seal  is  shot  that  comes  near  the  boat,  regardless  of  sex;  huut- 
er»  use  no  discrimination.     (James  Griffin.) 

Among  all  other  fur  seals  at  sea  no  distinction  is  possible,  and  none  is 
attempted.  The  killing  is  indiscriminate,  the  object  being  to  secure 
all  the  pelts  jjossible.  Bulls  are,  however,  readily  recognized  at  sea  by 
their  larger  size  and  darker  fur.     (A.  J.  Gould.) 

I  always  slioot  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat;  cannot  tell  the 
sex  in  the  water.    (Henry  Haldane.) 

I  use  no  discrimination  in  sealing,  but  shoot  everything  that  comes 
near  the  boat,  regardless  of  sex.     (Martin  Hannon.) 

I  can't  tell  a  male  from  a  fenuile  while  in  the  water  at  a  distance. 
(JaiiiL's  Harrison.) 

My  experience  has  been  that  the  vessels  employed  in  hunting  seals 
shoot,  indiscriminately,  pups,  male  and  female  seals,  regardless  of  age 
or  sex ;  and  even  should  sealers  wish  to  discriminate  in  the  killing  it 
would  not  be  possible  for  them  to  do  so.  My  study  of  them  in  a  long 
experience  has  not  enabled  nie  to  i)ositively  distinguish  the  sex  of  a 
seal  while  in  the  water.  It  is  the  cuMom  to  pay  seal  hunters  per  skins 
taken;  hence  it  is  the  object  of  the  hunters  to  secure  as  many  as  pos- 
sible, without  reference  to  sex,  age,  or  coiulition.  While  hunting  they 
use  small  rowboats,  with  two  uv  three  men  in  each  boat  armed  with 
shotgun  and  riHe,  chieHy  the  former,  and  it  would  be  simply  impossi- 
ble for  the  master  or  owners,  even  should  they  desire  it,  to  sujjervise 
ten  or  a  dozen  hunters  as  to  the  killing  of  any  particular  sex  or  kind. 
(M.  A.  Healy.) 

It  is  difficult  to  tell  the  sex  of  a  seal  which  you  shoot  at  in  the  water; 
but  you  can  tell  an  old  seal  from  a  young  seal.    (William  Hermann.) 

It  is  impossible  to  distinguish  ])ositively  between  females  and  males 
(other  than  large  bulls)  in  the  water  at  sea,  and  no  e  ort  is  made  to  do 
so.  Full-powered  bulls  are  readily  recognized  by  their  great  bulk  and 
darker  fur.  The  killing  of  the  fur  seals  is  therefore  absolutely  indis- 
criminate, as  the  object  is  to  secure  all  the  skins  possible,  irrespective 
of  sex,  age,  or  condition.    (Norman  Hodgson.) 

Hunters  use  no  disciimination  in  shooting  seal,  but  kill  evei'ything 
that  conies  near  the  boat.  They  could  not  discriminate  if  they  wanted 
to,  as  the  sex  can  not  be  told  in  the  water.    (O.  Holm.) 

Everything  in  the  shape  of  a  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat  is  killed. 
(Jack  Johnson.) 

I  am  unable  to  distinguish  a  male  seal  from  a  female  seal  at  a  distance 
in  the  water.    (Selwish  Johnson.) 

I  shoot  everything  in  the  shape  of  a  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat, 
and  use  no  discrimination.    (Johnnie  Johntin.) 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS, 


•2«7 


The  sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water  nnloss  in  tlie  cnse  of 
an  old  bull,  \vlii(!h  is  told  by  its  size.  Wv  use  no  disciiniination  in 
shootiny  seal.  Everything  is  killed  that  comes  near  the  boat,  regard- 
less of  sex.    (l*liilii)  Kasiievarotf.) 

We  can  n<>t  tell  the  ditierence  between  a  male  and  a  female  in  the 
water,  but  kill  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat.     (King  Ivnskwa.) 

All  killinef  of  seals  in  the  water  nnist  of  necessity  be  iiidiscrinunate 
slaughter,  as  it  is  im|»ossible  to  tell  the  sex  or  tlie  exact  age  of  a  seal 
until  it  has  been  taken  into  the  boat,  whereas  on  land  careful  discrimi- 
nation can  be  made.     (Francis  II.  King-llall.) 

Hunters  use  no  discrimination  in  hunting  seal,  but  shoot  everything 
that  conies  near  the  boat.     (Kinkooga.) 

lluuters  always  kill  all  seal  that  come  near  the  boat,  regardless  of 
sex.     (C.  Klananeck.) 

1  kill  everything  that  comes  near  the  canoe,  regardless  ot  sex. 
(Robert  Kooko.) 

I  always  kill  every  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat;  hunters  use  no 
discrimination.     (John  Kowineet.) 

Have  never  killed  but  few  old  bulls  in  my  life.  The  only  seal  that 
can  be  distinguished  in  the  water  is  the  old  bull,  which  can  be  told  by 
its  size.  Everything  in  shape  of  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat  is 
killed  if  possible,  regardless  of  sex.     (George  Lacheek.) 

We  can  not  distinguish  between  the  sexes  of  fur  seals  in  the  water  at 
sea,  nor  do  we  try  to.  On  the  contrary,  everything  in  sight  is  taken  if 
possible,  except  large  bulls,  whose  skins  are  worthless.    ( E.  L.  Lawson.) 

It  is  impossible  to  distinguish  between  males  and  females  of  the  fur- 
seal  si)ecies  in  the  water  at  sea,  excepting  large  bulls,  and  no  effort  is 
made  to  do  so.  The  object  is  to  get  all  the  marketable  skins  i)os8ible, 
and  the  killing  is  consequently  indiscriminate.  The  pelts  of  large  bulls, 
whose  fur  is  coarse  ami  of  little  value,  and  of  yearlings  of  both  sexes, 
whose  skins  are  too  small,  not  being  strictly  marketable  skiii^-,  they 
were  not  taken.    (James  E.  Lennau.) 

Of  late  years  most  of  the  catches  of  J!»rorthwest  skins  are  sold  at  a 
certain  price  per  skin  without  ])articular  examinati(m.  The  dealers, 
knowing  the  location  from  whicii  the  skins  are  obtained,  make  an 
average  price,  and  owners  and  hunters  are,  therefore,  less  particular 
than  they  were  in  former  years  as  to  the  class  of  animals  they  capture. 
They  kill  everything  they  see  without  regard  to  age  or  sex,  their  only 
object  being  to  swell  the  total  niimber  of  the  catch  to  the  highest  pos- 
sible iigure     'Isaac  Liebes.) 

But  of  course  you  could  not  tell  when  you  shot  a  seal  lying  asleep 
whether  it  was  a  male  or  female.  We  shoot  at  all  the  seals  when  we 
get  a  chance,  but  it  is  oidy  the  ones  that  we  And  asleep  that  we  catch. 
(Caleb  Lindahl.) 

It  is  impossible  to  distinguish  the  sex  of  fur  seals  at  sea  (excepting 
large  bulls)  and  no  effort  is  made  to  do  so,  the  object  being  to  secure 
all  the  skins  possible;  hence  the  killing  is  indiscriminate.  (E.  W. 
Littlejohn.) 


It  is  impossible  to  tell  the  sex  of  a  seal  in  the  water. 
Long.) 


(William  H. 


wrmrT^T 


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288 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBIhOF    ISLANDS. 


Everything  was  killed  that  came  near  the  boat;  we  did  not  use  any 
discrimination.    (George  McAlpine.) 

The  sex  can  not  be  distinguished  in  the  water  unless  it  be  the  case 
of  an  old  bull,  which  is  distinguished  by  its  size.  Everything  is  killed 
in  the  shai)C  of  a  seal  that  conies  near  the  boat.    (J.  I).  McDonald.) 

When  ^re  find  weather  we  are  out  in  the  boats  killing  all  the  seals  we 
can  get.    We  can  not  huiit  in  rough  weather.     (William  Mclsaac.) 

Sex  of  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water.  We  use  no  discrimination 
and  kill  <all  seal  that  come  near  the  boat.  Seal  are  not  shot  in  any  par- 
ticular place;  shoot  them  in  the  head  if  possible;  if  not,  in  the  body. 
(James  McKeen.) 

It  makes  no  difference  if  a  seal  is  a  male  or  female;  we  shoot  every- 
thing that  comes  near  euough.    (Kdwanl  Maitland.) 

1  know  it  to  be  the  custom  of  seal  hunters  to  shoot  seals  at  sea  when 
they  are  at  rest  upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  that  those  generally 
obtained  are  females,  and  constitute  but  a  very  small  portion  of  those 
killed  and  lost.     (John  Malowansky.) 

Everything  that  comes  near  the  boat  in  shape  of  a  seal  is  shot,  l 
can  not  tell  the  sex  of  a  seal  till  after  it  is  dead.     (Frederick  JVIason.) 

We  hunted  with  shotguns  and  shot  them  mostly  when  they  were 
asleep  on  the  water,  or  any  chance  we  could  get.  1  was  a  boat  puller, 
and  the  hunters  shot  at  everything  in  sight.    (Henry  Mason.) 

We  generally  tried  to  kill  them  while  asleep  in  the  water,  but  flred  at 
everything  that  came  around  us.     (Thorwal  Mathasan.) 

I  use  no  discrimination  in  shooting  seals ;  shoot  everything  that  comes 
near  the  boat,  and  all  other  hunters  do  the  same.    (G.  E.  Miner.) 

Q.  If  awake,  do  you  shoot  them  while  breaching? — A.  Yes,  sir;  we 
shoot  at  them  anywhere,  either  while  they  are  breaching  or  heads  up, 
or  any  way.    (Frank  Moreau.) 

We  shot  at  everything  in  sight.  We  killed  more  females  than  males, 
and  we  lost  a  good  many  that  we  killed.     (Eddie  Moreliead.) 

Shoot  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat  in  shape  of  a  seal,  and  use 
no  discrimination.    (Matthew  Morris.) 

The  sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water.  Hunters  use  no 
discrimination,  but  kill  everything  they  can.    (Nashtau.) 

We  shoot  everything  that  comes  near  the  canoe  in  shape  of  a  seal, 
regardless  of  sex.  The  sex  can  not  be  told  in  the  water  unless  it  be  an 
old  bull.    (Dan  Nathlan.) 

Everything  is  killed  that  comes  near  the  canoe  in  shape  of  a  seal. 
We  can  not  tell  a  male  from  a  female  in  the  water.    (Joseph  Neishkaitk.) 

I  can  not  tell  the  age  or  sex  of  a  seal  in  the  water,    (^^iles  Nelson.) 

I  can  not  tell  the  difference  between  a  male  and  female  seal  in  the 
water,  and  I  shoot  every  seal  that  comes  near  the  canoe.    (Ntkla-ah.) 

Sex  can  not  be  distinguished  while  the  seals  are  in  the  water,  nor  do 
the  hunters  try  to  do  so,  for  they  kill  everything  they  can  shoot.  (Nel- 
son T.  Oliver.) 

I  am  unable  to  tell  the  sex  of  the  seal  while  it  is  in  th  j  water,  unless 
it  be  an  old  bull  with  a  long  wig.    (OrV*) 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


289 


use  no 


It  is  impossible  to  distiuguish  the  male  seal  from  the  female  wheu 
they  are  iu  the  water  at  a  reasonable  gunshot  distance.  (Charles 
Peterson.) 

Yearlings  are  rarely  taken  in  North  Pacifii;.  The  age  or  sex  of  a  seal 
in  Lie  water  can  not  be  distingnished,  except  that  when  close  the  appar- 
ent 1  i/e  is  an  indication  of  age.     (W.  Roberts.) 

I  use  a  shotgun  to  hunt  for  seal,  1  lave  lost  very  few  seal,  as  I  always 
shoot  them  near  the  boat.  Everything  in  shape  of  a  seal  that  comes 
near  the  boat  is  killed.     I  use  no  discrimination.    (Rondtus.) 

Everytliing  in  the  sliape  of  a  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat  is  shot. 
Hunters  use  no  discrimination,  but  kill  everything  that  puts  its  liead 
above  the  water.    (Abel  Ryan.) 

It  is  impossible  to  distinguish  a  male  from  a  female  seal  in  the  water, 
except  in  the  case  of  a  very  old  bull,  when  his  size  distinguishes  him. 
Therefore  open-sea  sealing  is  entirely  indiscriminate  as  to  sex  or  age. 
(L.  G.  Shepard.) 

All  seal  are  killed  that  come  near  the  boat.  1  never  sto[)  to  consider 
whether  it  is  a  male  or  female,  bnt  kill  it  oft"  if  I  can.     (Jack  Shucky.) 

Hunters  use  no  discriminati(ni,  but  shoot  everything  that  comes  near 
them.  Their  sex  can  not  be  told  unless  in  the  case  of  an  old  bull,  which 
is  distinguishable  by  its  size.     (Jack  Sitka.) 

The  sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water.  I  kill  everything 
that  conies  near  my  canoe  in  shape  of  a  seal,  and  all  other  hunters  do 
the  same.    (Thomas  Skowl.) 

Always  shoot  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat  in  shape  of  a  seal, 
regardless  of  sex.    ((ieorge  Hkultka.) 

Hunters  use  no  discrimination,  but  shoot  everything  that  come  near 
the  boat.    (Fred  Smith.) 

It  is  impossible  to  distinguish  between  male  and  female  seals  at  sea, 
even  if  tiie  hunters  so  desired,  except  in  the  case  of  full-powered  bulls, 
when  they  are  readily  recognized  by  their  greatly  superior  size.  Large 
bulls  are  rarely  taken.  Xo  distinction  is  thought  of  by  pelagic  sealers, 
and  the  killing  is  done  indiscriminately,  the  object  being  to  secui'e  as 
many  skins  as  possible.    (John  W.  Smith.) 

I  can  not  tell  the  sex  of  the  seal  in  the  water,  unless  he  is  an  old 
bull.  A  hunter  will  blaze  away  at  anything  he  sees  in  the  water.  (B. 
W.  Soron.) 

Hunters  use  no  discrimination,  but  shoot  everything  in  the  shape  of 
a  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat.    (Joshua  Stickland.) 

All  seals  are  killed  that  come  near  the  boat,  regardless  of  their  sex. 
I  never  look  to  see  whether  I  have  killed  a  male  or  female  seal  until  I 
have  the  S'ial  dead  in  the  boat.    (M.  Thlkahdaynahkee.) 

Hunters  use  no  discrimination  iu  killing  seal,  but  kill  everything  that 
comes  near  the  boat,  regardless  of  sex.     (W.  Thouuis.) 

The  sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water  when  hunting.  We 
use  no  discrimination,  but  kill  everything  in  the  shape  of  a  seal  that 
comes  near  the  boat.    (Charlie  Tlaksatan.) 

Hunters  use  no  discrimination  in  taking  seal,  bnt  kill  everything  that 
pokes  its  head  out  of  the  water  near  the  boat.     (John  C.  Tolmau.) 
S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 19 


11 


1  i    ,. 


[|!^pfnr 


290 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


The  sex  of  the  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water.  HuiiterH  U8e  no 
discrimiiiatioQ  and  everythiiij^  in  the  shape  of  a  seal  that  comes  near 
the  boat  is  killed.    (Peter  Trearsheit.) 

Sex  of  seal  can  not  be  distinj-uished  in  the  water,  except  in  the  case 
of  an  old  bull,  which  can  be  told  by  its  size.  Xo  discrimination  is  used 
in  taking  seal;  everything;;  that  comes  near  the  boat  is  shot  at.  ('lames 
Unatajim.) 

I  always  shoot  everythin};  that  (tomes  near  the  boat,  regardless  of 
sex.    We  use  no  discrimination.     (George  Usher.) 

Sex  of  seal  can  not  be  distinguished  in  the  watei-.  No  discrimination 
is  used  in  seal  hunting;  all  are  killed  that  come  near.  (Rudolph 
Walton.) 

The  sex  of  seal  of  same  age  can  not  be  distinguished  in  the  water. 
The  only  seal  that  can  be  distinguished  is  an  old  bull.  W^e  use  no  dis- 
crimination in  seal  hunting;  everything  is  killed  that  comes  near  the 
boat.  Pelagic  hunters  have  become  so  plentiful  and  seals  have  become 
so  wild  that  we  are  obliged  to  take  long  shots  at  them.    (Charlie  Wank.) 

Our  purpose  and  practice  was  to  take  all  the  seals  we  could  get, 
regardless  of  their  age  or  sex,  without  any  discriminatioti  whatever. 
(Michael  White.) 

Everything  in  the  shape  of  seal  that  comes  near  the  boat  is  shot.  I 
can't  tell  the  difference  between  a  young  cow  and  a  male  seal.  (Fred 
Wilson.) 

The  seals  are  getting  wild  and  hard  to  catch.  There  are  a  great 
many  green  hands  in  the  business.  We  shot  at  everything  that  came 
along.  We  were  getting  ")(>  cents  for  every  skin  obtained.  Our  boats 
went  30  aiul  40  miles  from  tli-  schooner.  Sometimes  they  would  leave 
in  the  morning  at  "i  and  not  return  until  the  next  day  at  4  or  5  in  the 
evening.     (John  Woodruff.) 

The  sex  of  seal  can  not  be  told  in  the  water.  No  discrimination  is 
used  in  seal  hunting.  All  seal  are  killed  that  come  near  the  boat.  The 
only  seal  that  can  be  distinguished  in  the  water  is  an  old  bull.  (Michael 
Wooskoot.)  • 

I  can  not  distinguish  the  sex  of  a  seal  in  the  water,  but  kill  every  seal 
that  comes  near  the  canoe,  if  possible.    (Billy  Yeltachy.) 

I  can  not  tell  the  sex  of  a  seal  in  the  water,  and  use  no  discrimi- 
nation, but  kill  everything  that  comes  near  my  canoe  in  the  shape  of  a 
seal.    (Hastings  Yethnow.) 

We  use  no  discrimination  in  killing  seal,  but  shoot  everything  that 
comes  near  the  boat.  What  seals  we  have  seen  this  year  are  very  wild 
and  hard  to  get  at.  The  cause  of  their  being  wild  is  the  indiscriminate 
shooting  of  them  in  the  water.    (Alt'.  Yohansen.) 

I  use  no  discrimination,  and  kill  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat 
in  tlie  shape  of  a  seal.    (Paul  Young.) 

1  can  not  tell  the  difference  between  a  male  and  a  female  in  the  water; 
use  no  discrimination,  but  kill  everything  that  comes  near  the  boat. 
(Walker  Young.) 

We  fired  at  all  the  seals  we  could,  regardless  of  their  sex.  We  got 
one  out  of  every  six  or  seven  we  shot  at  or  killed.  (George  Zam- 
mett.) 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'RIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


DKSTRUCTION    OF   PKEGNANT   FEMALES. 


291 


We  ciiugbt  about  185  seals,  mostly  females  in  young,  and  we  killed 
tliem  while  they  were  asleep  on  the  water.    (Charles  Adair.) 

Most  of  the  seals  killed  by  me  have  been  females  with  puj).    (.i.katoo.) 

We  sealed  along  the  coast  and  captured  ir>4.  Most  all  of  them  were 
pregnant  females.     (Charles  Avery.) 

Most  all  seals  that  I  have  killed  were  ])regnant  eow8.  Have  taken  a 
few  male  seals  from  1  to  4  years  ohl,  1  think.  Have  never  killed  an  old 
hull.    (Adam  Ayonkee.) 

Q.  What  percentage  of  the  cows  you  liave  taken  were  with  pupf — 
A.  About  99  per  cent  of  the  cows  taken  were  witli  pup.  There  may  be 
one  in  a  hundred  that  is  either  without  pup  or  has  hiid  one.  (George 
Ball.) 

Most  all  the  seals  taken  are  females  with  pup.     (Johnnie  Uaronvitch.) 

Seventy-tive  per  cent  of  the  seal  taken  on  the  coast  i\n-  cows  with 
imp.    (Martin  Benson.) 

We  left  Port  Town  send  in  May  and  sealed  south  to  Cape  Flattery, 
and  then  went  north  along  the  «'oast  until  we  came  to  Unimak  Pass, 
and  captured  from  .'i(K)  to  400  seals.  Most  all  were  females  and  had 
pui)s  in  them.  1  think  fnlly  two-thirds  of  all  we  caught  were  females, 
and  a  few  were  bulls.  *  *  *  We  secured  ."lOO  skins  along  the  coast, 
most  all  of  which  were  pregnant  f(imales.     (Bernhardt  IMeidner.) 

1  have  never  killed  any  full-grown  cows  on  the  (!oast  that  did  not 
have  jmps  in  them,  and  I  have  hunted  all  the  way  from  the  (Jolund)ia 
Jliver  to  Barclay  Bound.     (Bowachup.) 

We  left  \'ictoria  about  May,  going  north,  and  sealed  all  the  way  to 
Uering  Sea.  We  had  about  ilO  before  entering  Bering  Sea,  nearly  all 
of  which  were  females  with  young  pups  in  them.     (Thomas  Bradley.) 

Our  last  catch  of  seals  on  the  coast  were  almost  exclusively  gravid 
females.     (Henry  Brown.) 

We  had  2.50  seals  before  entering  the  sea,  the  largest  i)ercentage  of 
which  were  females,  most  of  them  having  young  pups  in  them.  I  saw 
some  of  the  young  pups  taken  out  of  tht^m.     (Tliomas  Brown.) 

On  my  last  sealing  cruise  this  sjjring  we  caught  five  seals;  two  of 
them  were  fenuiles  and  had  pups  in  them ;  three  of  them  were  young 
and  smaller  seals  and  had  black  whiskers.  None  but  full-grown  cows 
hiive  white  whiskers,  but  young  cows  and  young  bulls  have  black 
whiskers.  About  half  of  all  the  seals  captured  along  the  coast  have 
white  whiskers  and  are  cows  with  pups  in  them.  Most  all  full-grown 
cows  that  are  caught  have  pups  in  them.  Once,  late  in  the  season,  I 
caught  a  full-grown  barren  cow  with  white  whiskers.    (Landis  Callapa.) 

Seventy-live  per  cent  of  seals  shot  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean  are 
females  heavy  with  young.    (John  C.  Cantwell.) 

Most  of  the  seals  we  killed  going  up  the  coast  were  females  heavy 
with  pup.  I  think  nine  out  of  every  ten  were  females.  (Charles 
Ohallall.) 

Not  quite  half  of  all  seals  caught  along  the  coast  are  cows  with  pups 
iu  them.    About  half  are  young  seals,  both  male  and  female,  and  the 


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Hi  I         I 

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292 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PRIUILOF    ISLANDS. 


rest  (a  small  number)  are  medium-sized  males.  We  never  get  any  old 
bulls  worth  speaking  of,  and  we  do  not  catch  as  many  gray  pui)s  now 
as  formerly.  Have  not  caught  any  gray  pups  this  year.  Do  not  know 
what  has  become  of  them.  Have  never  caught  any  full  grown  cows 
without  pups  in  them,  and  have  never  caught  any  cows  in  milk  along 
the  coast.     ((Charlie.) 

Of  those  secured,  the  larger  part  by  far  were  females,  and  the  miijority 
of  these  were  pregnant  cows.     (Julius  Christiansen.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  by  me  have  been  females  with  young.  A 
few  male  seals  have  been  taken  by  me,  their  ages  ranging  from  1  to  5 
years  old.     Killed  three  large  bulls  during  my  life.     (Peter  Church.) 

A  great  many  years  iigo  we  used  to  catch  about  one-half  cows  and 
one-half  yonng  seals.  I  never  caught  any  seals  along  the  coast  that 
had  given  birth  to  their  young  a'sd  that  had  milk  in  their  breasts.  I 
never  captured  any  barren  cows.  *  *  *  We  secured  ten  seals  in  all, 
five  of  which  had  ]mps  in  them.  I  know  this  because  1  saw  the  pups 
when  we  cut  the  car<'asses  open.  *  *  *  The  other  live  seals  were 
smaller  and  jnobably  male  and  female.     (Circus  Jim.) 

About  half  the  seals  killed  by  me  have  been  cows  with  puj).  I  never 
shot  but  two  old  bulls  in  my  life.  Have  shot  a  few  yearling  seals.  The 
young  males  1  have  killed  were  betweeu  2  and  .»  years  old,  I  think. 
(William  Clark.) 

The  seals  we  catch  along  the  coast  are  nearly  all  pregnant  females. 
It  is  seldom  we  capture  an  old  bull,  and  what  nuiles  we  get  are  usually 
young  ones.  I  have  frequently  seen  cow  seals  cut  open  and  the  unborn 
pups  cut  out  of  them  and  they  would  live  for  several  days.  This  is  a 
frequent  occurrence.    (Christ  Clausen.) 

Q.  What  percentage  of  the  cows  you  Ijave  taken  were  with  pup? — A. 
About  70  per  cent.    (Peter  Collins.) 

The  majority  of  seals  taken  are  cows  with  pup;  once  in  a  while  we 
take  an  old  bull.    A  few  yearlings  are  taken  also.     (Charlie  Dahtlin.) 

From  75  to  80  per  cent  of  all  the  seals  taken  were  mothers  in  young, 
and  Avhen  cut  ©pen  on  deck  we  found  the  young  within  them.  (James 
Dalgarduo.) 

We  had  between  100  and  300  seals  before  entering  the  sea.  Most  all 
of  them  were  females  with  pups  in  them.     (John  Dalton.) 

Of  the  seals  that  were  caught  off  the  coa.st  fully  00  out  of  every  100  had 
young  pups  in  them.  The  boats  would  bring  the  seals  killed  on  board 
the  vessel  and  we  would  take  the  young  pups  out  and  skin  them.  If 
the  pup  is  a  good,  nice  one  we  would  skin  it  and  keep  it  for  ourselves. 
I  had  eight  such  skins  myself.  Four  out  of  five,  if  caught  in  May  or 
June,  would  be  alive  when  we  cut  them  out  of  the  mothers.  One  of 
them  we  kept  for  pretty  nearly  three  weeks  alive  on  deck  by  feeding  it 
on  condensed  milk.  One  of  the  men  finally  killed  it  because  it  cried  so 
pitifully.    (Alfred  Dardean.) 

In  all  my  experience  in  sealing  on  this  coast  I  have  killed  but  one 
cow  seal  that  had  nulk  in  her  breast,  and  that  had  given  birth  to  her 
pup.  I  have  killed  a  very  few  barren  cows  along  the  coast.  Nearly  all 
of  the  full-grown  cows  along  the  coast  have  pups  in  them.  (Frank 
Davis.) 

We  sailed  from  San  Francisco  to  Queen  Charlotte  Island,  and  caught 


8EAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'HIllILOF    ISLANDS. 


1M)3 


between  500  siud  000  seals,  iieiuiy  all  females  heavy  witli  yonn<;.  1 
have  seen  a  yoiiiin'  live  |>n|>  taken  out  of  its  mother  and  kept  alive  for 
three  or  four  days.  We  sealed  from  10  t<>  1.50  iniies  off  the  coast. 
(Joseph  Dennis.) 

A  hnfie  ])roportion  of  all  seals  taken  are  females  with  pup.  A  very 
few  yearlinjis  are  taken.  Never  examine  them  as  to  st'x.  lint  veiy 
few  old  luills  are  taken,  bnt  live  beiny  taken  out  of  a  total  of  000  steals 
l)y  my  scrhooner.     ((leorge  lUshow.) 

We  left  Victoria  the  latter  end  of  -January,  and  went  South  to  Cape 
lllanco,  sealin;;'  around  there  two  or  thi«'e  months,  when  we  started 
north  to  Herin;;'  Sea,  sealiuji;'  all  the  way  up.  We  had  l)etween  L'OO  and 
HOO  seals  before  entering  the  sea,  a  great  many  of  them  being  females 
with  [Mips  in  them.     (Richard  Dolan.) 

The  Indians  left  their  homes  in  March  and  I'emained  away  until  May. 
Their  hunting  lodges  were  on  some  small  islands  outside  of  Dundas 
Island.  From  what  they  tell  nu^  the  majority  of  seals  taken  by  them 
have  ])een  females  with  young.    (William  ])un<'an.) 

We  went  north  to  liering  Sea,  sealing  all  the  way  nj*,  and  got  110 
seals  before  enteiing  the  sea.  Most  of  them  were  <m»ws,  nearly  all  of 
which  had  pups  in  tluMU.  We  took  some  of  the  pups  alive  cnit  of  the 
bodies  of  the  females,     ((ieorge  I'^iirchild.) 

Most  all  of  the  fenndes  taken  are  with  young,  or  mothers.  (F.  F. 
Feeny.) 

There  were  <'0W  seals  with  pup  among  the  seals  that  1  have  taken, 
but  don't  know  liow  nnniv.  I  have  never  taken  an  old  bull  in  mv  life. 
(Chief  Frank.) 

I  think  the  seals  taken  by  me  are  about  half  fenniles  with  pup,  and 
the  rest  are  1  and  L'  year  old  nniles  and  yearlings:  never  examined  the 
yearlings  as  to  sex.     (Lukc^  Frank.) 

Q.  What  ])ercentage  of  the  cows  you  have  taken  were  with  pup  f — 
A.  All  that  are  killed  in  the  Pacific  are  with  pup,  and  those  that  are 
killed  in  Jiering  Sea  have  been  delivered  of  pui>s  on  the  islands  and  are 
with  milk.     (Luther  T.  Franklin.) 

Q.  What  percentage  of  the  cows  you  have  taken  were  with  pup? — 
A.  About  GO  ]»er  cent  were  with  imj).     (Edward  W.  I'^mcke.) 

Most  all  the  seals  taken  by  me  were  females  with  i)Up.  INIost  of  the 
seals  killed  in  JJering  Sea  have  been  cows  with  milk.  Have  never 
taken  a  bull  seal  off  the  coast  of  Washington,  but  have  taken  a  few 
farther  north.  A  few  young  males  are  taken  off  the  coast  of  Washing- 
ton.   (Chad  George.) 

I  did  not  pay  nuich  attention  to  the  sex  of  seals  we  killed  in  the 
North  Pacific,  but  know  that  a  great  number  of  them  were  cows  that 
had  pups  in  them,  and  we  killed  most  of  them  while  they  were  asleep 
on  the  water.    (Thonuis  (Jibson.) 

Most  of  the  seals  killed  are  cows  with  pup.  A  few  males  are  killed, 
averaging  from  1  to  4  years  old.  Have  killed  but  one  old  bull  in  my 
life.  A  few  yearlings  are  taken,  the  nnijority  of  which  are  females. 
(James  (loudowen.) 

We  captured  63  seals,  all  of  which  were  females,  and  all  were  preg- 
nant. With  regard  to  ])regnancy,  I  may  note  that  the  seals  taken  off 
the  coast  of  Vancouver  Island  were  not  so  far  advanced  as  those  taken 


m: 


n 


! 


I        1 


:i; 


204 


HEM.    LIKE    ON    THK    PRIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


fiirtluu' nortli.  *  *  •  lanuuquainteil  witli  tlic  liuntersaiHi  luaHtei.s 
wlio  sail  t'roni  this  port,  and  boartl  all  iiicoining  and  <)iitg()iii;>:  v('N8elN  of 
tliat  (ilass.  Tlu'st!  men  all  acknowlrdHe  that  noarlj  all  th«  s«'als  taken 
otl"  the  Pacific  Cojist  are  females,  and  that  they  are  nearly  all  witli 
yoiuij^.     {K.  M.  (ireenleaf.) 

We  bejjan  sealing  off  the  northern  eoast  of  C'alifornia  and  followed 
the  sealing  herd  northward,  capturing  about  700  seals  in  the  North 
PaciJIc  Ocean,  two-thirds  of  which  were  fenndes  with  pup;  the  balance 
were  young  seals,  both  male  and  female.  We  captured  between  9(K) 
and  1,000  on  the  coast,  most  all  of  which  were  fenuiles  witii  pups. 
(Arthur  (Jrittin.) 

The  catch  was  mostly  females.  Those  we  got  in  tlie  North  Pacitic 
were  females  in  pujt,  and  those  taken  in  Ueriug  Sea  were  cows  giving 
milk.    (Joseph  Grymes.) 

Of  the  skins  taken  in  this  region  fully  nine-tenths  are  pregnant  and 
milking  fenndes,  but  I  never  saw  a  young  pup  in  the  water.  Large 
bulls  were  never  taken,  theii'  skins  being  pra<'ticallv  valueless.  (A.  .1, 
(luild.) 

<^.  What  ])ercentage  of  the  cows  are  taken  with  pups* — A.  All  the 
large  <mes  have — all  the  grown  ones  have.  Very  seldom  you  find  a 
barren  one.     (Charles  II.  |!--gman.) 

A  large  majority  of  seals  taken  are  fenndes  with  young.  Oidy  two 
old  bulls  were  taken  by  nie  last  year  cmt  of  the  100  seals  taken.  Hut 
veiy  few  yearlings  are  taken.  Paid  no  attention  to  sex.  A  few  male 
seals  are  taken  between  2  and  4  years  old,  I  think.     (Martin  Hannon.) 

(}.  What  percentage  of  the  cows  taken  are  with  pups? — A.  You  can 
safely  say  about  fonr-lifths  of  them.  You  get  al>out  800  out  of  1,000 
seals.     (11.  Ilarnisen.) 

I  am  told  the  white  hunter  kills  mostly  cow  seals  with  pup.  (.Saiu 
Hayikahtla.) 

I  have  often  converse<l  with  nnisters,  seamen,  and  hunters  engaged 
in  hunting  tlie  fur  seals,  and  their  statements  to  me  have  always  been 
that  the  cai>ture  of  a  male  seal  was  a  rarity;  that  nearly  all  of  their 
catch  were  «!<»w  seals  heavy  with  young,  or  those  who  had  given  birth 
to  their  young  on  the  islands  and  gone  out  to  the  fislnng  bank  to  feed, 
and  that  they  lose  a  large  i)roportion  of  those  killed  and  wounded. 
(J.  M.  Hays.)' 

Q.  What  percentage  of  the  cows  you  have  taken  were  with  i»up? — 
A.  At  least  (JO  per  cent  were  with  i)up.     (William  Ilenson.) 

Of  the  seals  secured  in  a  season  fully  70  per  <!ent  are  females,  and  of 
these  more  than  GO  per  cent  are  pregnant  and  milking  cows.  The  males 
taken  are  about  equally  divided  in  numbers  between  yearlings  and 
bachehu's  from  the  ages  of  2  to  •")  years;  bulls  are  seldom  shot.  (Nor- 
man Hodgson.) 

Q.  What  percentage  of  the  cows  you  have  taken  were  with  pup?— 
A.  A  bout  the  same  amount  (about  9.5  per  cent)  were  with  pup.  (And.  J . 
Hoffman.) 

Most  all  seals  taken  are  females  with  young.  *  •  •  A  few  male 
seal  are  taken.  L  would  say  they  are  generally  3  or  4  years  old.  A  few 
yearlings  are  killed,  mostly  females.  About  five  bull  seal  are  killed  out 
of  every  hundred  taken.    (E.  Hofstad.)  ,  .     ,  , 


SKAI,    I.IFK    ON    THE    r'HIIULOl'    ISLANDS. 


2U6 


About  onelialf  <»f  tlioso  csuifjlit  iiloiiff  the  roast  were  fullfjrowii  cows 
with  pups  in  tliein;  u  tVw  wtMe  iiiediuin  sI/imI  males,  nnd  the  rest  were 
younger  wealN  of  botli  sexes.  1  liave  never  «auyht  a  full  }j:rowii  row  in 
the  straits  or  ah)ii};  tiie  eoast  that  did  not  luive  a  pup  in  her.  (Alfred 
Irviny.) 

Q.  What  pereeiitage  of  the  e(»WH  taken  are  with  pup? — A.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  seiison,  np  to  .lune,  all  the  full-^irown  cows  are  with 
pup'. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  kill  any  cows  wh(»se  younfj  were  born,  and  were 
giving  milk? — A.  That  1  «h)n't  remember  tiiking'  notice  of.  I  can  not 
answer  that  <|uestioii.     ((Instave  Isaacson.) 

The  female  seals  };o  thronjih  the  passes  from  the  I'a<!itic  ()<"ian  into 
lieriii};  Hea  between  June  25  and  .Inly  !."».  Females  kille«l  previous  to 
this  time  I  found  with  pups,  but  none  with  pups  after  that  latter  date. 
(Victor  flacobson.) 

We  beyan  to  seal  when  a^out  20  miles  otV  ( 'ape  Flattery.  We  worked 
toward  the  northwest,  and  captured  between  iH\  and  KM)  seals  on  the 
coast,  about  two  thirds  of  which  were  females  with  puj);  the  balance 
were  yearliuffs  consisting  of  jnale  and  female;  after  which  we  ran  into 
Barclay  Sound  for  supi)lies,  from  wliich  phuui  we  worked  to  the  north- 
ward toward  Hering  Sea.  We  cajitured  about  80  seals  while  en  route 
to  the  sea;  abojit  two  thirds  of  these  were  females  with  i)up,  the  balance 
being  yearlings  about  one-half  male  and  one  half  female,  (.lames 
.lamicson.) 

We  began  sealing  off  Bnrclay  Sound,  and  caught  thre<  skins  only, 
all  of  whicrli  were  females  with  juip.  •  *  *  In  hunting  along  the 
coast,  I  think  about  <S0  per  cent  of  those  we  caught  were  females,  and 
most  of  them  were  carrying  their  young.  We  seldom  caught  any 
bulls,  but  caught  i  few  of  the  younger  males.  I  have  seen  the  unborn 
young  cut  out  ol"  i  lie  nu)ther  seal  and  live  for  a  week  without  food.  We 
used  to  skin  some,  but  threw  most  of  them  overboard,  (.lanies 
.Jamieson.) 

A  majority  of  the  seal  taken  on  the  coast  are  cows  with  pup.  A  few 
young  males  are  taken,  the  ages  ranging  from  1  to  5  years.  Once  in 
awhile  an  old  bull  is  taken  in  the  Xcnth  Pacific  Ocean.    (.1.  .Johnson.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  are  females  with  jiup.  Once  in  awhile  an 
old  bull  is  killed,     (.lack  .Tohnson.) 

A  large  proportion  of  seals  killed  by  me  were  cows  with  puj).  Have 
killed  a  very  few  old  bulls  and  some  yearlings.    (.Johnnie  .lohntin.) 

Most  of  the  seal  I  have  taken  have  been  juegnantcows.  But  a  very 
few  young  male  seal  are  taken  by  me  along  the  coast.     (I'.  Kahiktday.) 

The  majority  of  seal  are  cows  with  pup.  A  few  nniles  are  taken, 
about  4  or  5  years  old.     (Philip  Kashevarofl'.) 

About  half  of  the  seals  killed  are  females  with  pup.  Have  killed 
some  yearling  seals,  but  never  killed  any  old  bull.  The  young  males  I 
killed  were  between  2  and  3  years  old.     (.Hm  Kasooh.) 

We  caught  somewhere  about  500  seals  before  entering  the  sea,  of  all 
kinds.  There  were  a  good  many  females  among  them;  there  was  a 
good  many  more  of  them  than  males  but  the  exact  number  I  do  not 
know.  The  old  females  had  young  r  ips  in  them.  1  saw  them  taken 
out  and  a  good  many  of  them  skinned.    (James  Kean.) 


jl 


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296 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THE    PKIKILOF    ISLANDS. 


I       h 


Wo  snihMl  iVoni  N'ictoriii,  Hritisli  Columbiii,  aiul  boic  due  north  to 
Jieriiiff  Sen.  VVlieii  we  iirii\e<l  there  we  had  some  7."»  to  SO  seals,  the 
greater  part  of  wliieh  were  females,  some  of  which  liad  pups  in  them. 
(James  Kennedy.) 

Most  of  the  senls  taken  by  me  were  fcmah's  with  pup;  h;ive  taken  ;i, 
few  male  seals  from  1  to  t  years  old.  A  very  lew  yearlinjis  have  been 
killed  l>y  me.  mostly  females.     (Mike  Kethusduck.) 

Those  taken  in  i'.erinji'  Sea  were  nearly  all  mother  seals,  in  milk,  that 
had  left  tiieir  youn.n-  and  were  in  search  of  food.     (James  Kiernan.) 

Most  all  seals  killed  by  me  have  been  covs.  #  *  »  Have  not 
killed  a  bull  seal  for  thr<'e  years.  1  ha\e  taken  a  few  yearlings,  mostly 
fenniles.     (John  KowintH't.) 

All  the  seals  wiiich  I  have  seeu  killed  wen^  females,  and  the  majority 
of  these  were  prej>iiant  cows.     (Olaf  Kvam.) 

Most  all  seals  that  1  have  tak<'n  were  eows  with  pup.  A  few  male 
seals  have  been  taken  by  me  from  1  to  2  years  old.     (<Jeor;;e  Lax'-heek.) 

A  jjood  nmny  have  pups  in  them,  and  when  the  boats  come  aboard 
loa<led  with  seals,  i  *''er  they  fjot  throu}»h  skinninji;'  them  they  would 
hav(^  a  bi^  pile  of  pups  on  deck.     (James  liaflin.) 

We  had  a  good  <'ateli,  haviu}''  taken  1,4()(>  skins,  more  than  1.000  of 
which  we  secured  on  the  (toast.  Of  the  latter  more  than  T'l  per  cent 
were  fennUe  pelts,  and  of  these  about  ('»(►  per  cent  weni  taken  iVons 
pref>iiant  cows.     (James  Vl.  Lennan.) 

I  have  often  cut  a  seal  open  and  tbund  a  live  vcuinji  one  inside. 
(Caleb  Lindahl.) 

Of  all  the  seals  captured  by  me  about  (uuihalf  of  them,  I  think,  were 
cows  with  i)up8  in  them,  and  it  is  very  seldom  that  I  have  e\er  caiifjiit 
a  full-finnvn  cow  that  was  barren  or  did  not  have  a  pup  in  her;  nor 
have  I,  in  my  lonj«'  experh'uce,  eauf^ht  a  cow  that  was  in  milk,  or  that 
had  rei'ently  jiiven  birth  to  her  youufj,  I  seldom  ever  kill  an  ohl  bull, 
for  there  are  but  very  few  of  them  that  miu{fle  with  the  henl  alonjj  the 
coast,     (.lames  liighthoiise.) 

In  the  year  1885  (I0(»  fur  seals  were  eauf^ht  durinji:  the  month  of  March 
of!"  the  I'^arallon  Islands  (California).  In  subsecpient  years  we  have  had 
to  go  farther  in)rth  ea<'h  year  in  order  to  secure  a.  good  8i>ring  catch. 
My  experience  has  been  that  fully  ilO  i)er  cent  of  all  seals  taken  were 
fenmles,  and  of  these  two  thirds  were  m(»thers  in  milk.  {E.  VV.  Little 
John.) 

I  know  that  a  large  proportioji  of  the,  seals  taken  were  mothers  in 
pup  or  mothers  giving  milk,  but  I  paid  no  particular  attention  tu  the 
percentage.    (William  II.  Long.) 

On  uiy  last  trip  this  year,  when  hunting  seals  off  the  cape,  I  caught 
10  seals,  r>  of  which  hail  pups  in  them;  the  rest  of  them  were  from  I  to 
2  years  old,  part  male  and  part  female.  I  think  that  fully  one  half  of 
the  seals  caught  along  the  coast  are  full-grown  females  with  pups  iu 
them.  We  sometimes  catch  a  few  medium  si/ed  males,  the  rest  being 
younger  ones,  both  male  and  female.    (Thonuis  Lowe.) 

Q.  What  percentage  of  the  cows  you  have  taken  were  with  pupt — 
A.  About  70  i)er  cent,  I  should  say.    (Charh^s  Lutjens.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  were  females  with  pup.    A  few  male  seals  were 


SEAL    LIFH    ON    TIIK    IMillULOF    ISLANDiS, 


297 


killed,  iinesi'nn.niiij;' from  1  tooyeivrs.     Oiio old  bull  was  tiikc^n,     ((leor}»e 
McAlpiiic) 

Most  of  the  sciils  takoti  hy  iiie  Wave,  been  teinab's  witli  pup.  The  lemale 
seals  are  ''asier  killed  than  tin*  male,  and  we  aim  to  <iet  tlieni.  A  few 
yeaiiinji's  liav(^  been  killed  by  me,  mostly  females.     (.1.  I).  McDonald.) 

Several  of  the  females  that  we  eau^i'ht  in  the  ocean  weie  in  i)up,  but 
the  pup  laktMi  out  of  the  belly  was  of  no  use  for  anythinjj',  and  v/e  would 
throw  it  overboard.     (William  Mclsaac.) 

We  had  .'?(»(>  or  4(W)  S(>als  altojjetiier  before  cutcrin;;'  IW'iiiij;-  Sea. 
They  were  most  all  females,  which  ha<t  younj;  pups  in  them.  (William 
Meiianghlin.) 

Q.  What  percentajfeof  the  cows  taken  are  witli  pup  ? — A.  The  females 
are  mostly  all  with  pup — that  is,  up  until  the  1st  of  duly.  (Daniel 
McLean.) 

We  came  down  each  year  to  tlu'  coast  of  (>ie}j;on,  tlicn  went  alonu  up 
the  coast  to  IJeriufj'  Sea.  I  do  not  recolle«'t  the  exact  nnnd)er  of  seals 
we  caught  in  18.SS,  18S!>,  l.St»(>,  but  last  year  w«'  «!anj;ht  about  ITA)  ah)n}; 
the  coast.  I  ilid  not  pay  mnuh  attention  t(»  the  sex  of  the  seals,  but  I 
seen  lots  of  little  pups  taken  out  of  them.     (Thomas  Madden.) 

We  sailed  up  the  coast  and  caught  a  few  seals  until  we  got  to  liering 
Sea.  We  caught  1,10(»  seals,  nearly  all  of  which  were  caught  in  l>er- 
ing  Sea.  We  caugiit  them  around  St.  (leorge  Island.  I  think  out  of 
the  1,100  we  caught  there  wen-  (iOO  females.  Out  of  that  000  Whwg 
were  over  400  that  had  pups  insiil(M)f  them,  and  we  threw  them  all 
overboard,     (.lames  Maloy.) 

About  half  of  the  seals  killed  by  me.  I  think.  w«'re  cows  with  pu|). 
Have  never  killed  an  old  bull,  but  have  killed  a  few  yearlings  in  my 
life.     Never  examined  the  latter  as  to  sex.     (IMiarlcs  Ma  it  in.) 

The  biggest  part  of  niy  year's  catch  oft"  the  coast  wei'c  fenmles  with 
l>ups  in  them.     (Patrick  Maroney.) 

In  IHOO  1  went  sealing  in  the  schooner  ArijonnKf.  She  sailed  from 
Victoria  about  the  <Sth  of  April,  and  sealed  along  the  (roast  uj)  to  the 
pass  in  Bering  Sea.  We  caught  about  250  seals  that  year.  Most  of 
the  seals  we  (Mugiit  in  i1m>  N(n'th  I'acitic  were  feniales.  A  good  many 
of  them  also  had  pups  inside.     (Henry  Mason.) 

I  noticed  in  the  seals  that  we  caught  along  tlu^  coast  that  a  great 
many  of  them  were  females  and  had  pups.  I  think  nutst  of  them  were 
females.  I  know  that  in  my  boat  the  catch  w;vs  most  all  females  and 
they  had  pu|)s  in  them.  Tluiy  were  usually  shot  when  sleeping  cm  the 
water.    (William  Mason.) 

We  caught  over  1,(>00  seals  olV  the  coast,  almost  all  females,  and  a 
great  nuiidter  of  them  had  i>ups  in  them.  *  *  *  Entered  ISering 
Sea  in  July  and  was  chased  out  by  the  cutters.  Did  not  catch  any 
seals  in  the  Americau  waters  in  Bering  Sea,  but  went  over  across  ou 
the  Kussiaii  si«le  and  8«Mile(l  there.  The  whole  catidi  for  that  year  was 
about  l,r»00  seals.  Those  that  we  killed  on  the  Kussian  side  were  abimt 
in  the  same  proportion  as  to  females  as  those  killed  on  this  side.  (Thor 
wal  Mathasai).) 

Q.  What  perceutage  of  the  tows  you  have  taken  were  with  pui»t — 
A.  About  75  per  cent  were  with  pup.     (Frank  Moreau.) 


Ml 


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SEAL   LIFE    ON   THE   PRIBILOP   ISLANDS. 


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i 

i; 


I 


Most  all  the  seals  killed  by  me  have  been  females  with  pup.  (Amos 
Mill.) 

We  began  sealing  oft'  Cape  Flattery;  sailed  and  sealed  to  the  north 
ward,  and  captured  about  800  seals  along  the  coast.    There  were  not 
over  ten  males  in  the  wliole  lot.    The  females  had  pups  in  them,  and 
we  cut  them  out  of  their  uiothers  and  tlirew  them  overboard  into  the 
ocean.    (.John  Morris. j 

About  half  of  the  seals  caught  along  the  coast  are  cows  with  pups  in 
them.  A  few  medium-si/ed  males  are  also  taken,  and  the  rest  are  young 
seals  of  both  sexes.  We  scarcely  ever  see  an  old  bull  seal,  nor  can  we 
tell  the  sex  of  the  seals  in  the  water.  1  have  never  caught  any  full- 
grown  cows  ahmg  the  coast  that  did  not  have  pups  in  them.    (Moses.) 

About  half  the  seals  taken  by  me  are  cows  with  pup.  1  have  taken 
a  few  old  bulls  in  my  life,  but  not  many.  Have  taken  quite  a  number 
of  yearlings.  The  male  seals  taken  are  between  2  and  ."»  years. 
(Nashtau.) 

About  one-half  of  the  seals  1  have  taken  were  females  with  pup. 
Have  taken  a  very  few  yearlings.  Once  in  a  while  I  take  an  old  bull, 
but  not  often.  The  Miale  seals  that  I  have  killed  are  2  and  3  years  old, 
I  think.    (Dan  Nathlan.) 

Think  about  half  of  the  s'als  taken  by  me  have  been  cows  with  pup. 
The  rest  are  yearlings  and  young  males  2  and  3  years  old.  Have  never 
seen  an  old  bull  in  my  life.    (Joseph  Neishkaitk.) 

Almost  every  female  that  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  maturity  is  preg- 
nant. We  follow  them  on  from  there  into  Bering  Sea,  and  almost  all 
the  females  taken  are  pregnant.     (Niles  Xelson.) 

We  sailed  south  as  far  as  IManco,  sealing  around  there  for  two  or 
three  months,  when  we  headed  north  into  Jiering  Sea,  having  caught 
250  or  300  seals  before  entering  the  sea,  of  which  00  per  cent  of  them 
were  females,  mostly  all  of  them  having  pups  in  them.    (John  O'Urien.) 

In  the  beginning  of  the  season  we  killed  mostlj'  yearling  seals,  but  as 
the  season  advanced  we  got  almost  all  mothers  in  young  in  the  vicinity 
of  Cape  l^'Iattery  or  from  the  Columbia  Kiver  to  Van(!ouver.  (Nelson 
T.  Oliver.) 

The  catch  along  the  coast  for  the  last  six  or  seven  years,  since  the 
rifle  anil  shotgun  have  come  into  use,  is  principally  females,  and  the 
grown  ones  have  pups  in  them.  The  catch  of  young  seals  is  much  less 
in  proportion  to  the  number  caught  than  they  were  when  Indians  used 
to  take  them  by  spearing.    (WilUam  Parker.) 

We  began  sealing  off  Cape  Flattery  and  sealed  right  up  toward  Be 
ring  Sea,  capturing  16  seals  along  the  coast,  all  of  wliich  were  females 
with  pup.  W(!  captured  200  females  with  pup  on  the  coast  and  then 
returned  to  Victoria,  after  which  we  sailed  again  in  a  short  time  on  the 
same  vessel  with  the  same  crew  for  the  North  I'acitic  Ocean  and  Be- 
ring Sea,  capturing  about  250  female  seals  while  en  route  to  Bering  Sea, 
also  a  few  male  yearlings.    (Charles  Peterson.) 

My  ex])erience  in  four  years'  sealing  is  that  nearly  all  the  seals  taken 
along  the  coast  are  pregnant  females,  and  it  is  sehhmi  that  one  of  th(Mn 
is  caught  that  has  not  a  young  pup  in  her.    (Edwin  P.  Porter.) 

I  have  been  out  sealing  this  year  and  caught  16  seals;  5  of  them  were 
full-grown  cows  that  had  pups  in  them.    The  rest  were  young  seals 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    I'RIBILOK    ISLANDS. 


(Amos 


299 


ras 


about  li  years  old,  both  male  and  female,  excepting'  one,  and  that  \. 
a  giay  pup.     (Wilson  INnter.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  by  me  have  been  cows  with  pup.    (Rondtus.) 

The  nuijority  of  sciils  taken  by  ine  have  been  females  Avith  pup.  Once 
in  a  jjreat  while  1  catch  an  old  bull.  A  few  yearlings  have  been  taken 
and  the  majority  of  males  are  2  and  3  year  olds.     (Abel  llyan.) 

While  cruising  along  the  coast  our  principal  catch  was  female  seals 
with  pup,  the  balance  being  principally  yearlings,  about  half  male  and 
female.    (William  Short.) 

We  had  315  skins  when  we  arrived  here.  Mostly  all  of  them  were 
females  heavy  with  pup  asleep  on  the  water,  and  we  killed  them  with 
shotguns.    (Peter  Simes.) 

Most  of  tiie  seal  taken  by  me  were  <'0ws  with  pup.  (Aaron  Sim- 
son.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  are  cows  with  young.    (Jacl'  Sitka.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  by  me  are  females  witli  pup.  Never  killed 
but  one  old  bull  in  my  life.  Have  killed  but  a  few  yearlings  and  never 
looked  to  see  if  they  were  male  or  female.  The  young  males  killed  by 
me  were  between  1  and  3  years  old.     (Thonuis  Skowl.) 

I  think  .»  females  .vith  ])up  out  of  everj'  10  killed.  I  kill  lots  of 
yesirlings,  but  never  exannned  them  as  to  sex.  Never  shoot  any  old 
bulls,  although  1  have  seen  a  good  many.    ((le(»rge  Skultka.) 

We  sailed  from  here  on  the  Flyimj  Mist  on  the  17th  day  of  April, 
1871,  and  caught  altogether  on  that  voyage  about  87r)  seals,  of  which  a 
large  majority  were  either  fenniles  with  i)ui>s  or  with  their  bresists  full 
of  milk.  1  saw  it  Howing  on  tlie  deck  when  we  were  skinning  them. 
♦  *  *  Went  to  Okhotsk  Sea  and  sealed  there  about  two  numths. 
We  got  there  some  oOO  seals,  of  which  more  than  one  half  were  females, 
and  the  most  of  them  had  juips  in  them.    (James  Sloan.) 

1  am  informed  by  our  Lond^m  sales  agent,  and  l>elieve,  that  nearly 
or  (juite  nine-tentiis  of  the  Victoria  catch  is  compose«l  of  females. 
(Leon  Sloss.) 

A  very  large  majority  of  tlie  seal  taken  in  tlie  North  Pacific  are  cows 
with  pup.     (Fred  Smitii.) 

We  left  San  Francist-o  in  February,  ami  fished  all  the  way  up  to 
Kadiiik  Island.  We  caught  about  17r>  seals  and  about  4(»  otters.  To 
the  best  of  my  Judgment,  the  greatest  portion  of  these  were  cows  heavy 
with  young.  We  could  see  the  milk  running  out  of  their  teats  when 
they  were  skiniu'd.  1  saw  pui)s  inside  of  the  seals  that  we  cut,  and  we 
saved  some  of  them  and  fed  them."     (E.  W.  Soron.) 

We  left  here  with  the  ('it;/  of  «V"h  Picfjo  in  l-'ebruary,  188S.  and  arrived 
in  Bering  Sea  in  June,  1888.  As  soon  as  we  got  into  the  ocean  we 
commenced  shooting  seals  and  continue<l  shooting  all  the  way  up  to  the 
Aleutian  Islands.  The  seals  became  more  i)lentiful  as  we  were  going 
north.  We  (jaught  about  OoO  during  that  voyage.  We  killed  a  piu'tion 
in  Bering  Sea.  We  killed  I  large  bull  that  1  recollect,  and  the  rest 
were  nearly  all  females  with  pup,  or  mothers  giving  milk.  (Cjrus 
Stephens.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  are  females  with  pup.  Out  of  111  seals  last 
year  I  killed  but  J)  bulls.    A  very  few  yearlings  have  been  taken  by  me. 


ii 


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SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


A  few  male  seal  have  been  taken  by  me  from  2  to  4  years  old.     (Joshua 
Stickland.) 

We  commeuciMl  sealing  as  soon  as  wo  ftot  outside  of  the  cape,  and 
captured  about  270  seals  alonj;'  up  the  <'oast.  Most  of  tiie  seals  cauyiit 
were  pre;^naiit  females,  and  when  we  would  skir,  tbem  the  milk  would 
run  out  of  them  on  the  deck.  We  beyan  sealing  off  the  Cobunbia  Itiver 
and  then  sealed  northward  up  the  coast  to  r.eriiig  JSea,  and  captured 
about32()  seals  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  mostly  all  females,  and  nearly 
all  had  young  i)ups  in  them.     (.lohn  A.  Swain.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  by  me  wer<?  cows  with  ])up.  *  #  #  a.  few 
male  seal  have  been  taken  from  1  to  4  years  old.  But  very  few  old 
bulls  liave  ever  been  taken  by  me.  Have  kllle<l  a  few  yearlings  every 
year.     (M.  Thikalnlayuakkee.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  on  this  coast  are  (!Ows  with  young.  (Juite 
a  large  number  of  yearlings  are  taken,  most  of  which  are  females. 
(Charlie  Tlaksatan.) 

Most  of  tiie  seal  taken  by  me  have  been  females  with  pup.  A  few 
male  seals  have  been  taken  by  me,  ages  ranging  from  1  to  4  years,  1 
should  think.  Some  yearlings  have  been  taken,  a  majority  of  which 
were  females  also.  Very  few  old  bulls  have  been  killed  by  me.  (James 
Unatajim.) 

Most  of  the  seals  taken  have  been  cows  with  pup.  1  have  taken  but 
a  very  few  old  bulls.  I  have  killed  plenty  of  young  males,  and  have 
taken  (juite  a  number  of  yearlings,  but  never  examined  them  as  to  sex. 
((jleorge  Usher.) 

The  nnijority  of  seal  taken  are  cows.  A  few  yearlings  are  'lilled, 
mostly  females.    (Kudolph  Walton.) 

In  pnr<*hasing  fur  seals  from  hunters  I  have  noticed  that  m)t  less  than 
75  per  cent  of  the  catch  taken  previous  to  May  2')  are  female  seals,  and 
from  the  development  of  the  teat  on  the  skin  were  evidently  females 
with  pup.  After  that  the  catch  is  mostly  young  seals,  and  1  paid  no 
attention  to  the  sex.     {M.  L.  Washburn.) 

Most  of  the  seals  captured  along  the  coast  are  cows  with  ])ups  iu 
them.  I  have  never  captured  any  cows  in  nnlk  or  that  had  given 
birth  to  their  young  that  year  on  the  coast,  and  1  do  not  recolle(;t  of 
ever  having  caught  an  old  bull.     (Watkins.) 

Out  of  ")(>  seals  taken  so  far  this  season  46  are  females  with  pup  and 
4  are  males.  Only  one  yearling  seal  has  been  taken  this  season  among 
the  males.  1  should  think  the  male  seals  taken  this  year  were  between 
2  and  3  years  old.     (P.  S.  Weitteiddller.) 

While  out  hunting  this  year  we  caught  16  seals;  one-half  of  them 
were  cows  with  pup,  the  renminder  were  yearlings  and  2-year-old8  of 
both  sexes.    (Charley  White.) 

In  my  captures  off  the  coast  between  here  and  8itka  !M)  per  cent  of 
my  catch  wore  females,  but  off  the  coast  of  Unimak  Pass  there  was  a 
Bomewhat  smaller  percentage  of  females,  and  nearly  all  the  females 
were  cows  heavy  with  pup,  and  in  some  instances  the  time  of  <lelivery 
was  so  near  at  hand  that  I  have  fre(iuently  taken  the  live  pup  from  the 
mother's  womb.    (Michael  White.) 

I  think  about  one-half  the  seals  killed  by  me  have  been  females  with 
pup,  and  the  balance  were  divided  up  between  yearlings  and  1  and  2 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOK    ISLANDS. 


301 


year  old  males.    Never  examined  the  yearlinjfs  as  to  sex;  have  never 
killed  an  old  bull  iu  my  life.     (Billy  Williams.) 

Think  that  most  of  the  seals  I  have  taken  were  females  with  pup* 
Have  also  taken  some  2  and  •>  year  old  males  and  some  yearlings. 
Never  killed  but  one  old  bull  in  my  life.     (Fred  Wilson.) 

Most  all  the  seals  caught  by  me  along  the  coast  were  cows  that  had 
pups  in  them.  I  never  killed  a  barren  (!ow  or  one  that  was  in  milk. 
(Wispoo.) 

About  half  the  seals  1  have  killed  were  females  with  puj),  and  the 
balance  were  yearling  seals  and  2  and  .'»  year  old  males.  Never  killed 
an  old  bull  in  my  life,  nor  have  1  ever  seen  one.     (liilly  Yeltachy.) 

Some  years  ago  there  were  more  male  seals  taken  than  are  taken 
now,  but  now  about  one-half  are  females  with  pup.  The  rest  are  year- 
ling seals  and  1  and  2  year  old  males.  1  have  never  examined  the 
yearling  seal  to  ascertain  their  sex.  Have  not  killed  any  old  bull  seal 
for  a  number  of  years,  but  used  to  kill  them.     (Vethnow.) 

Most  of  the  seals  I  have  killed  were  fenuiles  with  ])up.  (^nce  in  a 
while  an  old  bull  is  taken.     (Paul  Young.) 

]  have  been  out  on  the  Pacific  Ocean  this  year  seal  hunting  and 
caught  three  seals.  They  were  large  cow  seals,  and  had  pups  in  theni. 
One  and  2  vear  old  seals  are  about  equally  male  and  female.  (Uish 
Yulla.) 

Almost  half  the  seals  I  now  catch  are  cow  seals,  and  have  little  pups 
in  them.    (Hish  Yulla.) 

About  one-third  of  all  the  cows  1  caught  along  the  coast  were  cows 
with  pups  in  them;  never  caught  any  old  bulls,  and  used  to  catch  njore 
gray  pups  than  I  do  now.  Most  all  the  rest  of  the  seals  I  caught  have 
been  1  and  2  years  old,  and  are  about  equally  male  and  fenuile.  (Thos. 
Zolnoks.) 


Office  Special  Agent  Treasury  Department, 

Washington,  D.  C,  December  30,  1892. 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  hand  you  herewith  a  series  of  tables  setting 
forth  the  number  of  fur  seals  killed  on  the  Pribilof  Islands,  for  all 
causes  whatsoever,  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company — that  is,  from  1870  to  1889,  both  inclusive. 

These  tables  have  been  compiled  by  me  with  great  care  from  the  offi- 
cial records  of  the  Pribilof  Islands,  and  are  correct,  careful  compari- 
sons having  been  made.  They  include  every  seal  killed  from  any  cause, 
intentional  or  accidental,  incident  to  the  taking  of  seal  skins  on  the 
islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  George. 

Joseph  Murray, 
Firtit  AMiHtant  Special  Atjent. 

Hon.  Charles  Foster, 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


w 


¥T¥ 


302 


SEAL   LIFE   ON    THE   PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Tablen  nhowitij)  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  seals,  for  whatsoever  purpose,  on  the  I'ribilof 
Islands  durimj  the  tei-m  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company — that  is,  from 
1870  to  1SS9,  both  incluHtve. 

Note.— Tliei'u  Ih  a  iiiisuppreheiiMiuu  in  regard  to  tin-  naiiiun  of  tlu;  Huverul  rookeries  and  liaiilio); 
grounds,  and  tliey  are  often  confounded  by  people  who  are  nut  thorou);hly  acquainted  with  tliem. 
Zoltui  and  (iarl>otoli  are  local  HulHliviHions  ot  the  Keef  Hookery  and  are  treatetl  as  rookerieH  by  Honie 
of  the  Treai4ury  a;;entH,  while  otliern  ignore  thein  altojiethor.  /Capadnie  and  Southwest  ISay  are  one. 
I'olivina  and  Il'alt'wav  I'oint  areoiie;  soueuien  UHiugtlie  UuHsi.'tn  while  others  umc  the  English  uaineM. 
En|;liHli  liav  and  Middle  Hill  are  separate  and  distinct  rooki'ries,  and  yet  tlicy  are  often  spoken  of  as 
though  they  were  one.  Near  is  a  local  subdivision  of  North  Kookery.  Little  Kast  is  a  subdivision 
of  East  Kookery.  Sea  Lion  Kock.  Southwest  I'oint,  and  Kocky  I'oint  are  neither  rookeries  uov  haul- 
ing grounds  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term ;  tlie  seals  eouie  and  go  at  will,  fur  it  is  only  under  the  most 
favorable  londitimis  of  wind  and  water  they  can  be  reached,  and  it  is  but  seldom  there  arc  mauv  of 
them.  Ky  keeping  these  facts  in  mind  it  will  be  seen  that  seals  were  driven  from  all  of  the  hauliii!; 
grounds  on  Imtli  islands  from  1870  to  date. 

ST.  I'AUL  ISLAND. 

1  No  record  of  daily  killings  for  ls70.  | 


h 


Date. 


Hooke 


Total 
kiUe.l 
for  all 

pur- 
poses. 


187(1. 


Jnly 


1871. 
May  16 
24 
June    1  ' 

2  i 
0  i 

8  ! 
10 

16  ' 

20  I 
22  I 

2;i 

24 
24  1 

2it  ! 

28  I 

I 

3 

0 

7 

8 

18 

21 

22 

22 

24 

26 

28 

28 

31      ; 
11 

18 
24 
29 
4 
il 
18 
26 
29 
2 
9 
10 
13 
14 
10 
17 
17 
10 
21 
21 
25 
27 
28 
28 


Not  indicated  in  tlie  records  of  i 
this  year \  15,314 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Tolstoi 

Reef.... 

Tolstoi 

Keef 

do 

Knglisb  Hay 

Southwest  Hay 

Zoltoi 

Zoltoi  and  Knglisb  liav-. 

Zoltoi ."... 

Southwest  Hay 

Lukannon 

Zidtoi  

Keef 

Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi  and  K<«f 

Tolstoi  and  English  Bay. 

Lukannon. ■ 

Nortlieasl  I'oint 

Lukannon  and  Zoltoi..  . 

Reef 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

Knglisb  Hay 

Ketova 

Northeast  I'oint 

Zoltoi 

Zoltoi  and  Lukannon 

Tolstoi 


Xortlieast  l'(dnt. 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

do 

do 

Ketova 

i^ukannon 

Zoltoi 

Ketova 

do 

T<dstoi 

Ketova 

Halfway  Point . . 

Ketova 

Tolstoi 

Keef 

Northeast  Point. 

Ketova 

Rei>f 

Tolstoi 

English  Bay 

Northeast  Point. 

do 

do 

do 

do 


186 

246 

579 

222 

917 

1,682 

2,  "01 

871 

1,107 

1.39H 

1,071 

1,  283 

518 

706 

2, 654 

1,014 

2,401 

1,133 

2, 038 

3, 623 

1,189 

756 

1,010 

1,940 

801 

3,404 

1,179 

1,807 

1.418 

2, 845 

657 

205 

150 

118 

00 

193 

178 

105 

77 

130 

1,250 

1,308 

5,083 

896 

506 

633 

683 

1,158 

3,150 

3,666 

2,181 

2,142 

3,042 

679 

495 


Date. 


June 


1871. 

Oct.    30 

31 

Nov.    7 

Dee.   19 

19 


1872. 

Mav    11 

14 

24 

1 

3 

i\ 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

17 

10 

20 

21 

22 

24 

27 

28 

29 

1 

5 

ti 

9 

12 

13 

16 

17 

19 


July 


22 

24 

25 

30 

Aug.    1 

6 

9 

13 

17 

20 

29 

Sept.    7 

12 

20 

3 

3 

10 

21 


Oct. 


K(Hik«'ry. 


Tolst4>i 

English  Bay. 

Reef 

do 

do 


Total 
killed 
for  ail 
pur 
poses. 


2,  Wi 

30 

720 

647 

3,i<77 


Total 81,801! 


Northeast  Point. 

Reef 

do 

do 

Tolstoi 

liecf. 


Tolstoi  and  Knglisb  Hay  . . 
I  Southwest  Bay 

Zoltoi  and  Keef 

Tolstoi  and  Knglisb  Bay  . . 
do 

Keef  and  Northeast  I'oint. 

Zoltoi 

English  Hay 

R<ef. 


Lukannon 

Northeast  I'oint  and  Ketova  .. , 

lieef  and  Zoltoi , 

English  Hay 

Tolstoi  and  Northeast  I'oint 

Ketova  and  Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

Knglisb  Bay 

Zoltoi  and  Northeast  Point 

English  Bay 

Zoltoi  and  Lukannon 

English  Bay 

Zoltoi 

Halfway  Point 

English'  Bay,  Lukannon,  and 
Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi 

English  Bay 

Zoltoi 

do 

Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi 

Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

do 

do 

English  Bay 

ZoRoi...... 

do 

Ketova 


227 

455 

759 

278 

293 

20il 

1,616 

002 

l.C)- 

1,730 

4,714 

395 

2, 828 

1,169 

1,705 

5,547 

9111 

4,618 

6, 427 

1.151 

1.841 

3,265 

6,765 

3,139 

2,071 

2,329 

1,116 

1,064 

7,388 

1,384 

2,080 

638 

34 

10 

119 

7 

90 

3 

114 

161 

99 

122 

118 

03 

490 

127 

91 


W^ 


m:imii 


on  the  I'nbilof 
y — that  is,  from 


series  and  hatilin); 
iiiiitfd  with  tbeiii. 
rookerleN  by  some 
iwt'st  Hay  art^  one. 
he  Enuliith  uameH. 
)fteii  s)>ok<>ii  of  a.s 
<t  is  a  Hubdivisiou 
ixikurieH  uor  liniil- 
ily  iindi^r  the  luoat 
there  are  iiiauy  of 
all  (if  the  haiiiiii!; 


Total 

killRd 

for  all 

pur- 

,  |MI808. 


2,  '.m 

30 

729 

647 

3,»77 

81. 80;i 


Hay 


iay 


I'oint. 


Kutova 


5 
227 
455 
759 
278 
29',! 
20!t 

1.616 
«B2 

1,0.57 

i,7;io 

4.714 

395 

2, 828 

1,169 

1,705 

5,547 

910 

4,618 

t  I'oint....!    6, "IS? 

1.151 

1.841 

3,265 

I'oint j    6,765 

3,139 
2,071 
2,329 
1,116 
1,664 

7,388 

1,384 

2,080 

638 

34 

10 

119 

7 

00 

3 

114 

161 

99 

122 

118 

93 

490 

127 

91 


inon,  and 


SEAL   LIFE   ON    THE    FRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


303 


Tables  ahowing  in  detail  all  killinij  of  fur  Meals,  for  whatsoever  purpose,  on  the  I'ribilof 
hlands during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaika  Comrrf-zial  Company — that  is,  from 
1S70  to  1SS9,  both  imlusive — Continued. 


ST.  PAUL  ISLAND-! 'ontin lied. 


Date. 


1872. 
Oct.    29 
Nov.  20 
30 
30 


Dec. 

Nov. 


1873. 

May  23 

23 

June    3 

4 

6 

10 

11 

13 

13 

16 

If. 

16 

18 

21 

21 

23 

24 

26 

27 

27 

30 

1 

2 

3 

5 

8 

9 

9 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

19 

21 

22 

22 

24 

Aug.    4 

13 

20 

20 

Sept.    1 

9 


J4ookery. 


/olloi,  Uee(,  and  Liikannon.. 

Tolstoi 

Xi)iihi-ast  I'oint 

do 

Keef 

/oltoi 


Total 

killed 

for  all 

pur- 

pOHCH. 


1,284 
753 
724 

1,286 
112 
420 

5, 121 


Total 81,819 


J  Illy 


Keef 

Southwest  Hay 

Kcttf  and  Tol8t<ii 

Sent  li  west  Bay 

Het'f  and  Tolstoi 

Soutli west  JJay  and  Kni^lisli  Bay 

Keef  and  Zoltoi  

Tolstiii  and  EiikHhIi  Bay 

Norf  lieast  I'oint 

T(dMtoi  

Lukannou 

Keef 

Southwest  Bay  and  Kuglish  Bay 

Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi  and  English  Bay    

English  Hay  

Beef  and  Tolstoi 

/Coltoi  and  Lukannon 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi 

Lukannon  and  /oltoi 

Tolstoi 

Zoltoi 

do 


Oct. 


Nov. 
Dec. 


29 
30 
8 
16 
21 

9 
30 


Zoltoi  and  Tolstoi 

....do 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi 

Zoltoi 

...  do 

i  Knglish  Bay 

Zoltoi 

Lukannon,  Ketova,  and  Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

English  Ba.y 

Lukannon  and  Ketova 

....do 

Northeast  I'oint 

Zoltoi 

...do 

....do 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

....do 

....do 

Southwest  Bay 

Ketova 

...do 

Zoltoi 

For  natives'  foo<l 

Reef 

Garbotch 


1874. 

Apr.  27 

May    6 

19 

25 

30 


Total. 


Northeast  Point. 
Southwest  Bay.. 

Reef 

....do 

do 


193  ; 

104    ' 

803 

703   ,; 

920 
2,597 
1,666 
2.029  'I 
3,243  ij 
1,770  I 

677  !l 

465  i 
3,946  I 

052  I 
3, 412 
1,803 
3.  159 
2, 210 
1.147 
5, 020 
1,848 
2, 337 
1,938  ;| 
2,212  ll 

710  !l 
1,510  11 
2,494  i 
6,278 

925  : 

1,248 

1,.547  ; 

1.561  I 
929  1 

1,047  ! 

5.696  ' 
754 

1,979  J 
446  ' 

2,727  : 

179  I 

168 

95 

l.->o 

119  I 

109 

122  ! 

10  I 

104  I 

80 

154 

5,489 
231 
267 


Date. 


1874. 

June    3 

3 

4 

6 

8 

9 

10 

1' 

13 

13 

13 

15 

17 

17 

19 

20  - 

20  I 

23 

25  i 

26  ; 

27 


81, 987 


10 
404 
340 
301 
217 


RcMikerv. 


Total 
killed 
for  all 

piir- 
potes. 


.Inly 


30 
1 
3 
3 
4 
4 
6 
8 

9  ' 
10 
10 
13 
14 
16 
16 
16 
17  i 
17  1 
23 
28  i 

3  ; 
10; 
17  ! 
26 
31 

7 
10 
25 

1 

19 

29 

Nov.  — 

Dec.   17 


1875. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


.■^oiit  hwest  Hay 

Keef ■ 

Tolstoi  and  Knglish  Hay 

Northeast  I'oint 

Keef  and  Zoltoi 

Sout  invest  Hay  and  English  Hay 

Tolstoi ! 

Keef  and  liarliotch 

Southwest  May  and  English  Hav 

Tolstoi ! 

Northeast  I'oint 

Keef  and  Zoltoi 

English  Hav  and  Tolstoi 

Zoltoi ' 

Southwest  and  EnKHsh  bivys  . . ., 

Zoltoi  and  Lukannon ' 

Northeast  Point | 

Zoltoi  and  l.ukanium ' 

English  l!ay 

Beef  and  /oltoi { 

Ketova  and  Lukannon 

Nort  heast  Point 

Zoltoi  and  Tolstoi 

English  Hay  and  'Tidstoi 

Keef.  Tolstid,  and  Lukannon  . . .  i 

Tolstoi I 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi ! 

English  Bay i 

English  Bay  and  Tolstoi i 

Zoltoi '. 

Tolstoi  and  Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi  ami  Lukannon 

English  Bay 

Zoltoi 

Lukannon  and  Ketova 

Zoltoi 

Lukannon 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi 
Z<dtoi . 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do 


do. 
.do. 
do. 
do. 


Iteef. 

doi , 

Pups  for  natives 
Keef 


Jan. 
Feb. 


May 


1 
10 
16 
17 

7 

10 
14 
18 
24 
31 
June    1 

1 

5 


Total. 


Northeast  Point 

do 

do 

do  

Southwest  Bay 

Northeast  Point 

do 

Reef 

do 

do 

English  Bay  and  Southwest  Bay 

Tolstoi 

Zoltoi  and  Tolstoi I 


2,  305 
538 
.-56 

4,062 
639 

1.898 
ti34 
540 

1.982 
822 

4.737 
891 

2.689 
474 

3.  419 
3, 033 
7.  217 
3.  982 
3. 270 
1,021 
1,321 
8,172 
1,212 
2,209 
2,621 
l,5:i8 

538 

3,014 

1,564 

2, 702 

1,987 

1,580 

432 

3,367 

1,664 

2, 160 

475 

1,099 

668 

533 

4,004 

130 

167 

112 

107 

131 

89 

201 

197 

163 

174 

179 

175 

236 

4,897 

1,541 

08, 139 


25 

6 

9 

16 

498 

9 

20 

143 

657 

492 

1,201 

203 

692 


r 


iii  ■! 


pr 


304 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


Tablen  showing  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  neali,  for  whatsoever  purpose,  on  the  I'ribilof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  <\-:>tttan)i — that  is,  from 
1870  to  1HS9,  both  inclusive— Contitwied. 


D»te. 


1875.     I 
Juup   7 

7 

7 

10 

12 
12 
14 
Ifl 
10 
17 
18 
19 
19 
22 
22 
24 
25 
26 
211 
28 
80 
2 
3 
6 
8 
9 
10 
10 
13 

15  ! 

16  I 
16, 

17 
22 
28  i 

Aufi.   4  ' 
14 
21 

Sept.  2 
12 
21 
30 

Oct.    12 

Nov.  5 
17 
29 


Jnly 


Dec. 


1876. 
Jan.    12 
Hay  23 

31 

June  3 

6 

7 

8 

10 

11 

13 

14  ' 

15  I 
17  i 
17  j 
20  ' 
211 
22  I 
24 


ST.  PAUL  ISI.ANU  -(JoiitiuiieU. 


Kookery. 


/nltoi  .111(1  Itorf ' 

Sou  til  went  May ! 

NortlieiiHt  I'liiiit | 

KiikHhIi  lluv,  Soutliwt'Ht    Hay,  | 

TolHloi ..'. ( 

Keef  iiiul  /olt«ii 

XcirtlieuHt  I'oiDt 

Tolsf oi  and  KiikHhIi  I'ny 

Hiilfway  Point 

TolHtoi  autl  reef 

Liikaniiiin | 

SiiMtliwcsl  Bav,  Knglish  Hav... 

y.dltdi .' ' 

NortliiMi.st  Point i 

TolHloi 

Zoitoi ; 

Kncliali  Buy 

I.nkanniin 

Nortli('a»t  Point 

Southwest  J$ay 

■•    if. 


Keef 

Zoitoi  and  Kn^liHli  Bay 

I.iik»nnou,  Ketova,  /oltoi. 

KortlieaHt  Point 

Zoitoi  and  Lukanuon 

Kng'.isli  l!ay 

Tolstoi  and' Kn<{liHli  Bay  .. 

liiikannon  and  Ketova 

Noi'tlicaHt  I'oiut 

Zoitoi 

TolHtoi  and  EngliHh  Bay.. 
Lukanuon  and  Ketova  .". .. 

KngliHli  Bay 

ZoU.ii ' 

Noi'theHMt  Point 

Zoitoi 

do 

do 

Ketova 

Zoitoi 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Tolstoi 

Southwest  Bay 

Piips  killed  for  food 

N orthea-st  Point 

Tolstoi 


Total. 


Tolstoi 

Southwest  Bay 

Keef 

Southwest  Bay 

Reef  and  Zoitoi 

Tolstoi 

Southwest  Bay 

Zoitoi 

Northeast  Point 

Zoitoi , 

Halfway  Point , 

Tolstoi.'  Zoitoi,  ]{oef 

Sout  li west  Ba;v 

Northeast  Point 

Zoitoi 

Tolstoi 

Zoitoi 

Knglish    Bay   and   Northeast 
Point 


Total 
killed 
for  hU 

pur- 
poses. 


711 

1.560 

27 

1.45li 

631 

4. 065 

739 

2.115 

707 

452 

3, 303 

1,  363 

5, 252 

1,830 

1,150 

3.  DOS) 

262 

7,  349 

4,047 

1,527 

3,927 

2. 534 

5,024 

1.248 

3.370 

2, 093 

1, 125 

5. 937 

1,565 

1,81U 

748 

2. 700 

1,205 

7,439 

5,'i7 

159 

235 

192 

159 

210 

143 

146 

153 

115 

172 

1,990 

24 

3,745 

15 

694 


94,960 


914 

223 
189 
836 
673 
468 
566 
184 
1,585 
808 
811 


1,509 

2,641  ! 

3, 120  ' 

2,942 

3,101 

480  ; 

10,  696  1 

Date. 


Rookery. 


I  Total 
I  killed 
!  for  all 
I   pur- 
I  poses. 


1876. 
June  26 
28 


.luly 


Aug, 


29 
1 

4 

5 

7 

8 

8 

10 

13 

22 

29 

1 

10 

17 

I  23 

I   .Sept.    1 

I  II 

19 

28 

6  ! 

14  : 

18 

31  I 

24  ' 

24 


Zoitoi 

Knalish  Hill 

Zoitoi 

Tolstoi  and  Northeast  Point. 

Tolstoi  and  Ketova 

do 

English  Bay 

Lukannon  .' 

Northeast   Point 

Zoitoi 

KiiUlishUill 

Zoitoi  . 


do. 


Lukannon  and  Zoitoi. 

Zoitoi 

Ketova 

do 


Oct. 


Nov 


Zoitoi . . 

Ketova. 

Zoitoi . . 

do . . 

do.. 

do.. 


Dei'.    15 


do.. 
Tolstoi  . 
Southwest 

do. 

I'ups  killed  for  food. 
Tolstoi 


Hay. 


Tot«l. 


1877. 
May   22 
•June 


July 


Aug. 


i  Sept. 


4 

5 

9 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
23 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
30 

1  i 

3 

* 
6 

7  i 
7  I 

10 
10  I 
14  I 
22 
6 

11 

20 
30  I 
12  I 
21  ; 
29  I 


Reef 

...do 

Southwest  and  English  Bay 

do 

Reef 

Halfway  I'oint 

English  Bay  and  Southwest  Bay 

Tofi.toi....''. :. 

Zoitoi 

do 

Tolstoi 

Southwest  Bay , 

Lukannon 

Halfway  Point 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi 

Zoitoi 

Halfway  Point 

Tolstoi 

Zoitoi  and  Lukanuon 

English  Bay 

Tolstoi  ....' 

Northeast  Point 

Zoitoi 

Tolstoi  and  Lukannon 

Tolstoi  and  English  Bay 

Lukannon  and  Ketova.' ■ 

Zoitoi 

Northeast  Point 

Zoitoi 

Tolstoi 

Northeast  Point 

Zolt«i 

...do 

do 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


862 

3,017 

1,442 

11,4<i5 

2.644 

2,840 

2.  2«7 

2, 120 

2,116 

2, 113!) 

1,974 

53 

1.0411 

3, 677 

120 

134 

215 

179 

130 

133 

146 

133 

136 

120 

163 

636 

665 

.1, 958 

825 


83, 157 


342 

,'•.48 

799 

1,705 

449 

1,095 

1,647 

1,507 

1,094 

1,013 

1,458 

1,6.31 

1,172 

1,224 

5,965 

1,050 

1,250 

430 

2,  020 

1,401 

2,106 

1,917 

6,449 

1,849 

1,534 

2,  .522 

2,275 

1.113 

6,660 

4»5 

2,086 

2,172 

1,066 

75 

165 

172 

190 

20n 

196 

171 

163 


10  Prihihf 
it  is,  from 


I  Total 
I  killed 
for  nil 
'    pur- 
I  poBOH . 


862 

3,017 

1,442 

It... 

11,4'.>5 

2,644 

2,  H40 

2, 2«7 

1     2,120 

1     2,116 

2,  (13!) 

1,974 

53 

1.0411 

3,677 

120 

:        134 

215 

179 

130 

133 

146 

133 

136 

;         120 

163 

i         636 

1         665 

1     .^,958 

1 

825 

.... 

83, 157 

342 

548 

y — 

799 

1,705 

449 

1,095 

Bay 

1,647 

1,507 

1,094 

1,013 

1,4!>8 

1,631 

1,172 

1,224 

5,965 

1,050 

1,250 

430 

2, 020 

1,401 

2,106 

1,917 

6,449 

1,849 

1,534 

2,  .522 

2,275 

1.113 

B,660 

495 

2,086 

2,172 

1,066 

75 

105 

172 

190 

200 

190 

171 

.... 

163 

SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


305 


Tablet  thowini)  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  neals,  for  whatsoever  purpose,  on  the  I'rihilof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company — that  is,  from 
1870  to  18S9,  both  inclusive — Continued. 

ST.  PAUL  ISLAND— Continual. 


Date. 


Kookery. 


Total 
kiUi'd 
for  nil 

pur- 


I 


1877. 

Oct.     6 

16 

24 

7 

9 

12 

19 

27 

29 

20 


Nov. 


Dec. 


Zoltoi 

do 

do 

/oltoi  nnd  Ketova. . . 
/oltoi  Hiid  Liiknniiou 

/oltoi  and  Keef 

Tolstoi 

do 

do 
Nortbenst  I'oiiit 


171 
157 
146 
2.715 
1,535 
757 
222 
1,259 
383 
20 


1878. 

May  19 
30 

June  8 
11 
12 
13 

14 
15 
17 
18 

19 
20 
21 

22  ! 

22 : 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28  , 

29 

29 

July    1 

2 

3  I 

^i 
6 
6 
8 

9 
10 
10 
12 
13 
16 
17 
18 
18 
30 

Aug.  10 
22 

Sept.  2 
14 
24 

Oct.  2 
10 

Nov.  1 
4 
6 

8    ; 

26 
28 
Aug.  to^ 
Dec.    J 


Sea  Liuii  Kock 

.SouthwBHt  Hay 

Keef 

Tolstoi  and  English  liny 

lieef  and  Zultoi 

Southwest   13av    nnd    English 

Buy .' 

Tolstoi 

Kttova,  Keef,  Zoltoi 

Tolstoi 

Southwest    Bnv    and    English 

Buy .' 

Luknnnon,  Ketova,  Zoltoi 

Tolstoi 

Southwest    Bay    and    English 

Ray .' 

Zoltoi.  Luknnnon,  Ketova...... 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Tolstoi 

Zoltoi.  Ketova,  Lukannon 

English  Bay 

Zoltoi  and  Ketova 

Tolstoi 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Zoltoi  and  Ketova 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

Tolstoi 

Zoltoi  and  Ketova 

Northeast  Point 

Halfwny     I'oint,     Lukannon, 

Ketova 

Zoltoi 

do 

Northea.st  Point 

Tolstoi  and  Jllddle  Hill 

Zoltoi 

Middlellill 

Zoltoi 

do 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

do 

do.; 

do 

do 

Lukannon 

do 

do 

do 


do 

Reef 

...do 

Tolstoi  and  Reef  . 
do 


Northeast  Point  (watchmen) . 


1.099 

887 

1,  2«3 

1,501 

2,278 

098 

1,731 

1,4,57 
1.309 
5,900 
1, 473 

1,  .552 
1,890 

2,  672 
1,661 
1,131 
6,  375 
2,237 

3,  903 
701 

2,010 
2,622 

1,  cm 

7,231 

1,369 
910 
2.288 
3,  322 
3, 600 

2,  101 
1, 988 
2.337 
1.549 

272 

404 

294 

173 

211 

156 

144 

148 

140 

1,380 

2,000 

1,255 

571 

1,144 

853 

133 


S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 20 


Date. 


Total 88,519 


1879. 
Mnv   19 
26 
June    2 

7 

9 
10 
11 

12 
13 
14 
IB 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
10 
17 
18 
19 
20 
23 
24 
25 
20 

27 
28 
21! 
24 
25 
26 
27 
30 
July    1 

'  I 

4 

5 

June  30 

1 

2 

3 

4 

7 

8 

9 

10 

7 

8 

9 

I  10 

14 

15 

16 

16 

25 

Aug.    2 

11 

I  20 

!  27 

28 

Sept.   5 

8 

i  9 

18 

18 

18 

18 

29 

29 

29 

7 


Rookery. 


SouthwcHtand  English  bays... 

Reef 

....do 

English  and  Southwest  hnys, 

'l(ll8tol 

Reef 

Halfwny  Point 

Soutliwest  and  English  hays  ... 

Tolstoi 

Reef,  Zoltoi.  Ketova 

Southwt'Bt  Bav  nnd  Middle  Hill. 

Halfway  IVdn't 

Southwest  Bay  and  Aliddle Hill. 

Reef,  Ketova,  Zoltoi 

Southwest  Bavcind  English  Bay. 

Tolstoi  and  .M iddle  Hill 

Reef.  Ketova,  Lukannon 

Northeast  I'oint 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Tolstoi  and  .Middle  Hill 

Soutliwest  anil  English  bays... 

Reef.  Zoltoi,  Ketova 

Tolstoi.  Middle  Hill,   English 

Bny,  Zoltoi 

Halfway  Point 

Ketova,  Reef.  Lukannon,  Zoltoi 

Northeast  I'oint 

do 

do 


Total 
killed 
for  all 

pur- 
poses. 


.do. 
.do. 


Tolstoi  and  Middle  Hill. 

English  Bay 

Lukannon  and  Zoltoi 

Zoltoi  anil  Middle  Hill.. 

Enulish  Ray 

Lukannon  and  Ketova.. 

Northeast  Point 

.do 


July 


.do. 
.do. 
do 


Zoltoi  and  Middle  Hill.... 

Zoltoi,  Ketova,  Luknnnon  . 

Zoltoi  and  Ketova 

do 

Northeast  Point 

do 

.do 


do 

Z(dtoi 

Zoltoi  iuid  Ketova 

Middle  Hill,  Lukannon,  Tolstoi 
.do 


Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point. 

Zoltoi 

do 


Oct, 


do 

Specimens 

Zoltoi 

Southwest  Bay.. 

Zoltoi 

Northeast  I'oint. 

Zoltoi 

Halfway  Point . . 
Southwest  Bay  . 
Northeast  Point. 

Zoltoi 

Southwest  Bay.. 
Northeast  Point. 
Ketova 


278 
525 
162 

1,627 

434 

1,18(1 

1,462 

498 

730 

997 

522 

1,331 

9U 

1,110 

1,176 

1,053 

1,528 

066 

1,860 

1,746 

1.289 

2,300 

1,H22 

1.995 

1,542 
1,940 
1,206 
1,550 
1,414 
1,339 
1.074 
1.665 
2, 617 
2, 148 
1.885 
1,032 
2,106 
1,168 
2.  524 
1,  62fc 

866 
1.088 
2,077 
1,528 
1,920 

983 

948 
2,418 
1,264 
1,519 

398 
2, 6.52 
1,233 
2,882 

157 

278 
13 

273 

195 

206 
18 

203 
1 

184 
16 

174 
2 
5 
4 

108 
0 
7 

109 


4 


I       f 


«    1$ 


:t  y 


1 


306 


SEAL    LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


Table$  $howing  in  detail  all  killinn  of  fur  seah,  for  whalnoever  piir/ione,  on  the  I'ribihf 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  leane  of  the  AUmka  Commercial  Companjf—that  ii,  from 
1870  to  1S89,  both  i«t7H«ire— Continued. 


Date. 


1879. 
Oct.  20 
29 
3U 
31 
31 
3 


)!:■■  f. 


Nov 


Deo. 


3 

5 

0 

10 

13 

27 

0 

10 

26 

26 


1880.  I 
May  14  I 

22  I 

22  j 

8  ; 

9  I 

"  i 

12 

14  ! 

15  j 

16  ' 

17  : 
18 
19  1 


June 


14/ 
19S 


July 


21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

21^ 

26^ 

28 

29 

30 

1 

2 

3 

3 

5 

5 

S 

7 

8 

9 

10 

6-10 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

28 

30 

31 

Aug.  11 

19 

28 

Sept.  8 

18 

30 


ST.  PAUL  rSLAND-Coiitlnued. 


KtiokiTV. 


Liiknnnoii 

do 
ill) 

Ki'tova 

...  ilo 

Liikaiinon 

ili> 

Ciarbutvli 

ill) 

do 

Uful' 

ilo 

Oarliotcli 

Ueet' 

Nortlieast  I'oiiit 

South wi'«t  Uav 


TntHl 
killed 
for  all 

|IIU'- 

posea. 


263 
544 

;i35 

909 

107 

1,153 

31 

1,466 

79 

356 

260 

17'J 

1.20H 

1,30H 

02 


Date. 


1880. 
Oit.    12 
2.') 
Nov.   2./ 
3.5,6s 
Die.     (i 
9 


Nov 


24 
11 
29 


Total 88,221 


Soiilliwi'.>tt  Hay 

Koof ." 

NortlieaHt  I'oiiit 

Keef 

Southwest  Uav 

Reef .' 

Eiiglirtli  liay,  Tolstoi 

Southwest  anil  Kii;i;lmli  bay.s. . 

Halfway  I'oint 

Reef  aiid  Zoltoi 

Za)iadiiii'  ami  KiiKlixh  Hay 

Ketova,  /oltoi,  lii-cf 

TolHtoi  and  Kiiglish  Itav 

KiiKliHh  Day  and  Aliddle  Hill.. 

Northeast  I'oint 


1H81. 
■Iaii.l-:t 
May    4 

It 

20 
.luuc    6 


Halfway  Point 

Ketova,  Zoltoi,  Roef 

Tolstoi  and  Middle  Hill 

Reef,  Zoltoi,  Ketova 

English  Bay  and  Middle  Hill. 
Ketova,  Zoltoi,  Reof 

Northeast  Point 


Hrlfway  Point 

Ketova,  Lukannon,  Zol  toi 

Tolstoi  and  Middle  Hill 

do 

English  Bay  and  Middle  Hill  . . 

Ketova,  Zoltoi,  Reef 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Lnkannon  and  Ketova 

Tolstoi 

Tclstoi  and  Lukannon 

Zoltoi,  Reef,  Lukannon,  Ketova. 
Tolstoi,  Lukannon,  Middle  Hill 

Zoltoi,  Ket4>va,  Lukannon 

Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi.  Ketova,  Lnkannon 

Tolstoi  and  English  Bay. 

Reef,  Zoltoi,  LiiKonnon,  Ketova. 

English  Bay 

Middle  Hill  and  Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Zoltoi 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
do. 
.do. 
.do. 


209 

225 

9 

10 

lU 

216 

14 

1,497 

15  i 

926 

889  ; 

16  1 

7«3 

17 

1,204 

18 

705 

20 

990 

21 

18 

1,619 

22 

802 

5,279 

23 

24 

1,459 

1,  (135 

25 

1,  702 

1.437 

27 

2,582 

1,062 

28 

6,202 

29 

1,516 

1,743 

30 

2,297 

1,622 

July  1 

2,374 

2 

1,386 

4 

7,167 

789 

5 

651 

6 

1,577 

1,654 

7 

2,221 

1,428 

8 

1,221 

7,073 

9 

817 

1,763 

12 

2,640 

13 

1.834 

14 

2,461 

15 

534 

43 

228 

18 

218 

263 

18 

160 

189 

19 

195 

239 

{     20 

227 

i 

Hookerv. 


Total 
killiil 
for  all 
pur- 

pOHI'i. 


Liikaunou 200 

Kn^'lish  Bay I9:i 

Lukannon,  liret.  Ki'tova 4, 410 

Reef 

Southwest  Uiiy 

Northeast  Point 

MiddlelMIl 

English  Bay 

I'otal 84,779 


Tolstoi  anil  ri'of 

Aililitioiial  sivins  found  on  re- 
rount  

Additional  skins  found  in  salt.. 

R.if 

Ill  rf  and  Zoltoi 

Soiithwi'si  :inil  I'n^lish  Imys, 
I'olstoi 

Zoltoi 

Halfway  Point 

Zoltoi  

Soutliwrst  anil  English  Imys, 
Tolstoi '. ... 

Zoltoi,  Keef,  l.ukannon 

Halfway  Point 

ToUtoi 

Zoltoi  and  Lukannon 

Tolstoi.  .Middle  lliU,  Northoast 
I'oint  

English  Bay,  Midilli'  Hill,  Tol- 
stoi. Northeast  I'oint 

Ri'i'f  aiul  Tolstoi 

Halfway  I'oint.  Middle  Hill, 
English  liav,  'I'olstoi 

Miildli;  Hill,  t^ukannon,  Zoltoi, 
Reef 

Middli'  Hill,  English  Bay,  Tol- 
stoi, Northeast  I'oint 

English  Bay,  Southwest  Bay, 
Northeast  Point 

Lukannon,  Zoltoi,  Northeast 
Point 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill, 
Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi  and  Lukannon 

Halfway  Point 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 
stoi, Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi,  Ketova.  Northeast  Point 

Southwest  Boy,  English  Bay, 
Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi,  Tolstoi,  Middle  Hill, 
Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point,  Northeast 
Point 

English  Bay.  Middle  HiU,  Tol- 
stoi   

Zoltoi,  Tolstoi.  Lukannon 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill 

English  ana  Southwest  bay*  . . . 

English  Bay,  Middle  HiU,  Tol- 
stoi, Zoltoi  Ketova,  Lukan- 
non   

Zoltoi,  Ketova  (711),  North- 
east Point,  food  (16) 

Middle  Hill,  Tolstoi,  Zoltoi, 
Ketova,  Lukannon 

English  Bay,  Middle  HiU,  Tol- 
stoi   

Tolstoi,  Zoltoi,  Ketova,  Lnkan- 
non   


1.038 

8 
■i 

m 

4-J3 

1,250 
127 
474 
196 

2.387 

724 

539 

1,229 

1,014 

4,103 

3, 049 
1,104 

3,082 

1,275 

2,043 

3,318 

2,967 

4.596 

3,358 

943 

3,758 
1,949 

4,853 

3,421 

2,269 

2,631 
3,075 
1,782 
1,473 

3,561 
727 
2,455 
2,301 
2,536 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    LSLAND.S. 


307 


Tablet  ihowing  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  teah,  for  whalnoever  purpose,  on  the  I'rihilof 
Iilands  during  the  term  of  the  leane  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company — that  i»,  fr'^m 
1S70  to  1)^89,  both  inclu«tt<e— Continued. 


ST.  PAUL  ISLANU-Continuea. 


u 


Date. 

Rookery. 

1881. 
July  27 
18-29 

/oltol 

NtirtlicaHt  Point 

Aug.    5 
10 

/oltoi 

(1,1 

17 

NortlieiiNt  Point 

20 

)|,i  

26 

Zdltol 

29 

Ni)rtJu'iiKt  Point 

Sept.    6 
17 

Zciltoi 

Nortlitast  Point , 

19 

28 

Oct.    10 

•JS 

Nov.    5 

16 

17 

21 

Dec.     7 

)) 


1882. 
Jan.  12 
Feb.  « 
10 
May  22 
;)i 
June    2 


8 
10 
12 

13 
13 
14 
16 
17 
19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

26 

27 

28 


July 


30 

1 

3 


/oltoi 

/ollol  (20H),  Northeiist  Point  (.'>), 

/oltoi(2ll).  Nortlioa.st  I'oint(5) 

Zdltoi,  Xortlicnst  Point 

Tolstoi 

Midilln  Hill 

TolHtoi 

.Middle  Hill 

South  west  Hay 

KllL'f , 


Total. 


Kccf 

...do 

...do 

'I'ol.xtoi 

Kct'f 

Southwoat  Bay,  Middh^  Hill, 
Tolstoi ." 

SoiitliHOst  Ita.v 

Zoltoi  and  Heiif , 

Tolstoi  and  Koef 

Southwest  Itav  and  Northeast 
Point '. 

Hallway  Point 

Northeast  Point 

Southwest  Hny  and  Tolstoi 

Halfway  Point,  Hecf,  Tol.ftoi  .. 

Southwest  Bay  and  Tolstoi 

KetovB,  lleef,  Zoltoi,  North- 
cast  Point 

Southwest  Bay  and  Northeast 
Point 

English  Bay,  Tolstoi,  North- 
east Point 

Ketflva,  Keef,  Zoltoi,  North- 
east Point 

Halfway  Point  and  Northeast 
Point 

Middle  Hill,  Tolstoi,  Northeast 
Point 

Southwest  Bay  aiid  Northeast 
Point 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill, 
Northeast  Point 

Reef,  Tolstoi,  Northeast  Point. 

Middle  Hill,  Tolstoi,  Northeast 
Point 

Halfway  Point,  Lukannon, 
Nortlieast  Point 

Northeast  Point  and  Reef 

Southwest  Bay  and  Northeast 
Point 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill, 
Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi  and  Northeast  Point 

Middle  Hill,  Zoltoi,  Northeast 
Point 

Enelish  Bay,  Middle  Hill, 
Northeast  Point 


Total 
killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


202 

:i8 

•J24 

276 

10 

6 

210 

7 

240 

11 

205 

213 

21U 

227 

2«1» 

6h;i 

494 

402 
1,022 
1,  204 


8.'),  774 


80 

103 

8 

126 

246 

400 
849 

428 
488 


2,223 

217 

306 

803 

1.458 

1,070 

1, 829  : 

3,060 

1,617 

2, 811 

2,S28 


Date. 


1883. 
July    8 

10 

12 
13 

14 

17 

18 
10 
20 
25 


AuK. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Rookerv. 


4 

14 

20 

4 

15 
27 
3(1 
6 
17 
30 
30 

Nov.  17 
28 
30 

Dec.     4 

0 

12 


1883.     ' 
May  26 
June    4  ! 

I 

6  ' 

1?' 

12  i 
13 
14  < 

15 ; 

18  ' 

19  : 


Halfway  Point  and  Northeast 

Point 

Heel',     Ketova,     Lukanuon, 

Northeast  Point 

....  do 

Southwest  Bay  and  NortlieuMt 

Point 

EuKlisli  Hay,  Middle  Hill.  T(d- 

stoi,  Noi'tlieast    Point    

Knulish    Hay.    Middle    Hill, 

Northeast  Point , 

Zoltoi , 

Zoltoi,  I.ukannon,  Kotovu 

Southwest  Hay 

Zolldi , 

Northeast  I'oiiit , 

Zoltoi 

do , 

do 

do 

....do 

do 

Noi  tlieast  Point 

Ziiltoi 

do 

Reef 

Northeast  Point 

Middlu  Hill  and  Tol.stoi 

Keef 

Tolstoi 

Reef 

do 

do 


Total 
killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


2,4:54 

3,291 
2,833 

3,420 

3,087 

.?,  593 

1,012 

1  278 

727 

204 

19 

252 

226 

234 

191 

237 

227 

25 

201 

261 

16S 

23 

248 

383 

429 

408 

388 

400 


Total 79,834 


1,560 

20 

27 

3,164 

22 

3,226 

23 

4,270 

18-23 

25 

2,239 

26 

2,469 

27 

1,601 

28 

29 

3,805 

30 

2,576 

25-30 

3,034 

Jnly    2 

1,540 

4 

6 

2,673 

6 

South  west  Bay 

Southwest  anil  English  bays, 
Tolstoi 

Halfway  Point 

Reef...". 

Southwest  Hay,  Mi.ldle  Hill, 
Tolstoi ." 

Reef  and  Zoltoi 

Halfway  Point 

Sonthwestiind  Ens:liah  bays... 

Kuiflish  Bay  and  Tolstoi 

Reef  and  Zoltoi 

Southwest  Hay 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 
stoi   

Halfwav  Point  ami  Lukannon  . 

Reef  and  Tolstoi 

English  Bay.  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 
stoi   

Reef,  Zoltoi,  Lukanuon 

Northeast  Point 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 
sToi 

Zoltoi  Rud  Lukanuon 

Southwest  and  English  bays  . . . 

Zoltoi,  Tolstoi.  Reef,  I.ukannon. 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill,  Zol- 
toi   

Lukanuon,  Reef,  Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Southwest  Bay 

Middle  Hill  and  Tolstoi 

Zoltoi  and  Lukannon 

Zoltoi,  Middle  Hill,  Tolstoi .... 


230 

592 
:i54 
177 

405 
352 
252 
490 
440 
341 
417 

735 
908 
972 

1,401 
1,078 
3,279 

1,428 

838 

1,640 

1,612 

1,519 
1,191 
5,012 
1,700 
2,151 
1,494 
2,34S 
1,765 


III 


'  :t| 


1 


fTTfrr 


808 


SEAL    LIFE   ON   THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


Tablet  ihowinfi  in  (htail  all  killin;i  of  fur  leah,  for  whalHoerer  piirpoie,  on  the  I'ribUnf 
Itlands  during  the  ta-m  of  Ihf  lease  of  the  .Haika  Commercial  Company — that  i»,fritm 
1870  to  ISSU,  both  inclimre — Continued. 

ST.  I'Al'L  ISLAND-Coiitiniied. 


D«t«. 


m 


1R83. 
July    7 
8 

^-o 

lU 

12 

13 
14 

16 
X7 
18 
19 

Aug.  1 
10 
20 

Sept.  1 
12 
24 

Oct.  6 
20 
29 

Nov.  1 
2 
5 
15 
2« 
27 
27 

Dec.  12 
19 


1884 
Jim.     2 

May  15 
21 
24 
27 

June  3 
6 

9 
10 
11 

12 
13 
14 
16 
17 

18 
19 
20 
21 
21 
23 
24 
25 
26 


July 


Itoiikciv. 


/iiltiii.  Ht'i't',  I.iikiiiiiiou 

Middle  Hill 

NorllidiiHt  rniiit , 

Knglish  ltiiv,Miil<llc  Hill  Tols- 
toi, /olli.i 

HnUwav   I'oint,   l.iikniiiion, 
/.oltol 

S(iiitli\vt>Ht  hny 

EiiKliHli  liiiv,  Middle  Hill,  /.ol- 

toi 

do 

llalfwny  I'niiit  and  /idtoi 

Southwest  Hiiy 

Middle  Hill,  Lukaunou,  /oltol 

Zoltoi 

do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

do 

do 

do 

lieef 

Ketova 

Ueef 

do 

do 

do 

Tol8t(d 

Norl  licatit  I'oint  (to  date) 

Koef 

do 


TotHl 
killed 
lor  all 
pur- 
]i08eii, 


039 
1,164 
fi,  066 

1,923 

l,6n9 
2,444 

'J,  136 

2. 1160 

1,116 

1,H76 

8, 183 

101 

250 

102 

278 

123 

286 

2U0 

200 

1,502 

336 

884 

119 

134 

155 

84 

60 

420 

421 


sKccf 

^Nortlu'iiat  Point  (to  date) 

do : 

Hnlfwiiy  I'oint  and  Reef i 

Northeast  I'oint  (to  date) i 

Southwest  Bay  and  Keef I 

He.f I 

Southwest  and   Knglish  hays,  I 

Zoltoi I 

Iioef  and  Halfway  Point i 

Ketova  and  ToLstoi 

Sonthwe.st  Pay  and  Halfway  i 

Point I 

Zoltoi,  Ketova  English  Bay 1 

Zoltoi  and  Reef 

Halfway  Point , 

Southwest  Bay , 

£n<!lish    Bay,  Tolstoi,  Reef, 

Zoltoi 

Halfwav  I'oint 

English'  Rayand  Tolstoi 

Southwest  Bay 

Zoltoi  and  Reef 

Northeast  Point 

Halfwav  Point  and  Zoltoi 

Zoltoi,  iieef,  Lukannon,  Ketova 

Southwest  Bav 

English  Bay,:MiddIe  Hill.Tol- 

Zoltoi,  Reef,  Ketova 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi.  Middle  Hill,  Lukannon 

Zoltoi  and  Halfway  Point , 

Zoltoi,  Reef,  Tolstoi,  Lukannon 
English  Bay  and  Middle  Hill. 
Southwest  Bay,  Zoltoi,  Middle 

Hill,  Lukannon 

English  Bay  and  Tolstoi 


1, 


Pate. 


Total 63,296 


177 
36 
20 

187 
15 

427 

318 

767 

1,230 

426 


304 
865 

771 


7-10 
12 

14 

1.1 
16 

17 
18 

14-18 
19 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov 


Deo. 


21 

1 

5 

12 

19 

26 

o 

12 

19 

27 

5 

14 

22 

3() 

3 

5 

10 

24 

5 

6 

24 


1885. 

Mav   10 

27 

June    3 

6 

It 


Ko(diery. 


Northeast  Point, 

Zoltoi.  Heef.  Ketova 

Halfway  Point. 

Reef,  Zoltoi,  Lukannon, 

Southwest  Bav 

English  Hay,  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 
stoi 

Northeast  I'oint . . . 

Middle  Hill,  Tolstoi,  Lukan- 
non, /(dt(d,  lieef 

Halfway  I'oint  and  /oIt(d 

Southwest  Bav 

English  Bay, '.Middle  Hill,  Ke- 
tova   

Zidtiil  and  l.ukiinuon 

English  Bay,  Tolstoi,  Middle 
Hill .■ 

Northeast  I'oint 

jMiddle  Hill,  Tolstoi,  L\iknnnou, 
Ketova,  Zoltoi.   Keef 

Middle  Hill,  Zidtoi,  Tolstoi, 
Ketova . . 

Zoltoi 

do 


....do 

....do 

-...do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

do 

....do 

Lukannon. .. 

Reef 

English  Bay. 
Reef. 


do 

Tolstoi 

Reef 

....do 

En;;lisli  Bay. 
Reef 


Total. 


Sea  Lion  Rock  . 
Reef. 


838 
1,424 

!3  i 
15  , 

16  1 

1,266  ' 

v: . 

912  , 

m 

487 

1,793 

19 

1,117 

20 

3,992 

22 

2,163 

22 

1,729 

23 

1,197 

23 

24 

2,546 

1,830 

25 

5,134 

25 

1,500 

26 

1,662 

26 

1,826 

27 

1,888 

27 

29 

1,340 

29 

1,622  i 

30 

Zoltoi 

/  ...li-. ;  and  Reef 

....do 

To'stii  and  English  Baj-. 

Halfway  I'oint 

■tiilU.iaud  Reef 


So  jvhwest  Bay 

Lnglish  Bay,  Middle  HiU,  Zol- 
toi. 


Lukannon  and  Halfway  Point. .  [ 

Zoltoi  and  Reef : 

Zoltoi,  Reef.  Lukannon 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point  and  Zultoi 

Northeast  Point ' 

English  Bav,  Southwest  Bay,  , 

Middle  Hill 

Reef  and  Lukannon 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Northeast  Point 

Lukannon,  Zoltoi,  Reef 

Northeast  Point 

Southwest  Bay 

Northeast  Point 

English  Bay  and  Middle  HiU. . . ; 


Total 
kiUed 
foruU 

pur- 

pOgVH. 


5,791) 
1,251 
1,935 
2,  (171 
1,966 

1,920 
3,0<l3 

3,(167 
2,  ,M5 

2,  (1,52 

1.526 

1,782 

1,872 
5,089 

2,529 

1,011 

1118 

92 

80 

90 

78 

160 

147 

131 

150 

142 

144 

115 

179 

1,956 

785 

182 

153 

495 

265 

244 

88, 861 


181 

141 

49 

73 

125 

587 

741 

973 

1,700 

617 
1. 309 

986 

789 
1,532 
1.143 

847 

1,733 
1,681 
1,051 
1,373 

667 
1,328 

539 
1,602 

ii53 
2,681 


SEAL   LIFE    ON   THE    PRIHILOK    ISLANDS. 


309 


the  I'ribihf 
that  i«,  /rum 


Total 

killod 

foruU 

I>iir- 

poat'H. 

5,799 

1,251 

1,935 

2,  (171 

1,966 

1,  Tol. 

1,»20 

3,0<I3 

^iikuii- 

;i,ii67 

>1 

2,  r>15 

2, 11,52 

11,  Ke- 

l.,')26 

1,782 

Mltlille 

1,872 

5,089 

anDuu, 

2,529 

'olBtoi, 



l.flll 

1!I8 

92 

80 

90 

78 

160 

147 

131 

150 

142 

144 

115 

179 

1,956 

785 

182 

153 

495 

205 

244 

88, 801 

181 

141 

49 

73 

125 

587 

741 

973 

1.700 

1,  Zol- 

017 

'oint.. 

1. 309 

1       986 

'        789 

1,532 

i 

1,143 

847 

Bay, 

'     1,733 

1,681 

1,051 

1,373 

667 

1,328 

539 

1,602 

.'-.53 

UU... 

2,681 

Tablet  thawing  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  seals,  fo:  whatsoever  purpose,  on  the  Prihilaf 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Jlaska  Commercial  Company — that  is,  from 
1870  to  1SS9,  both  inclusive — C'ontiuued. 


ST.  PAUL  ISLAND-Contluued. 


Dat«. 


8 

U 

i) 
10 
10 
13 
13 
14 
U 
15 
15 
1« 
1« 
17 
17 
18 
18 
20 
20 
21 

21 ; 

22  , 
22  , 


23  I 

23  I 

24  ! 

25  I 

27  i 
Aug.  3  i 

12  I 

21  I 
Sept.  5 

12  i 

25  I 
Oct.  7  I 

14 

26  I 
Nov.  2 

4  I 
7 

9  I 
21  I 


Dec. 


31  , 


1886. 
Jan.  21 
29 
5 
8 
17 
10-17 


Rookery. 


Nurtlii'URt  Point 

Uuef,  Lukannon,  /oltot,  Kutovn 

NurtlieuHt  I'oliit 

TolHtoi,   Middle  UiU,  Kntcliwh 

Hay : 

N'ortooiiHt  Point 

Halfway  I'oint  anil  /.oltoi 

NortlioHxt  Point 

I.ukanuon  nnd  /oltoi 

NorthetiHt  I'oint 

South  wmt  Uny 

Northt-a8t  Point 

Middlft  Hill,  SoiithweHt   Bay, 

TolHtoi 

Nortliuiwt  Point 

Zoltoi,  Lukannon,  Ketova 

XortlieuHt  Point 

Middle  Hill  and  ToUtoi 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

NorMieast  Point 

South  went  liny 

NorthoiiHt  I'oint 

KukHhIi  Hay  and  Tolstoi 

N'ortheast  Point 

Zoltoi 

Nortliengt  Point 

Halfway  I'oint  and  Lukannon. . 

NortheaHt  Point. 

Zoltoi 

NortlivaHt  Point 

Kt-ef,  TVlstci.  .MiddlKHill 

Nortlieaat  Point 

Southwest  Hay 

NortheaHt  Point 

Middle  Hill  and  Englinh  Itay... 

Nortlieant  Point 

Zoltoi  and  Lukannon 

NortlieoMt  Point 

Middle     Hill,     EngliHh    Bay, 

Zoltoi .:.- 

Northeast  Point 1 

Halfway  Point,   Middle    Hill,  ! 

Ketova i 

EngliHh    Bay,  Zoltoi,  Ketova,  • 

Middle  Hill  Lukannon,  Heef.. 

Zoltoi,  Keef,  Midille  Hill 

Zoltoi I 

do 

Zoltoi  and  Reef 

Zoltoi I 

<lo ! 

do : 


Total 

killed 

toraU 

pnr- 

POSM. 


'    Date. 


.do. 
.do. 
do. 


Reef. 

....do 

...do 

Middle  Hill. 
Reef 


1,053  [ 

1,777  ' 
1,096   I 

1,465  ll 

631  i 
2, 134 

658 

976 

161 
1,271 

522 

2, 604 
1, 1K4 
2,.')50  ■ 

74(1 
1.204  , 

703    t 
2,304  !i 

671  II 
2,134    ' 

822  i| 
2,f.'j  <: 

b53  ;{ 
2,130  1 1 

3ti3  1 1 
2,137  il 

757 
2,203    ' 

«47  i! 
1,552  il 

616  I 
1,591 

828    I 
2,723    i 

474  ;, 
2,743 

687 

1,603 
631 

2,408 

2,215 
983 
147 
179 
185 
135 
155 
152 

78 
122 

85 
1,524 
064 
300 
332 
148 


1886. 
May  20 
June    4  I 

81 

0  I 

10  1 

11  I 

14 
14 
K, 
15 
16 

16 
17 
17 
13 
18 
19 

19 
21 
21 
22 
22 
23 
23 
24 
24 
25 

25 

26 

28 

28 

29 

29 

30 

30 

July     1 

1 

2 

2 

3 

5 

5 

6 

6 

7 

7 

8 

8 

9 

9 

10 
12 

13  I 

12  I 

14  I 


May 


...do 

Northeaot  Point. 

Total 


Sea  Lion  Rock 

Southwest  Bay 

Northeast  Point 

do 

Southwest  Bay  and  Reef. 
Northeast  Point 


1,096 

14 

15 

48' 

15 

16 

88,880  '■ 

16 

, 

17 

84 

17 

49  ; 

19 

7  ' 

19 

5 

20 

300 

49    : 

20  1 

Rookery. 


Reef 

do 

TolHtoi,    Knglisli    Bay,    South- 
west Buj' 

Halfway   Point 

Reef  and  Zoltoi 

Knulish  Hay 

Lukannon  Iteef 

Northeast  Point 

Sout h went  Bay 

Nortlieast  Point 

English  Hay,  .Middle  Hill,  Tol- 
Htoi  

NortheaHt  Point 

Hiilfway  Point 

NortheaHt  Point 

Reef  anti  Zoltoi 

NortheaHt  Point 

English  ll;iy, Middle  Hill, Tol- 
stoi  

Northeast  Point 

Southwest  Hay 

Nortlieast  Point 

English  Hav  and  Tolstoi 

Nortlieast  i'oint 

Halfway  Point 

Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi 

NortheaHt  I'oint  

Reef,  Zoltoi,  English  Hay,  Mid- 
dle Hill,  Tolstoi  

Northeast  I'oint 

do 

South  went  Hay 

NortheiiHt  Point 

English  Hav,  Tolntoi,  Zoltoi 

Nortlieast  I'oint 

Halfway  Point 

NortheaHt  Point 

English  ISav  and  Tolstoi 

Northeast  I'oint 

Southwest  Hav 

Northeast  P.dnt 

Reef  and  /oltoi 

Englisli  Bay  i>''d  Tolstoi 

Nortlieast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Northeast  I'oint 

Zoltoi,  Heef,  Lukannon 

Northeast  Point 

Southwest  Bay 

Northeast  Point 

English    liav,   liiddle    Hill, 
Tolstoi 

Nort  lieast  Point 

Reef.  Zoltoi,  Ketova,  Lukannon. 

Halfway  Point 

Southwest  Hav  and  Southwest 
Point .' 

Northeast  I'oint 

English  Bav  and  Middle  Hill. .. 

Northeast  f *oint 

Zoltoi,  Reef,  Ketova,  Lukannon. 

Nort  lieast  Point 

Halfway  I'oint 

Northeast  Point 

Southwest  Bav  and  Southwest 
Point 

Northeast  I'oint 

Reef  and  Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

English  Bay,  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 
stoi  

Noitheast  Point 


Total 
killed 
for  all 
ptkr- 
poMi. 


153 
592 

1,323 

299 

634 

214 

427 

1,343 

1,160 

1,118 

850 
585 
833 
761 
651 
37B 

1,064 

371 
1,891 
1,161 
1,007 

659 
1,770 

955 
1,555 

498 

2,158 

581 

441 

1,070 

926 

1,503 

794 

490 

1,056 

1,819 

1,202 

856 

566 

1,263 

1,163 

1,180 

942 

860 

1,969 

1,187 

1,460 

952 

1,563 

636 

1,133 

1,044 

1,442 

1,501 

1,074 

602 

1,957 

899 

937 

1,013 

2,057 
407 

2,312 
753 

3,140 
801 


1,1 


1 3 

I 


:«;  i 


.:■  t 


PR 


hi' 

m 


310 


REAL    LIFE   ON    THE    PBIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Tables  Bhoivinfl  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  seals,  for  whatsoever  purpose,  on  the  Prihilof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Jlaska  Commercial  Company— that  is,  from 
1870  to  1889,  both  inclusive — Coutiuned. 


8T.PAUL  ISLAND-Continued. 


Date. 


1888. 
July  21 
21 
22 

22 
2;i 
2;t 
24 
24 
26 


Riiokerv. 


Aug. 


»ept. 


Oct. 
Nov. 


Vw. 


ir-i 


.i  i; 

■':;!■ 


1887. 

Hay  24 

Jane    1 

6 

0 

11 

i:t 

15 

16 

17 

20 

20 

21 

21 

22 

22 

23 


Halfway  Point 

Nortlioiist  I'uiiit 

Southwest  liav  aud  Southwext 

I'oiiit 

Northenirt  Point 

Keef.  /oltoi,  Lnkunnon,  Ketova. 

Nortlu'iiNt  Point 

Kn^liah  liav  and  Middle  Hill. . . 

Nortlii'ant  Point.   

Halfway  Point,  Soiithwi'st  liny, 

Liikiiiinun,  /oltoi 

/-ol'oi 

...do 

....do 

...do 

...do 

do  

Reof 

...do 

do 

do 

Keef  and  Liikannon 

Heef 

do  

do 

Tolstoi 

Keef 

Tolstoi 


Total. 


July 


8  I 


Het'f  mill  Soutliwest  Hay 

Nortliea.st  I'oiut 

Tolstoi 

Keef  and  Zoltoi 

TfdKloi 

South weBt  Hay 

Keef  and  Zoltoi 

Halfway  Point 

I<>n}!liHli  liav  mill  ToUtoi 

Southwest  IJay 

Northeast  I'oint 

Heel' 

Northeast  I'oint 

EnKlish  Ha  V.Tolstoi,  Lukannon 

Nort liea.-ft  I'oint 

Halfway  I'oint 

Norl  hwist  I'oint 

Keef  and  /oltoi  

Northeast  I'oiiit 

Tolstoi,  Middle  Hill.    Knglish 

Bay 

West  I'oint  and  Southwest  Itav 

NorlliiTst  I'ldnt 

Keef  /oltoi.  Ketova,  Lukannon. 

Northeast  I'oint 

Middle  Hill  nud  Tolstoi 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Northeast  I'oint .. 

Eu);lish  ll:iv 

Northeast  t'oint 

Keef  and  Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

Tolstoi  ^nd  Middle  Hill 

Northeast  Point 

Keef,  Zol  oi,  1  ukaniion 

Norl heast  Point 

Halfway  I'oint 

Northeast  Point 

Kniclish  Hay  and  Tolstoi 

Northeast  I'oint 

Keef  and  Zoltoi 


Total 

killed 

for  all 

pur- 

)H)Se8. 


1.476 
312 

2,015 
023 

3,147 
739 

1, 025 
658 

1,  003 

75 

152 

i:t4 

06 
148 
146 
148 
144 
152 
708 
445 
ilOO 
711 
379 
280 
3SU 
101 


Date. 


1887. 
July  8 
9 
9 
12 
12 
13 
13 
14 
14 
15 
15 
10 
16 
17 
18 
18 
10 

19 

20 
20 
21 
21 


88. 085 


138 

419 

315 

501 

407 

526 

750 

705 

523 

1,809 

1,641 

4.')2 

1.  004 

1,172 

1,314 

521 

1, 165 

709 

1. 1)61 
1.180 

1.  205 

2,  964 
691 

1.805 
i,  144 
1,604 
1, 203 
1,162 
1,201 
1.616 

624 
1,  703 
1.106 
2,023 
1,  056 

090 
1,247 
1, 622 

094 
I,12S 


Kookery. 


22 
23 

24 
31 
Aujr.  1 
8 
10 
24 
5 
6 
15 
23 
6 
17 
20 
1 
3 
4 
0 
7 
25 
20 
0 

15 


Sept 


Oct. 


Nv)v 


Dec. 


1888. 

.Tan.   25 

Mav  10 

24 

28 

31 

June    2 

7 

9 

11 

12 

15 

10 

18 

18 

19 

10 

21 

21 

22 


Northeast  Point 

Southwest  Hay 

N  ortheast  I'oint 

Knglish  Hav, Tolstoi,  Lukannon 

Northeast  t'oint 

Keef,  Zoltoi.  Ketova 

Northeast  Point 

Halfw  ay  Point 

Northea.st  Point 

Tolstoi  aud  Lukannon 

Northeast  Point 

Keef  and  /oltoi 

Northeast  I'oint 

West  Point 

Southwest  Hay 

Northeast  Point 

KoKlish  Hay,  Mtddle  Hill,  Tol- 
stoi   

Northeast  Point 

Reef,  Zoltoi,  Lukannon.  Ketova. 

Northeast  Point 

llalfwuy  Point  niul  Lagoon 

Northeast  I'oint 

Kntilish  Hav,  Tolstoi,  Middle 
Iflll .' 

Northeast  I'oint 

Siuthwest  Hay,  Keef.  Zoltoi, 
liukannon ..'. 

Tolst 


Total 
killed 
for  all 

pur- 
posed. 


795 

2,065 

429 

2,505 

2,219 

3, 029 

1,930 

1,2U1 

826 

1, 2'.18 

803 

986 

546 

617 

2,108 

1,671 

2.038 

922 

3. 209 

11,1192 

1.397 


Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi 

....do 

Keef  and  Lukannon. 

KuLlisli  Hay 

Middle  Hill 

Ku;;ll8h  Hav 

Zoltoi  .....' 

....do 

....do 

...do 

...do 

Keef 

...do 

.lo 


Zoltoi 

MlddleHill 

Keef 

Middle  Hill  and  Tolstoi 

....do 

Sea  Lion  Koek  nud  Southwest 


Ha 


1,877 
1,082 


2;i2 

39 
137 
113 
209 
5'JI 
403 
356 
192 
10(1 
116 
108 

76 
1,011) 
1, 132 

32 

05 
Oil 

82 
185 
450 

16» 


Total i  89.092 


Xortlu'ast  I'oint   

Tolstoi.  Keef,  .Sea  Lion  Koek. 

Keef 

do 

Northeast  Point 

Keef 

Keef  and  /oltoi 

Tolstoi 

.Southwest  Hay 

Knclish  Hay 

Halfway  Point 

Keef  and  '■Coltoi ... 

Soul h w.'st  Hay 

Northeast  I'oiut 

Tolstoi    

Northeast  I'oint 

Keef  and  /olt<d 

Northeast  I'oiut 

Halfway  I'oint 


545 

IDI 

113 

82 

B2 

121 

175 

342 

543 

587 

42S 

789 

764 

1,490 

490 

930 

1.400 

1,604 

811 


SKAL    LIFE    ON   THE   PRIIHLOF    ISLANDS. 


311 


the  Prihihf 
that  ia,  from 


Tables  showing  in  detail  all  killintj  of  fur  seals,  for  whatsoever  purpose,  on  the  Pribilof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company — that  is,  from 
1870  to  18S9,  both  inclusive — Coutinued. 

ST.  PAUL  ISLAND— Continued. 


Total 

killid 

lor  aU 

pur- 

posea. 





795 

2, 065 

429 

cannon 

2,595 

2,219 

:i,  029 

1,930 

1,201 

826 

1,208 

803 

986 

546 

617 

2, 108 

1,671 

1,  Tol- 

2.038 

922 

fi'tova. 

3, 209 

11,092 

on 

1.397 

798 

Jiddle 

1,877 

1,082 

Zoltui, 

2. 226 

39 

137 

113 

209 

521 

403 

356 

192 

10(1 

116 

108 

76 

:,oi3 

1, 132 

32 

05 

611 

82 

185 

450 

liweHt 

109 

89. 092 

345 

Jock... 

131 

113 

82 

82 

121 

175 

342 

543 

587 

42S 

789 

764 

1,4110 

490 

930 

1.400 

1.604 

811 

Date. 


1888. 

June  23 
23 
22 
25 
25 
26 

26 

27 

27 
2H 
28 
29 
29 
30 

30 

July    2 

2 

:t 

o 
4 
4 

6 


6 
6 

7 
7 

a 
» 

10 
10 
12 

12 
13 
111 
14 
15 
15 
16 
16 
17 
17 
18 
18 
It) 
10 
20 
20 
21 
21 
21 
23 
23 
24 
24 
25 

25 
26 
26 
27 
Aug.  2 
8 
16 
23 
24 
24 


Kookery 


EnKlLih  Bav.Tolstni.Middle  Hill 
Nortlieaot  Point 

...do 

Southwcf}  Buy 

Nortlienst  Point 

EnKliHh  liav.  .Middle  Hill,  Tol 

Htoi 

NortlicaHl  Point 

Reef,  Zidtoi,   Kctova,  Lukan 

non 

Northeast  Point 

KalCwny  Point 

Northeast  Point 

Soutliwi'st  liav 

Norllicast  Point 

Middle  Hill,  Knglish  Hill,  I'ol 

«toi 

Northeast  Point 

Keel'  and  Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Nortlieast  Point 

Southwest  liay 

Northeast  Point 

Eniilish   Hay,  Tiilstoi,   Lukan 

non .' 

Northeast  Point 

Keef  and  Znltoi 

Nortlieast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

NortliraBt  Point 

Kn^lisli    i'av     I'olstoi,   Lukan 

lion.  Middle  Hill 

Northeast  Point 

Heef  and  Zoltoi 

Nortlieast  Point 

Kn^llsh  Uav.  Middle  HiP,  Tol 

stoi 

Northeast  Point 
Southwest  Itay 
Nortlieast  Point 
Halfway  P-ini  . 
Northt'ast  Point 

Wrsl  Point 

Ueef  and  Zidtoi 
Northeast  Point 
Knjj;lish  Itay  and  Tols.'oi 

Northeast  f'oiiit 

Southwest  Hay 
Nortlieast  Point 
Halfway  Point 
Northeast  Point 
Ueef  and  Zoltoi 
Northeast  Point 
Kntrlisli  Itay  and  Tolstoi 

LaiiooT 

Northeast  Poin 

Ueef.  Liikr'»ion,  Zoltoi 

Nortl.eiiF.t  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Northeast  Point 

Knulish   Bav,  Tidstoi,    Middle 

Hill ; 

Northeast  Point 

Ueef,  Zoltoi,  l.iikaniion 

Northeast  Point 

Southwest  llav  and  Zoltoi 

Zoltoi ' 

do 

do 

Middle  Hill  and  Liikiinnon 

Zoltoi 

do 


1: 


I         i 


■I      ■ " 


312 


SEAL   LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS, 


ill 


Tables  'howing  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  seals,  for  u'hatsoever  purpose,  on  the  Pribilof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  hase  of  the  Alaska  Comm^cial  Company— that  is,  from 
1S70  to  1889,  both  inclusive — Cuntiuued. 

ST.  PAUL  ISLAND— Continued. 


Date. 


1889. 
July  13 
13 
15 
15 
16 

le 

17 
17 
18 

18 
10 
19 
20 
20 
22 

22 
23 

2;i 

24 
24 
25 
25 
26 


Kookery. 


Sou  tliweat  Kay 

Northeast  Point , 

EngliHh  Kay  and  Middle  Hill.. 

Nortlmast  Point , 

Keef,  Zoltoi.  Liikannon 

Northeast  Point 

Halfway  Point  and  Liikunnon. 

Northeast  Point 

Lugoou.  En}{liali  .Hay,   Middle 

Nortlieast  I'oint 

Soutli west  Kay 

NorthfiHHt  Point - 

Heef  and  Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point 

Kuglish  Bay,  Middle  Hill,  Lu- 

kannon  

Northeast  I'oint 

Keef.  Zoltoi,  Ketova 

Xortheast  Point , 

Halfway  Point 

Northeast  Point 

Kn^'lish  l!ay  and  Middle  Hill. 

Northeast  Point , 

.Soiitli west  Kay 

Nort  heast  Point , 


Total 
i  killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


1,006 

7U3  , 
3.085 
1,  838 
1,911 
1,156 
1,931 
948 

2, 046 
1,282 
2,017 

834 
1,913 

243 

1,943 

350 
1, 122 

740 
1,384 

616 

1,756 

1 

68U 
1,483 


Date. 


1880. 

July  27 
29 
29 
30 
30 
31 
31 

Aug.  6 
14 
22 
31 

Sept.  9 
18 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Rookery. 


25 
5 
15 
26 
4  ' 
19  i 
21   ' 
27 
27 
30  I 
Dee.   11  ' 


Zoltoi  and  Lnkannon 

English  Jiay  and  Middle  Hill. . . 

Northeast  Point 

Ha)  fway  Point 

Southwest  Kay 

Northeast  Point 

Zoltoi 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

do 

Tolstoi 

Zoltoi 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

Lukannon 

Zoltoi 

Tolstoi 

Keef 

do 

/apadnie 

Keef 

Znpadnie 


ST.  GEORGE  ISLAND. 


1870. 


!  i 


July 


.  1871. 

June    4 

6 

8 

9 

13 

15 

17 

20 

22 

24 

26 

27 

28 

I 

3 

5 

8 

10 

12 

14 

15 

18 

20 

21 

23 

25 

27 

28 

30 

31 


Not  indieated  in  tlie  records  , 
of  this  yeiir. 
A!askaCoiiiiuercial(.'o.,  Huteli-  i  1,200 

iiison.  Kohl  Jc  Co <;      473 

(  8,786 


Total 8, 459 


Near 

Nortlieiist 

Near 

.Southwest  Kay. .. 

StaiTy  Arteel' 

Southwest  Kay... 

Northern 

■Southwest  Kay 

Northeast........ 

Starry  A  rtee'. 

Southwest  liay... 

Northeast 

Starry  Arteel 

Northern 

.Southwest  Kay.. . 

Starry  A  rteel 

Soutliwest  Kay.. . 

Northern ." 

do 

Southwest  Kay . . . 

Northern " 

do 

Southwest  Kay... 

Northern 

Southwest  Hay... 

Northern 

....do 

Starry  Arteel 

Southwest  Kny... 

N;>rtheru .' 

Taken  in  October. 
Pups  for  food 


123 
98 
69 
277 
322 
301 
434 
172 
518 
594 
208 
462 
571 
875 
303 
518 
612 

1,769 

1,021 
481 

1,038 

1,264 
484 
045 
542 
792 

1,054 
730 

1,270 
8U3 
237 

2,000 


1872. 
June    3 


July 


Total 21,167 


<) 

0 

10 

11 

12 
14 
16 
15 
17 
18 


'  Southwest  Bay. 

Nortli 

East 

Southwest  Kav. 

North 

Starry  Arteel  . . 

Southwest  Kay. 

East 

Starrv  Arteel  .. 

North 

East 

North 

.Starry  Arteel .. 

Souillwest  Bay. 

East .". . 

North 

Starry  Arteel... 

Soutliwest  Kay. 

Kast 

Starry  Arteel. .. 

North 

i  Starrv  Arteel... 
;  Nortfi 

.Starry  Arteel... 
I  Soutliwest  Kay. 

I  East 

I  Not  til 

i  .Starry  Arteel. .. 

Soutliwest  Hay. 

East 

Starry  Arteel... 

Southwest  Kav. 

Nortli .'.. 

East 

Starry  Arteel. .. 

North 

East 

Smith'vest  Kav. 

North 

East 

.Starry  Arteel... 

North 

East 

Starry  Arteel . . . 


Total 
kiUed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


1,105 

1,643 

1,624 

973 

615 

538 

160 

163 

131 

141 

179 

141 

110 

107 

12U 

103 

132 

1,169 

1,460 

347 

192 

10 

240 

243 


Totuil 73,982 


140 
26 
49 
162 
81 
175 
98 
61 
140 
188 
405 
300 
212 
261 
860 
349 
701 
261 
629 
500 
237 
805 
400 
560 
64:i 
081 
454 
431 
245 
641 
300 
574 
274 
718 
367 
3(10 
6)0 
1,4.2 
482 
1,332 
600 
583 
770 
57J 


Total 
killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


1.105 
1,643 

i,6:;4 

973 
615 
538 
160 
163 
131 
141 
179 
141 
110 
107 
120 
103 
132 
1,169 
1,460 
347 
192 
10 
240 
243 


73. 982 


140 

28 

49 

162 

81 

175 

98 

61 

140 

18g 

405 

300 

212 

261 

. .  . . 

860 

349 

■  >  . . 

701 

.... 

261 

■  ■•. 

629 

500 

.... 

237 

.... 

805 

.... 

400 

.... 

580 

.... 

643 

.... 

981 

454 

.... 

431 

.... 

245 



641 



300 

.... 

674 

.... 

274 



718 

367 

.... 

3(11) 

.... 

610 

.... 

1,4.2 

.... 

482 

.... 

1,332 

600 

.... 

583 



770 

57J 

SKAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


313 


Tables  showing  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  seals,  for  nhatsoerer  purpose,  on  the  I'ribxlof 
Islands  durintj  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commer<nal  Company — that  is,  from 
1S70  to  hSH9,  both  (n<7«»u'e— Coiitiiiued. 

ST.  GEOKGE  ISLAND— Continued. 


Date. 


1872. 
July  19 

20 
22 
22 
23 
25 
25 
25 
27 
27 
27 


July 


17 
19 
21 
21 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
3U 
30 


3 

4 

5 

8 

8 

9 

11 

11 

12 

13 

14 

10 

17 

18 
20 
21 
23 
23 
25 
26 
28 
28 


Rookery. 


Sdutliwfst  Bav 

East ." 

StaiTv  Arteel 

Nortli 

East 

Starry  A  rteel 

EaHt ' 

North 

East 

North 

Starry  Arteel 

Soutli  west  lia^v 

Killed  for  uativos'  food. 


I 

1S73.     ' 
June    4  ! 

5  I 

i»  ' 


Total . 


North 

Starry  Arteel 

South wi<nt  Hay 

East  and  Starry  Arteel 

Southwest  Hay 

North 

Soutli woHt  Hiiy 

Xortli  and  Starry  Arteel  

Soutliwest  Hay 

East .' 

Starry  Arteel  and  NorUi 

Southwest  Hay 

East 

Soutliwest  Hay 

Starrv  Arteel  and  North 

East  

South  we^t  Bay 

Starry  Arteel  itnd  North 

Southwest  Hftv 

East .' 

Starry  Arteel 

Southwest  Biiy 

Eiist ." 

Starry  Arteel  

Sout I'lwest  Bav 

East  ' 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

East 

South \. Or,:  Buy 

Stari  V  .A.if  eel  and  North 

En  i   

SviifliWPit  Hay 

.y  ,.,,,.  .   \  riot  1  and  North 

Eh  ■  

■^or^ir,'-   ;  Ivy 

Mtwi^,  .S 'to.'!  and  North 

East 

South wi."*  !'      

Starrv  A  n  .'ei 

East 

Southwest  Bay 

Starrv  Arteel' 

East 


Pups  killed  for  foml. 


Total. 


1874. 

June    1     North 

8    do 

](     East 

IV       itarry  Arteel  and  North 

Ti     .-iCiiliwest  Bav 

i!i     E.-'r         ' 

18  ,  .Si.ii.     .4  :  e*,'  und  North 

83  :  S.->:! 

23  '  Stairy  Arteel  and  North 
27     Southwest  Buy 


Total 
killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


1,171 
400 
000 
320 

703  I 

:ioo  ; 

400  > 
252 
.(50  ' 
85 
2110 
227 
2,  000  I 

I 

27.  000  j 

198  : 

240 

285 

19U 

275 

300 

521 

378 

174 

313 

506 

870  ■ 

180 

40!) 

105 

241 

301 

403 

310 

168 

332 

564 

592 

517 

743 

616 

600 

974 

602 

474 

345 

337 

480 

1,097 
913 

1,3.50  ' 

1,810 
r)I3 
889 

1,710 
600 
588 

1,  528 

2.  UK) 


Date. 


1874. 

June  29 

July  1 

3 

8 

9 

14 

15 

16 

18 

20 

22 

24 

24 


Kookerv. 


Starry  Artral  and  North. 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North . 

East 

do 

East  ami  North 

East 

Starry  Artet'l 

Southwest  Bay 

East ' 

East  and  North 

East 

North 

Pups  killed  for  food 


I 


Total. 


Ib?^ 
June 


Starrv  Arteel  and  North. 
!l    dii 

11  East 

14     .Starrv  .\rleel  and  North  . 

10  \  East.' 

18     Stiirrv  .\rteel  and  North  . 
lit     Soutliwest  Hiiv 

23  ;  East .' 

24  .Starrv  Arteel  and  North  . 

28  1  Ea.st" 

30     Starry  Arteel  and  North  . 

I  uly     5     East 

7  I  Starrv  Arteel  and  North  . 

12  East' 

14     North    

17  do 

i  Killed  for  rood 


1876. 
.June    I  i  North  . 


July 


8     Stiiny  Artetd  and  North  . 
12     East 

14  Southwest  Bay 

15  I  Starrv  Arteel  and  North  . 

22     East ' 

25     Starrv  .\ rteel  and  North  . 

27     East ' 

29     Starrv  Arteel  nnd  North  . 

3     Eiist" 

fi     Starry  Arteel 

7     East 

I  Pups  for  food 


Total. 


1877, 
•lunt 


July 


I 


North 

do 

rust  

.So  ithwost  Hay • 

Noi'h  and  Starrv'  Arteel  . 

East 

Xorth 

East 

>,'orth  and  Starry  Arteel . 

East 

North  and  Starrv  Arteel . 

Eiist ■. 

North 

East 

Killed  (or  food 


Total 
killed 
fur  all 

pur- 
poses. 


800 
792 
641 
548 
263 
534 
568 
411 
871 
778 
640 
156 
2.446 

12,446 


302 
25« 
177 
307 
358 
334 

1.204 
666 
540 
692 

1,412 
717 

1,019 

1.073 
076 
177 

1,500 


Total 11,500 


1 1,  .500 

198 

702 

,57« 

1,380 

1,154 

838 

871 

552 

1,860 

1,580 

1.660 

2,164 

300 

880 

256 

.do 1,500 


41.'i 
372 
388 
S'.ig 
7H4 
.581 
067 
168 
023 
259 
027 
317 
500 


Total 16,500 


I  (I 


i   . 


? 


I' 


m 


IWmTf 


314 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


■i. 


ri  lli 


Tables  showing  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  seals,  for  whatsoever  purpose,  on  the  Prihilof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company — that  is,  from 
1870  to  1S89,  both  inclusive — Continued. 

ST.  GEORGE  ISLAND-Continued. 


I  V 


Rookery 


1878. 
Jnne  10 
14 
17 
19 
22 
25 
27 
28 


July 


North 

Soutbw'Mt  Bay. 

North,  Starry  Arteel,  East. 

South  west  Bay. 

North  and  Starry  Arttel. 

Eu«t 

Southwest  Bvy. 
d<> 

Killed  for  food  to  date. 

East. 

North  aiid  Starry  Arteel . 

Southwest  Bay. 

East 

North  and  Starry  Arti-el . 

Southwest  Hay. 
do. 

East 

East  and  North 

North  and  St«rry  Arteel 

East 

Killed  for  food  to  May  19, 1870. 


Rookerv. 


East 

Southwest  Bav 

....do 

North  and  Starry  Arteel. 

East 

Southwest  Bay 

North  iind  Starry  Arteel. 

Southwest  Buy 

East 

South wt'st  Bay 

North  and  Starry  Arteel. 

East 

South\  ay  

Starry  —     jel 

Nortfi 

ElLSt 

Southwest  Bay 

North  and  Starrj"  Arteel. 

East 

Southwest  Bay 

East 

Diirinju;  season  x>erished  on  tlie 

drives 

North 

/a))Hdnie 

do 

Nortli 

....do 

Xortli  and  East 

Nortli 

Ziipadnie 

North 

do 

do 

do 

/apadnie 

do 

East 

Zapadnie 


Total. 


Total 
kUled 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


352 

738 

254 

559 

.     599 

223 

1,183 

518 

814 

839 

1,322 

1,770 

846 

808 

392 

966 

961 

515 

1,483 

1,814 

949 

U 

72 

7 

8 

60 

51 

226 

40 

35 

47 

62 

501 

765 

30 

10 

05 

16 

20,939 


Nonh  . 

Starry 

Nortli . 

East . 

North  and  Starry  Arteel . 


North 

do 

Starry  Arteel,  East,  North 

do 

/aimdnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East 

di) 

East  and  Zajtadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  /upadnie. 

East 

Stariy  Arteel  and  North 

East  and  /apadnie 

>:ai>adiiie.  Starry  Arteel,  North. 

East '. 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

/apailnie 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

EaBt.' 

Stiirrv  Arteel 

/apadnie 

East. 

Ziijiadnie 

East ,  North,  Starry  Arteel 

North 


32 

55 

612 

920 

408 

622 

445 

1,030 

518 

553 

815 

1,119 

1,034 

1,378 

1,182 

476 

1,356 

363 

1,310 

498 

771 

1,716 

692 

1,639 

43 

45 

57 

02 

52 

52 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOP   ISLANDS. 


315 


Tablet  thowing  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  seals,  for  whatsoever  >  •pose,  on  the  Pribilof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company— that  is,  from 
1870  to  1889,  both  inclusive — Continued. 


ST.  GEORGE  ISLAND— Continued. 


Date. 


1881. 
Sept.  13 

24 
Oct.     3 

22 
Nov.    2 

10 

30 


1882. 

May  22 
29 

June  6 
12 
16 
19 
22 
24 
27 
29 

July     1 

3 

5 

8 

10 

11 

12 

14 

15 

17 

18 

19 

20 

Aug.    5 

n 

17 

25 

Sept.  15 

Nov.  22 

28 


1883. 

May  26 

Juno    4 

12 

i5 

19 

22 

25 

28 

30 

July    2 

4 

7 

9 

10 

lU 

11 

12 

13 

16 

17 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

23 

25 

27 

3U 


Rookery. 


North 

East 

North 

East 

North 

do 

Starry  Arteel 


Total 
killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


65 

88 

68 

50 

559 

472 

113 


Total I  21,289 


North 

do 

<lo 

Starry  Arteel.  North,  East, 
.do 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
-do. 


1 

1 

1 

...do 1 

do 

do 

do 

East 

iNtiirrv  Arteel 

East .' 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

East.' 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  Nortli 

North    

East 


iind  North. 


Starry  Arteel. 
East.' 

do. 

do. 


Starry  Arteel. 
...do 


Total. 


North 

....do 

Starry  Arteel  and  East 

do 

Starry  Arteel 

East  and  Starry  Arteel 

Ea.st.  North,  Starry  Arteel.. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Za|)adnie 

Little  East  und  East 

/apaduie 

North  ami  Starry  Arteel 

Little  East  and  East 

Nortli  and  Starry  Arteel... 

Little  East  and  East 

/apadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

Little  East  and  East 

Zapadnie 

Little  East  and  East 

Zapadnie 

North,  East,  Starry  Arteel  . 

East 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East . 
do 


12 

48 

26 

509 

8!)0 

927 

847 

195 

044 

273 

065 

911 

384 

955 

371 

115 

070 

527 

649 

022 

U8fi 

655 

50 

40 

45 

34 

44 

46 

119 

19 


19, 978 


40 

78 
136 
287 

61 
380 
684 
443 
611 
340 
200 
647 
336 
307 
507 
263 
546 
321 
775 
017 
130 
467 
216 
281 
150 
766 

78 
606 
505 


-;,  I 


Date. 


1883. 
July  31 


Aug.  13 
21 
31 

Sept.  14 

Oct.  19 
29 

Nov.  2 
19 


1884 
May  21 
26 
June  4 
10 
12 
10 
18 
21 
23 
26 
2« 
I 
1 
3 
7 
10 
12 
14 
l-> 
16 
18 
19 
23 
24 
25 
26 
30 
4 
4 
14 
21 
2 
15 
3 
5 
12 
26 


JuU 


Aug. 


Sept. 
Nov. 


1885. 

May  18 

Juno  1 
U 
16 
18 
17 
15 
22 
27 
29 

July  3 
7 

10 
13 
17 
20 
25 

Aug.  3 


Rookery. 


Starry  Arteel,  Nortli,  East 

During  theseason,  perished  on 

drives 

East 

Nep  T 

Little  East 

East 

Near 

Near  and  North 

Norlh 

Nortli  and  Starry  Arteel 


Total. 


Eiist  .. 
North  . 
Ea.st  . . 


Zaiiadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East  . 

Zn|).'>ttnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East  . 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  Eaxt  . 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East  . 

/ajiiidnic 

do 

Starry  Arteel,  Nortli,  East  . 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Atteel,  North,  East  . 

Zapaunie 

East  and  Little  East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North    . . 

Zapadnie 

East  and  Little  East 

.Starry  Arteel  and  North  ... 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  Nortli  . . . 

East  and  Little  East 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East . 
East. 


do 

North 

East 

Near 

North 

....do 

do 

do 

Starry  Arteel 

Total... 


North 

do 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East. 

Zapadnie 

do 

Starry  Arteel  and  North  . . . 

E.ast 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East. 

Zapa<lnio 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East  . 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East  . 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East  . 

Zapadnie 

North 

do 


Total 
killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


473 


16. 214 


15 

52 

119 

1,222 

694 

585 

572 

592 

603 

578 

48» 

289 

U 

71 

90 

1,  26» 

973 

302 

465 

726 

996 

506 

797 

744 

597 

573 

640 

225 

1» 

4S 

64 

60 

60 

515 

482 

503 

27 


16,  573 


40 

38 

760 

77 

698 

802 

825 

414 

1,775 

401 

2.287 

789 

2,168 

1,011 

2,222 

483 

35 

23 


if 


Wf 


316 


SEAL   LIPS   ON   THE   PRIBILOP   ISLANDS. 


Tables  ahoiring  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  setU,  for  ivhataoerer  purpose,  on  ike  Pribilof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  .ease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company — that  t$,  from 
1870  to  1889,  both  inclusive — Coutinued . 

ST.  GKORGE  ISLANO-Continued. 


Date. 


1885. 

Aug.    6 

*  21 

25 

Nov.    4 

6 

18 

21 


1886. 

May  18 
28 

Juno  8 
14 
10 
14 
17 
21 
22 
23 
24 
28 
29 

July    1 

5 

6 

7 

10 

12 

14 

15 

19 

21 

22 

23 

Aug.    2 

2 

9 

17 

23 

Sept.    (! 

Oct.  2H 
28 

Kov.  8 
13 


1887. 

May  20 
28 

June  9 
14 
15 
20 
21 
25 
27 
28 
30 

July  1 
4 

e 

8 

11 

12 
14 
18 
19 
21 
22 


RooKery. 


North 

East 

North 

Near 

North 

do 

Starry  Arteel 

Perished  on  drives  daring  year. 


Total 
killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


50 

65 

37 

250 

70O 

120 

41 

53 


Date. 


Kookery. 


Total 16,144 


East 

North 

Captured  skins 

Zai)ailnie  food  skins 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East. 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  Eaat. 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  North  . . 

East 

Zapadnie 

do 

Starry  Artoel  and  North  . . 

East 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  North  . . 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North  .. 

Zapadnie 

East 

Starry  Arteel  am'  North  . . 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  North  . . 

East 

East  and  North 

Near  North 

do 

East 

North 

East 

North 

do 

East 

North 

East 

Perished  on  drive 


North 

do 

North  and  East 

North.  East,  Starry  Arteel  . . 

Zapadnie 

...do 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East.. 

East 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

Zapadnie 

East,  North,  Starrv  Arteel. . . 

East 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  Near,  North. . 

East 

Zapadnie 

Near,  North,  Starry  Arteel.. 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 


25 

32 

390 

465 

427 

261 

974 

533 

599 

847 

410 

100 

883 

1,321 

421 

701 

1,296 

1,509 

1.077 

894 

1,130 

489 


30 

102 

4 

81 

1, 430 

779 

1,438 

843 

742 

343 

306 

2H8 

632 

482 

620 

503 

650 

867 

745 

888 

712 

663 

853 

527 

295 

14 

11 

66 

4^ 

'.u 

76 

759 

24 

527 

3 

12 


Total 1  16,436 


1887.     I 
Aug.    3  I  Near  . 
6  I  East. 

12 

20 

22 
Sept.    5 

10 

19 
Oct.  24 
Nov.    1 


July 


1888. 
June  0 
11 
12 
16 
18 
19 
22 
25 

26 
27 
29 
2 
3 
4 
6 
9 
10 
12 
13 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
27 
9 
9 
15 
20 
28 
Sept.  5 
27 
20 
1 
5 
Aug.  20 


do.... 

do.... 

do.... 

Near 

Zapadnie . 

do 

East 

Near 

do.... 


Total 
killed 
for  all 

pur- 
poses. 


53 

41 

87 

23 

61 

U 

24 

45 

126 

766 

614 


Aug, 


Oct. 
Nov. 


1889. 
May  22 
June  4 
10 
17 
18 
21 
22 
24 
25 
27 
29 
1 
2 
5 


ToUvl !  16.688 


North 

Za])adnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East. 

do 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East. 

do 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  North... 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North . . . 

Zapadnie 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North... 

East 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  North . . . . 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North. . . . 

Zapadnie 

North 

Starry  Arteel  and  East 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel, North,  East.. 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North.  East.. 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East.. 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East. . 

Near 

North 

...do 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North  . . . 

East  and  Starry  Arteel 

North 

North  and  East 

North 

do 

Zapadnie  (forwatchnieu)... 


Total. 


July 


North  and  East 

East 

Zapadnie 

do 

Starry  Arteel,  North,  East. 

East 

North  and  Starry  Arteel . . . 

Zapadnie 

East  ana  North 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  East 

Zapadnie 

North,  East,  Starry  Arteel. 
do 


121 
272 
455 
227 
427 
324 
764 
911 
895 
438 
343 
343 
532 
503 
650 
389 
1,170 
820 
518 
705 
410 
692 
366 
554 
179 
405 
159 
521 
144 
410 
39 
39 
37 
191 
444 
4'':. 
«0 
73 
610 
368 


17,  034 


60 
156 
207 
244 
773 
176 
284 
596 
496 
223 
429 
167 
275 
418 


SEAL    LIFE   ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


317 


Tables  nhotving  in  detail  all  killing  of  fur  seals,  for  whatsoever  purpone,  on  the  I'riHlof 
Islands  during  the  term  of  the  lease  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company — that  is,  from 
1870  to  1SS9,  both  inc/Msire— Coutinued. 


ST.  GEOKGE  ISLAND— Continued. 


Date. 


Kookcry. 


Total 
killed 
ior  uU 
pur- 
poses. 


1880.    I 
July    8  I  /apadnje 


10 
12 
13 
15 
16 
18 
19 
22 
23 
24 
25 
27 
28 


229 
270 
102 
667 
371 


North,  KuMt.  Starry  Arteel 

Zapitdnie .• 

North,  Kant,  Starry  Arteel 

/apadnic , 

Nortli,  Kast,  Starry  Arteel 1, 028 

/apadnie 439 

North,  Kast,  Starry  Arteel 1. 140 

/apadnie '. 500 

North,  East,  .Starry  Arteel 628 

Zapadnie '. 279 

North,  East,  Starry  Arteel 1, 430 

do 942 

Zapadnie 568 

North,  East,  Starry  Arteel 515 


Date. 


Rookery. 


1880. 

Au-:.  10 
19 
30 

Sept.  7 
21 


Oct. 


Nov, 


North  . 

...  d(». 

....do. 

Kast... 

-  , <lo. 

30  I  North  , 
11 
21 
31 
6 
12 
25 


do 

Starr V  Arteel. 

North 

do 

do 

Starry  Art«el. 


Total 
killed 
loi-  all 
piir> 
poaea. 


55 

56 

48 

64 

50 

33 

37 

32 

4 

606 

477 

61 


Total 15,225 


Fur  seals  killed  on  the  island  of  St.  Paul,  for  all  purposes,  from  1870  to  1SS9,  both  inclusive. 
[Compiled  from  tables  en  tile  in  the  Treasury  Department.] 


Year. 


1870. 
1871  . 
1872. 
1873. 
1874. 
1875. 
1876. 
1877. 
1878. 
1879. 
1880  . 
1881. 
1882  . 
1883. 
1884. 
1885. 
1880. 
1887  . 
1888. 
1889. 


Seals  killed  for  natives'  food. 


Pups. 


2,800 
2,877 
5, 121 
5,489 

4.  m^ 

3.  745 
3,958 
5,007 
5, 200 
5,071 
4,4];) 


2, 982 
2, 741 
2,788 
2,824 
2,177 
2,178 
2,280 


Total.  67,554 


bach- 
elors. 


6.449 

2,341 
6,916 
2,090 
4,874 
6,282 
5,061 
4,041 
4,718 
5,070 
4,466 
7,538 
5,175 
3, 168 
3,  9117 
3,184 
3,081 
4,207 
3,  762 
3,400 


Skins    Skins 

ao  re- 

cepted.  jected. 


2,290 
5,  365 
1,198 
4.225 
5,784 
3,004 

2,  853 

3,  o:;2 
3,898 
3,408 
6,068 
3, 362 
2. 194 
2, 582 

2,  508 
2,480 
3,975 

3,  700 
2,570 


Seals  killed  for  skins  for 
lessees. 


Bach-   I   SWn8 
«''"^'^-      cepted. 


6,  440 

51 

1,551 

892 

649 

498 

1,997  i 

1,188  < 

1,080  1 

2,072 

1,418 

1,470 

1,813 

074 

1,  ,325 

676 

601 

232 

62 

830 


6,065 
75, 585 
69,  782 
74, 408 
88,  368 
84,933 
74,138 
58,762  I 
78,595 
77,280 
75,000  ' 
76,236  : 
74,659  : 
57, 145  I 
82,213  ' 
82,908  i 
82, 180  , 
82,708  I 
80,330  ' 
81,712 


6,017 
74,  628 
69, 576 

73,  884 
88,  258 
84,860 
71,137 
5H,  732 
78.  570 
77, 280 
75, 872 
76,  169 

74,  581 
57,  070 
82.  086 
82,  866 
82, 150 
82, 679 
80, 314 
81,  698 


Skins 

re- 
jected. 


48 
057 
206 
524 
110 

73 
1 

30 

25 

'"28 
67 
78 
75 
127 
42 
30 
29 
16 
14 


Total  of  bachelors  killed,     Grand 
accepted  and  rejected,     total  of 
seals 

Skins     Skins'   )^^^f^ 
ao-  re-     :    '"y*" 

cepted.  jected.:  ^^^^^ 


}$ach- 
elors. 


12.514 

77, 920 
7r,  698 
76, 498 
93. 242 
91,215 
79, 199 
62, 803 
83,  313 

83,  2.')0 
80. 366 
83, 774 
79, 834 
60.  313 
80, 120 
86,  092 
8!i,261 
86,  915 

84.  092 
85,112 


6,017 

76.  018 
74,041 
75, 082 
92,  483 
90. 644 

77,  201 
61.585 
82, 202 
81,178 
78, 920 
82, 226 
77, 943 
59,  264 
84, 668 

85,  374 
84,  630 

86,  654 
84, 014 
84, 208 


I  6,497 

1,008 

1,757 

1,416 

i   759 

I   571 

!  1,998 

1,218 

1,111 

2, 072 

1,446 

1,.W7 

1,  891 

1,  049 

1,452 

718 

:   631 

>      261 

78 

844 


15,314 

81 , 803 
81  819 
81,  987 
98, 139 
04,  960 
83, 157 
07,810 
88,  519 
88, 321 
84,779 
83,  774 
70,  834 
63,  295 
88,  861 
88,880 

88,  085 

89,  092 
KO,  270 
87,  392 


90,630  64,796  25,834   1,463,907  1.461,427    2,480   1,554,537  1,526,212  28,314     1,622,091 


Note.— Theabovestatementincludes  all  sealskilled  from  all  causes,  either  intentional  or  accidental, 
incident  to  the  taking  of  seal  skins  on  the  island  of  St,  Paul. 


I 


i. 


!   I 


I 


I 


M 


f      !'    ■ 


ii  >  ■'! 


.1' 


..-.     ^  i 


: 


;i' 


318 


SEAL    LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


Fur  seals  killed  on  the  island  of  St,  (ieorge,  for  all  purposes,  from  1S70  to  1889,  both 

inclusive, 

[Compiled  from  tableit  on  tile  In  the  Treasury  Department.] 


Tear. 


a 


i|  '^ 


J870.... 
1871.... 
1872.... 
1873.... 
1874.... 
1876.... 
1876.... 
1877  . . . . 
1878.... 
1879.... 
1880.... 
1881.... 
1882.... 
1883.... 
1884.... 
1885  . . . . 
1880.... 
1887.... 
1888.... 
1889.... 


u„„i.  niioj  «•„_  ..«»i...>„i  f„„j      Sfalu  killed  for  HicinH  i  Total  of  baohelorH  killed, '  Grand 
Seals  killed  for  natives  food.  ,.„,  y^^^^^         ,    ac.-epted  .md  rejotted.   !  total  of 

sealH 
I  I  killed 

SkinH     jj»„],.     Skins    Skins  [    b„cj,.   I    Skins     Skins 


Pups. 


1,200 
2,090 
2,000 
2,190 
2,446 
1,500 
1.500 
1,500 
1,500 
1,506 
1.  :i30 
1,031 


Bach-     Ski.« 
«»»"•   cepted. 


237 


237 


Total. 


1,000 
1,500 
1,080 
1.286 
1,  :t58 
978 
1,071 


256 
1,532 
843 
702 
812 
483 
475 
345 
319 
544 
585 
1,409 
512 


28,064  9,054 


256 
1,216 
564 
565 
509 
371 
46ri 
223 
304 
413 
471 
1,321 
280 


jeoted. 


316 

270 
137 
303 
112 
7 
122 

15 
131 
114 

«8 
2:i2 


elors. 


7,259 
18,830 
25,000 
25,000 
10,000 
10. 000 
10,  000 
14,744 
17, 772 
19. 841 
18,9117 
19,446 
19, 495 
14,  739 
14,  728 
14,745 
14,606 
14, 727 
14, 647 
13,642 


cepted.  .tected. 


el"."    I      ac-      I    re- 
"°"-    I  cepted.  jected, 


7,250 
18, 830 
25, 000 
25,  UOO 
10,  OUO 
10, 000 
10, 000 
14. 744 


7,259 
19, 067 
25, 000 
25, 000  ' 
10.  000 
10,000 
10,000 
15.  000 


7,198  1,856  318,128 


17. 772 

19,  304 

19.  768 

83 

20,684 

18.  830 

77 

12, 609 

19, 360 

80 

20, 258 

19,  440 

35 

19,978 

14, 675 

64 

15,214 

14,  620 

108 

15,073 

14, 686 

59 

15, 084 

14,578 

28 

15,150 

14, 725 

2 

1.5,312 

14, 582 

65 

16, 056 

13,641 

1 

14,154 

317,  500 

028 

327, 182 

7,259 
19,067  ' 
25, 000 
25,000 
10,000 
10,000 
10, 000 
15,000 
18.  988 
20, 322 
19, 395 
19, 809 
19,811 
15, 143 
14,843 
14, 900 
14,991 
15, 106 
15, 903 
!3,921 


310 
362 
214 
389 
167 

71 
230 

74 
159 
116 
153 
233 


324,  G98     2, 484 


for  all 
pur- 
poses. 

8,459 
21,167 
27,000 
27,190 
12,  446 
11,500 
11,500 
16,500 
20, 804 
22, 190 
20, 939 
21, 289 
19,  978 
16,214 
16,  573 
16, 144 
16,436 
16, 068 
17, 034 
16, 225 


355,  246 


KOTE. — The  above  statement  incliulcaall  seals  killed  from  all  causes,  either  intentional  or  accidental, 
incident  to  the  taking  of  seal  skins  on  the  ishuid  of  St.  George. 

Fur  seals  killed  on  the  islands  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  (ieorge,  for  all  purposes,  from  1870 

to  1889,  both  inclusive. 


Seals  killed  for  natives'  food. 


SeaLs  killed  for  skins    Total  of  bachelors  killed, 
for  lessees.  accepted  and  rciJected.  i 


St.  Paul  Island.. 
St.  George  Island. 


Total. 


P 


67, 554 
28,064 


95, 628 


3 


.a  §■  I  .s  s 

t/2  11 


e 

"3 
.s 

n 


OJts 
03 


I  a  o 


o 
% 

I 


90, 630  64, 706  25,  834  1, 463, 907  1, 461,  427   2, 480  1,  554, 537 
9,054    7,108    1,856|     318,128      317,500       628;     327,182 


99,684 


71, 994  27, 790  1,  782, 035:1, 778, 927   3, 1081, 881, 719 


•I 


1,526,212 
324, 698 


1, 850, 910 


a  o 
.1-,  ff> 


Grand 
total  ot 
seals 
killed 
for  all 
pur- 
poses. 


28,3141,622,091 
2, 484     355,  246 


30,7981,977,337 


Orand 
total  of 

flpalH 
kiUed 
for  all 

pur- 
poses. 

8,45» 
21,157 
27,000 
27,190 
12, 446 
11,500 
11,5U0 
16, 500 
20, 804 
22, 190 
20, 9H9 
21,289 
19,  978 
10, 214 
16,  573 
16, 144 
16, 436 
16, 668 
17, 034 
15, 225 

355, 246 


Grand 
total  of 

seals 
killed 
for  all 

pur- 
poses. 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 
Seals  taken  on  St.  Paul  laland  in  ISOO. 


319 


Date. 


May 
June 


July 


Kookery, 


Total.    !    Date. 


Kookory.  Total. 


Soiitliwost  Buy 

Kt'isf 

do 

Tolstoi 

Reef 

Nortlienst  Point 

Halfway  Poi..t 

Tolstoi  and  Middle  Hill 

Northi'ast  Point 

Keef  and  Lukannon 

Xortlirast  Point 

Sout Invest  Hiiy 

Xoitlicast  Point 

English  Kav  and  Liikannon 

Northeast  ^oint 

Keef  and  Zoltoi 

Northeast  Point , 

Halfway  Point 

Northeast  Point 

Southwest  Hav 

Knglisli  l<:!y  and  Middle  Hill. . 

Northeast  I'oint 

Keef 

Nortlieast.  Point 

Tolstoi.  Middle    Hill,  Knglish 

Bay,  Kctova 

Nortliea.st  Point 

Keef 

Nort  heast  Point 

Halfway  Point 

Nort  heast  Point 

Southwest  Kay 

Northeast  Point , 


119     July    4  Tolstoi,  English  Bay.Middle  Hill  494 

116  4     Northeast  Point 321 

574  5     Reef 528 

182  5     Northeast  Point 74 

317  7  English  Hay,  Middh-  Hill,  Tol- I 

16                           stoi,  LiikannoD,  Ketova '  411 

167  7     Northeast  Point 336 

274  8     Halfway  Point 261 

78  H     Northeast  Point 379 

339  9      Southwest  Httv 183 

438  9      Ncirthea.st  Point 271 

292  10      Keef 378 

96  10     Northeiist  Point 112 

521  12  EiiKlish  Bay,  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 

179  stol,  Liikiinnon,  Ketova 6.33 

42«  13     Halfwav  Point 211 

205  13     Northeast  Point 858 

2tl«  14      licef 104 

16<!  15  Knglish  Hay.  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 

117  stoi,  Liikannon.  Ketova 315 

390  15     Northeast  Point 245 

230  16    do 112 

206  17  Polaviiia,  Liikannon,  Ketova...  372 

79  17      Northeast  Point 485 

18    do 405 

209  18      Zapadiiie 236 

98   i  19      Reef  and  Zoltoi 556 

246  19     Northeast  Point 446 

131  20  Knclisli  I!hv,  Middle  Hill,  Tol- 

242                            stoi,  Ketova.  Kooky  Point 780 

96  .  20  ;  Northeast  Poin* .....' 556 

jgg  !  

180  1                                 Total 17,124 

I 


Seals  taken  on  St.  George  Island  in  ISOO. 


Date. 


June   2 

16 

18 

19 

20 

23 

25 

28 

30 

July    1 

3 

5 

7 


Kookery. 


North 

East 

North 

East  and  Little  East 

Zapadnie 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

East  and  Little  East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

Zapadnie 

Bast  and  Little  East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 
East  and  Little  Ea.st.... 
Zapadnie 


Total.       Date. 


71 
218 
118 
181 
394 
164 
184 
189 
189 
149 
238 
67 
58 


July 


Kookery. 


East  and  Little  East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

East 

Starry  Arieel  and  North 

Zapadnie 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 

East 

Starry  Arteel  and  North 
Zapaiinie 

Total 


Total. 


24 
193 

60 
103 

58 
132 
119 

71 
641 
627 


4,133 


i! 


I 


I 


f     :» 


:     < 


'       - 


J4  .: 


320  SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE    I'KIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


FAST  AND  FUTURE  OF  THE  FUR  SEAL. ' 

BY  ,I()8KI>II   8TAN'I.I:Y-I»K0WN. 

There  are  but  two  jfr()u\)s  of  fur  seals  to  furnish  to  the  world  its 
supply  of  seal  skins,  tlie  fur  seal  of  the  north  and  the  fur  seal  of  the 
south. 

When  Sir  Fraiu'is  Drake  cirounuiavigated  the  globe  in  ITiTT-lfiSO  the 
Art'tovi'phahis,  ov  southern  fur  seal,  was  to  be  found  at  not  less  than 
thirty  localities,  and  their  numbers  aggregated  millions.  To-day  the 
contributions  of  these  southern  waters  are  from  three  resorts,  and  do 
not  usually  reach  15,000  skins  annually. 

When  Vitus  Bering,  in  1741,  was  wrecked  upon  the  Commander 
Islands,  ott'  the  coast  of  Kamchatka,  and  Pribilof  8earche<l  out,  in 
1780-87,  the  group  of  islands  in  Bering  Sea  that  bears  his  name,  there 
were  discovered,  not  only  the  chief  breeding  grounds  of  the  northern 
fur  seal,  Callorhinus  ursiniis,  but  some  of  the  most  superb  seal  rookeries 
the  world  has  ever  known.  It  is  questionable  if  mortal  vision  ever 
rested  upon  more  magnificent  displays  of  amphibian  life  than  were  to 
be  seen  on  the  island  of  St.  Paul  at  the  time  of  its  discovery.  Today 
these  subarctic  resorts  are  i»rostrate;  their  glory  also  has  departed,  and 
they  furnish  a  home  for  but  a  mere  renniant  of  the  seals  that  formerly 
swarmed  in  myriads  along  their  rocky  shores. 

For  two  years  the  hopes  of  thoughtful  persons  were  hlvh,  that  throngii 
the  medium  of  international  negotiations  and  tin'  deliberations  of  wise 
and  able  men  the  safety  of  the  fur  seal  would  be  at  last  secured.  To-day, 
when  the  decision  of  the  l*aris  Tribunal  is  common  propeity,  we  find 
public  opinion  divided  on  the  (juestion  as  to  whether  the  pifictical  ai)pli- 
cation  of  the  decision  will  i)reserve  the  fur  seal  as  a  commercial  com- 
modity. 

CHARACTERISTICS   OF  THE   SEAL. 

The  condition  of  affairs  thus  briefly  outlined  is  all  the  more  deplorable 
when  we  consider  the  charjicieristics  of  the  animal  with  which  we  are 
dealing.  It  is  a  creature  peculiarly  adapted  by  its  habits  to  man's  man- 
agement. It  occupies  no  territory  needed,  as  were  the  buffalo's  feeding 
grounds,  for  the  subsistence  of  more  valuable  domestic  animals;  no 
herders  are  reciuired  to  prevent  its  being  lost  in  the  wastes  of  the  ocean, 
and  no  exi)ense  is  incurred  either  to  protect  it  from  the  inclemency 
of  the  weather  or  to  ])rovide  a  winter  food  sui)ply;  yet  with  more  cer- 
tainty than  the  ranchman's  flocks  and  herds  seek  the  home  range  do  the 
seals  annually  return  to  their  breeding  grounds  where,  under  proper 
management,  they  can  without  injury  to  the  parent  stock  be  made  to 
yield  a  profit  equal  to  if  not  greater  than  that  derived  from  the  cattle 
of  the  plains  or  the  sheep  of  the  mountains. 

THE   SOUTHERN  FUR  SEAL   AND  ITS  DESTRUCTION. 

Despite  these  characteristics,  which  must  hsive  been  apparent  to  the 
most  ignorant  and  unobservant,  what  has  been  the  course  of  events? 
Turning  first  to  the  fur  seal  of  the  south  we  find  that  as  early  as  1690 
some  little  interest  was  manifested  in  its  capture,  but  it  was  not  until 
the  close  of  the  last  century  that  the  pursuit  was  begun  in  earnest. 
Hardy  mariners,  stimulated  by  the  hope  of  sharing  in  the  profits  of  the 

» From  Bulletin  United  States  Fish  Commision,  1893,  pp.  361-370. 


i^KM.    LIFK    ON    TIIK    I'KllMLOl'    ISLANDS. 


321 


I'lir  triuU'  \vhi(!li  the  itiissiaiis  liiid  dcveloin'd  with  tlieCliiiiesc,  seiirched 
out  tlie  irsorts  of  the  southeni  fur  seal;  ruviiyeil  them  year  alter  year, 
ill  season  and  out  of  season;  slaiij-htered  tlie  helpless  <'reatuies  witli 
ehibsonlaiid  reH;ardiess  of  ajjeorsex;  gathered  a  harvest  of  1(!,()()(),0(M> 
or  17,(MM»,()(K)  skins,  and  by  l.S.'JO  had  practically  destroyed,  in  the  south- 
ern seas,  this  valuable  fur  bearing  aiiiinal.  If  all  these  resorts  were  in 
tlx'ir  original  eonditioii  and  under  wise  and  prudent  direction,  they  eould 


ea.^ily  sup]dy  to  the  fur  trade  Miinually  so  nething  like  a  half  a  niilboii 
skins,  V  .til  eorrespundiiig  advantage  to  an  army  of  skilled  ai  tisans.  As 
it  is,  iinliscriininate  butchery  has  left  only  the  Lobos  Islands  rookeries 
ut  tli(^  mouth  of  the  L;i  I'lata  K'iver  and  a  few  insignitlcant  resorts  at 
Cape  Horn  and  the  ('ape  of  (lood  Mope,  the  total  yearly  yield  of  which 
is,  as  before  state<l.  less  than  iri,000  skins.  Siiehdestruction  is  left  abso- 
lutely without  Justitication  in  the  face  of  man's  entire  ability  toniaintaiu 
the  fur  seal  rookeries  at  the  highest  possible  limits  permitted  by  the 
operation  of  nature's  restrictions,  or  when  depleted  to  «leveloj)  them 
again.  This  is  not  idle  speculation,  but  rests  upon  a  firm  foundation  of 
fact  furnished  by  the  history  of  the  fur  seal  of  the  north. 


THE   NoltTIIKEN    FUR    SEAL 


AND    IT.S    UELATION 
INDUSTRY. 


TO    THE   SEAL-SKIN 


The  two  great  resorts  of  the  northern  fur  seal  are  the  l*ribilof  and 
Commander  islands  in  Bering  Sea.  liobbens  IJeef,  a  rocky  islet  in  the 
Okhotsk  Sea,  has  a  small  rookery,  and  a  few  localities  of  minor  impor- 
tance are  found  along  the  Kurile  Islands.  While  the  Russians  who 
first  discovered  these  resorts  prohibited  all  interferenc-e  from  outsiders, 
their  own  treatment  of  the  seals  was  similar  to  that  practiced  by  the 
sailors  in  the  south.  No  ;:ttentioii  was  paid  to  sex,  season,  or  period  of 
procreation,  and  it  was  not  long  before  tlie  end  came  there  Just  as  it  had 
done  in  the  south.  The  Russians  were  taught  by  this  severe  lesson 
that  the  only  way  in  which  the  rookeries  could  be  restored  and  per- 
petuated was  to  protect  the  females  from  death  and  the  breeding 
groun<ls  fronj  m<)Iestation.  This  course,  a(!companied  by  practically  a 
suspension  of  killing  during  certain  years,  was  rigidly  adhered  to,  with 
the  result  that  when  the  rookeries  of  the  Pribilof  Islands  were  turned 
over  to  the  United  States  in  ISd?  their  condition,  instead  of  being  one 
of  exhaustion,  approximated  that  which  existed  wlien  they  were  first 
discovered.  The  truth  of  this  will  be  more  ai)parent  when  it  is  stated 
that  in  180S,  before  the  United  States  could  assume  and  exercise  con- 
trol over  its  newly  accpiired  possessions,  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  million 
skins  were  improperly  taken  from  the  islands  of  St.  Paul  ai.d  St.  (Jeorge 
by  unauthorized  persons  without  apparently  producing  any  diminution 
of  the  numbers  which  came  the  following  year. 

Although  there  are  but  four  of  these  northern  localities,  an«l  K'ussian 
mismanagement  from  time  to  time  played  such  havoc  with  them  that 
the  catch  was  an  uncertain  (piantity,  still  they  have  contributed  since 
tiieir  discovery  between  r),(M)O,00(>  and  (5,000,000  skins  to  the  fur  tnule, 
or  abiiut  one-third  as  many  as  have  been  furnished  by  the  sou^^iiern 
resorts.  From  the  time  that  the  fur  seal  of  the  south  ceased  to  be  of 
coiiimercial  impiutance  trade  has  relied  upon  these  rookeries.  Thanks 
to  the  more  enlightened  policy  employed  i>y  the  Russians,  and  adopted 
and  improved  upon  by  the  United  States,  these  rookeries  of  Bering 
►Sea  contributed  to  commerce  for  the  twenty  ye.ars  ending  with  18S0  a 
miiforra  yearly  quota  of  nearly  ir>0,000  pelts,  which  formed  the  basis 
of  and  made  possible  the  systematized  seal-skin  business  of  modern 

S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 21 


I 


te 


: 


822 


SKAL    I, IKK    ON    THi;    FKIBILOK    ISLANDS. 


tiiiicH.  As  ii  raw  couiiiMHlity  tliey  sold  for  an  avi'iajfe  of  >i<L',.")OO,00()  at 
the  aiinnal  liOiulon  tiiidusaU's,  and  tlie  Pribilof  quota  yielded  tli(>(iov 
crniucnt  of  tlu'  Hinted  States  in  levvnue  more  than  tlie  !!«7,LJ(K),(MI(> 
origiiuilly  paid  for  the  entiii'  Territory  of  Alaska.  The  valtie  of  raw 
seal  skins  is  now  reiuesented  by  abont  $\'t  for  skins  taken  at  sea  and 
$30  for  Pribilof  skins.  x\t  the  pi-esent  levenue  rate,  if  it  were  now 
possible  to  take  from  tiie  I'ribilof  Islands  the  fornu'r  yearly  (juota.  the 
GoverTiment  ineoine  would  be  nearly  •'j(l,(MK),0(M)  annually. 

IMPOIJTANCK   OF   TIIK   SEALSKIN    INDUSTRY. 

The  seal-skin  industry  is  of  n(.  slijiht  importance,  and  its  proportions 
are  but  roughly  indicated  by  the  tirst  profit  on  the  raw  skins.  These 
peltries  must  be  gatheiejl  in  remote  regions;  they  form  part  of  the 
tran8i>ortation  business  of  railroad  and  steamship  lines;  coopers  must 
make  casks  for  their  shipment;  they  must  pass  through  the  han<ls  of 
many  laborers  before  they  reach  the  40  buyei's  in  London  who  purchase 
them,  and  the  2,00()  skilled  artisans  wlu)  convert  them  into  fabrics 
suited  to  the  use  of  trade;  and  when  all  this  is  done  there  must  still  be 
stores  maintained  and  clerks  employe<l  in  order  that  they  may  find 
their  way  to  the  wealthy  consumers.  The  labor  incident  to  the  taking, 
transporting,  manipulating,  and  disposing  of  these  peltries  demaiuls 
the  employment  of  tliousamls  of  persons  ea<!h  year,  ami  when  we  recall 
the  prices  jKiid  for  these  skins  when  converted  into  the  garments  dic- 
tated by  fashion,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  it  is  an  industry  the  idti 
mate  valiu'  of  which  is  represented  by  millions  of  d<dlars  annually. 
Above  all  it  is  a  peculiarly  worthy  industrj'.  in  that  it  gives  occupation 
to  many,  while  the  profits  conn*  from  the  purses  of  thos«'  best  able  to 
piiy  them. 

CAUSE  OF  TIIK   DESTUUOTION   OF   THE  NORTHERN   FUR  SEAL. 

Some  ten  years  ago  there  was  i>ut  in  oi)er.ition  on  the  American  side 
of  the  I'acillc  Ocean  an  agein-y  of  destruction,  the  growth  of  which,  if 
uninterrupted,  promised  to  prove  as  eflective  as  diil  the  sailors'  clubs 
ui)on  the  southern  resorts.  Its  pronnse  has  been  generously  kept,  and 
from  its  deadly  though  partially  controlled  effects  the  rookeries  are 
now  suffering.  That  agency  was  i)elagic  se;iling,  or  the  taking  of  seals 
at  sea  by  means  of  weapons.  The  source  of  the  injury  is  the  indis- 
criminate killing.  Whether  this  is  practiced  on  hind,  as  in  the  south, 
or  at  sea,  as  in  the  north,  the  outcome  is  the  same.  No  animal  which 
produces  but  a  single  oflspring  each  year  can  h)ng  survive  an  attack 
which  involves  the  death  of  the  producing  class,  the  females.  I  am 
aware  that  there  is  another  side  to  this  (juestion,  and  that  two  great 
nations  point  each  a  finger  at  the  other  and  say:  "You  did  it."  The 
subject-matter  of  that  contention  is  only  gernnme  to  such  a  paper  as 
this  in  so  far  as  it  touches  upon  the  career  of  the  seal,  and  only  to  that 
extent  will  it  be  referred  to. 

England  and  Canada  hold  the  theory  (which,  in  justice  to  them, 
should  be  stated)  that  the  decline  of  the  northern  rookeries  was  due  to 
excessive  killing  on  the  islands,  pelagic  sealing  being  a  factor  of  oidy 
secondary  importance.  If  this  tlieory  meant  that  after  i)elagic  sealing 
had  made  serious  inroads  upon  the  seal  herds  it  was  excessive  killing 
to  continue  taking  the  annual  (|Uota  of  100,000  skins,  it  would  be  a 
south!  one,  and  the  United  States  would  be  culpable  to  that  extent, 
but  ]3ngland  and  Canada  would  not  accept  this  linutation;  they  want 
it  to   account  for  much  more.    They  fail,  however,  to  sustain  their 


SKAL    LIKE    ON    THE    rUIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


323 


tlie(»ry  until  they  show  by  cloiirt'st  proof  that  tht»  <U'<*liiu'  of  t\w  rook- 
eries be^fiin  prior  to  tho  devclopinciit  of  pchi^ic  scaling'.  anW  also  ;;et 
rid  of  the*  awkward  fart  that  for  tin'  Mrst  twi'lvo  or  liftmen  years  tliere 
wa8  iiodiltlrulty  ill  seciirin;;"  the  annual  (piota  all<»wed  l>y  law.  Why 
did  this  alleged  deeadenee  throu|;h  excessive  killing  on  land  take  so 
Ion;;  to  manifest  itself?  Certainly  the  evils  of  indiseriiniinition  is  not 
inherent  in  land  killing;  oi\  the  <;ontrary,  selection  can  be  exercised  at 
the  rookeries  as  readily  as  it  can  be  at  the  abattoir,  and  there  is  no 
more  iiecressity  for  iindi'stinj;'  the  females  than  there  would  be  for  n 
farmer  to  ship  all  of  his  lierd  to  Kansas  Tity  and  have  the  selection  of 
the  killable  males  n«a«le  at  the  st<»ck  yards.  The  briefest  recital  of  the 
facts  of  seal  life  will  make  this  plain. 


THE   l''A»  TS  OF   SKAL   LIFK. 

The  ina-thern  fur  seals,  unlike  their  southern  relatives,  are  forced  each 
year  by  An*tic  cold  ami  the  necessity  for  food  to  leave  their  homes  on 
the  approach  of  winter  and  to  seek  the  S(»utliern  waters  and  the  abuu- 
«lant  lish  supi)ly  along  the  continental  shores.  The  ini<;ration  routes 
of  tlie  Alaskan  aixl  Asiatic  herds  do  not  coalesce,  nor  do  the  seals 
interndn^le.  Late  in  .\[n'il  or  early  in  May,  depending  u|)on  the  char- 
acter of  the  season,  the  bree<ling  males,  i)iills,  or  '•  seecatchie,"  flrst 
rettirn  to  their  ri'sorts  from  this  migration.  About  a  month  later  tho 
niatuie  females  or  "  matkie"'  begin  to  seek  the  breeding  grounds,  and 
between  the  tinu'  of  arrival  of  these  two  classes  the  young  males  or 
''hollustcliikie"  are  swinuning  in  the  water  near  the  rookery  fronts  or 
hauling  out  upon  the  hauling  grounds  some  distance  avay  from  tho 
areas  o<'(!upied  by  the  mature  seals.  The  young  males  arc  not  periait- 
cd  to  gather  upon  the  breeding  grounds  until,  by  reason  of  age  aud 

vength,  they  are  able  to  maintain  a  position  there. 

Each  old  bull  when  he  arrives  in  the  spring  selects  and  maintains, 
often  by  desperate  combat,  a  little  area  ui>on  which  he  hopes  to  estab- 
lish his  household.  The  male  weighs  four  or  five  times  as  much  as  his 
consort,  and,  as  is  usually  the  case  where  the  nuile  preponderates  iu 
size,  they  are  extremely  polygamous.  Their  vitality  and  virility  is 
almost  beyond  belief.  For  eigTity  or  ninety  days,  while  they  are  mak- 
ing secure  their  i)osition,  and  while  guarding  and  presiding  over  their 
families  or  "  harems,"  they  are  debarred  from  both  food  and  water. 
When  the  season  of  propagation  is  past  they  again  betake  themselves 
to  the  sea,  and  the  breeding  grounds  are  given  up  to  the  intermingling 
of  young  males,  females,  and  pups,  but  during  that  eighty  or  ninety 
days  the  immature  males  from  1  to  -j  years  of  age  have  been  compelled 
to  consort  together  upon  the  hauling  gnuinds,  and  thus  there  is  given 
Jin  opi»ortunity  without  in  any  way  interfering  with  the  course  of  events 
upon  the  breeding  grouiuls,  to  drive  away,  select,  and  slaughter  such 
of  these  young  males  as  will  furnish  desirable  pelts.  These  are  the 
only  skins  ahipi>ed  from  the  islands. 

Can  anyone  successfully  maintain  that  in  the  case  of  polygamous 
animals  the  taking  of  the  surplus  male  life  and  reserving  the  females 
can  destroy  the  herd?  If  this  can  be  demonstrated,  then  our  stock- 
raisers  are  at  fault,  and  the  evidence  derived  from  Russian  manage- 
nieiit  goes  for  naught. 

THE  FACTS  OF   PELAGIC   SEALINO. 

Before  the  breath  of  life  can  be  breathed  into  this  theory  of  decadence 
through  excessive  killing  on  the  islands  there  must  be  removed  from 


. '  1 

1 

I 

■  I 


i  M^ 


'V 


o24 


SKAIi    1,11-K    ON     THK    I'UIIWLOF    ISLANDS. 


tlio  rt'conl  b(M»ks  certain  well-cstiihlislii'*!  fiu  ts  coiurcruiii}';  pelayic  seal 
inji'.  It  will  1)1*  necessary  to  dispose  of  tlie  fact  that  while  in  l.S7<S  tlierc 
was  but  1  vessel  enjfajied  in  pelajiic  sealiii;ii.  the  nniiii)er  steadily 
increased  nntil  in  l.S'Ji' tliere  were  iLli  t()tblN»w<Mi  the  nnjjration  trucks 
of  the  li(M(is,  t«)  ha'  y  tiiein  eif^ht  months  ont  of  the  twelve,  and,  if 
permitted,  to  accompany  them  to  and  even  npon  their  chosen  resorts. 
Tiiere  n;ust  also  be  a  snceessful  refntation  ot  the  fact  that  tliere  is  a 
loss  of  at  least  10  per  cent  inherent  in  the  methods  of  takinjj  seals  at 
sea;  liiat  pelagic  sealin}'-  strikes  at  tin  very  life  of  the  rookeries,  by 
killiiiju:  7")  or  SK  per  cent  of  the  fenniles,  nH)ie  than  half  of  wliiidi  are 
mothers  wht.se  death  involves  that  of  tlieir  nnborn  otfspring-;  and  that 
the  period  of  <;estation  beinj;'  nearly  twelve  months,  a  mother  killed  in 
Ueriny'  !Sea  means  that  tlir«'e  seal  liven  may  i)ay  the  i)enaity. 

It  is  (Mjually  important  to  the  Mniintecance  of  this  theory  that  there 
be  an  elimination  of  the  fact  that  «hirinj;'  the  fonr  season.**,  endins;'  with 
the  past  one  of  l.S!»,»,  there  wert'  taken  cm  the  Pribilof  Ulands  oidy  a 
total  of  ")(».(»(>(>  skins  )f  younj;  nnih's,  wliile  durinj*'  that  same  period 
there  were  actually  marketed  by  the  sealers  over  LMI(»,''>'>(>  skins,  which 
representid  only  abotit  half  the  iip-  t  done  the  seal  herds,  ati  injury 
fallinj;  heaviest  upon  the  producing-  ciass,  the  females,.  For  four  years 
there  lias  been  practically  a  closed  time  on  t''ese  isfinls,  ami  pelagic 
sealing  has  had  full  swing  in  the  >orth  I'acific.  The  rookeries  have 
not  improved  uinler  th«'se  con<liti«>ns,  and  until  the  records  of  the  real 
cause  of  destruction  stand  impeached  it  is  idle  to  ofler  obscure  and 
improbable  explanations  for  the  present  conditio'i  of  seal  life. 

Jt  has  oidy  been  ])rotttable  to  follow  this  quewt'on  of  the  cause  of  the 
decadence  t(»  indicate  what  might  bi*  expe«.:ted  from  pelagic  sealing. 
Whenever  and  to  whatever  extent  carried  on,  its  deadly  etf'ects  are  cer- 
tain and  continiuMia,  the  amount  of  injury  being  limited  only  by  the 
magnitude  of  the  enter|u'ise.  Improprieties  on  land  can  be  guarded 
against,  but  the  disastrous  consequeiice/i  of  pelagic  sealing  are  iriherent 
to  the  business  ami  are  beyoml  num's  vontrcd.  They  can  be  lessened, 
but  <n:I;'  through  the  curtailment  of  the  number  of  seals  taken.  The 
injurious  effect  upon  the  herd,  while  proportionately  less,  remains  a  con- 
stant factor. 

In  following  the  career  of  an  animal  possessing  such  capacity  for 
self-perpetuation  and  ready  aiiavtability  to  the  uses  of  num,  the  sta'l*  nt 
of  natural  history  or  of  economics  is  struck  by  the  wanton  and  needless 
destruction  which  pursiu's  it  wiu'rever  fouml.  As  to  its  future  he  turns, 
for  what  condbrt  he  may  be  able  to  extract,  to  the  decision  of  that  court 
of  recent  if  not  last  resent — the  Paris  Tribunal  of  Arbitration. 

THK  PARIS  TRIBUNAL   OF   Alf HITIJATION. 


The  causes  which  led  to  the  arbitration  are  known  to  all.  For  noino 
years  the  Alaskan  fur  seal,  when  on  its  migration  route,  had  been 
the  eagerly  sought  quarry  of  the  pelagic  hunters.  Tliis  route,  which 
by  reason  ol  its  vast  extent  and  proximity  to  inhabited  shores  nnikes 
this  herd  espeinally  vulnerable  to  attack,  extends  from  the  Pribilof 
Islands  southward  through  the  i>asses  of  the  Aleutian  chain,  expands 
in  the  broad  Pacific,  but  ultimately  brings  the  seals  in  more  com|)act 
masses  to  the  North  American  Coast,  and  tlu'iice  along  its  shores, back 
through  the  passes,  to  the  Pribilof  Islands  again.  Ueali/ing  the  peiil 
of  th«'  rookeries,  the  <Jover..i(.ent  of  t'.e  United  States  attempted  U< 
partially  protect  them  by  seizing  sealing  schooners  in  Mering  8ea. 
Each  year  it  was  thought  that  nt  least  so  far  as  these  waters  were  con- 


iiifj  S«'a. 


8EA1,    I.iriC    ox    THI.    IMtlllll.OF    ISLANDS. 


325 


cerned  tin'  tlangt'r  would  rease.  but  t'arli  year  it  iucrcased  as  the  vessels 
multiplied  aud  the  skill  and  kn<>\vled};e  of  the  sealers  became  ^jreiitex^ 
and  was  ultimately  exteiuled  to  the  Asiatie  herd  whit-h  tVe(|uents  the 
Kuv'^sian  or  Commander  Islands.  Tlic  continui'd  sei/inj"' of  schooners 
by  the  I'nited  States  met  with  renu)nstranc«'s  on  the  part  of  Canada 
an<l  Kiijfland.  aud  Hlually,  after  much  irritation  and  heat,  becauu^  the 
subject  of  diplomatit*  iieyotiiitions,  tiie  peaceful  out(!ome  of  which  was 
the  Par's  Tribunal  of  Arbitration. 

Tnree  dutM*s  were  iutiusted  to  the  TribMualof  Arbitration:  It  was  to 
settle  certain  jurisdictiouid  <piestions.  to  (U  cide  the  (piestitui  of  proi)ert,\ 
rij^hts,  and  in  the  event  of  tlu'  matter  bein<«'  left  in  such  shape  that  the 
concurrence  of  (Ireat  Uritain  was  necessary  to  establish  regulations  for 
the  purpose  of  piotectinji'  and  preservin;:'  the  fur  seal,  it  was  to  frame 
such  re}>ulations  as  would  be  applicable  outside  of  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  respective  Governments  and  to  indicate  the  uonterritorial  wiiters 
over  which  these  re;j^ulat ions  should  extend.  As  it  is  not  im|)ortant  in 
tliis  (ronnection  to  <-onsider  the  .iurisdi<'tionaI  phases  of  the  case  tiiere 
will  betaken  up  at  once  the  property  (nicstion  v.ml  the  refjfulr.tions — the 
two  points  that  immediately  concern  us;  the  former  from  the  stand- 
l)oint  of  jjeneral  interest,  and  the  latter  by  reason  «)f  their  intimate 
relation  to  the  future  of  the  s«'als. 

iiiK  a:iK1{I(an  iMtsnioN. 

The  able  rrprescntativi's  <>f  the  Initcd  States  took  the  position  that 
the  tribnr-.iii  was  bound  l)y  no  |)recedents,  :ind  po8ses!*ed,by  viitue  of  its 
very  origin,  a  creative  as  well  as  a  Judicial  function.  They  urj-cd  upon 
the  tribunal  the  taking  <tf  hi^iii  ground  and  the  settlement  of  the  (pies- 
tion  upon  broad  and  comprehensive  principles.  They  jjointed  out  that 
nuin,  by  means  of  invention,  was  i-apidly  extendin;;  his  dominion  over 
the  water,  as  he  had  over  the  land.  and.  by  employing  methods  which 
were  not  even  <lreamed  of  when  many  existing  municipiil  and  inter- 
national laws  were  ena-ted.  threatened  the  very  existence  of  many 
creatures  useful  to  man.  Turidng  fnun  the  citations  of  voiuinnu)us 
authorities  vindicating  the  Justness  of  their  claim  of  property  right  in 
the  seals  and  in  the  industry,  they  pleaded  with  stunly  argument  and 
great  eIo(|uence  that  the  tribunal  would  fail  of  its  high  duty  did  ii  not 
lend  its  aid  to  such  an  extension  of  the  world's  idea  of  property  right  as 
was  needed  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  advaiu-ing  age.  They  asked 
that  the  narrow  ground  be  not  taken  that  this  great  tribunal  was  called 
into  existence  solely  foi-  the  purpose  of  settling  a  dispute  between  two 
nations,  but  that  it  was  given  an  opportunity  and  was  vested  with  the 
power  to  make  a  substantial  contrilmtion  to  international  law.  and  that 
its  verdict,  while  dis]»osing  of  the  immediate  unitttr  in  «lispute,  sh(»uld 
be  such  a  formulation,  upon  broader  lines,  of  our  conception  of  rights  of 
property  and  of  piotection  as  would  be  of  value  to  all  U'  inkind.  irre- 
sju'ctivc  of  nations.  They  pointed  out  lliat  the  mateii  li  progress  of 
tlie  wor'd  was  based  upcui  tiie  funilamental  piincijile  of  '>wiiersiiip,  aud 
tliiit  the  most  etlective  way  of  preventing  tlie  commcrcnd  annihilation 
of  certain  giu'at  groups  of  creatures  was  by  lodging  in  tlie  nation  la'st 
qualified  by  its  geographic  position  to  pntect  them  a  custodianship,  to 
be  cxeniised  over  them  for  the  benefit  of  all.  It  was  shown  that  the 
adoption  of  this  principle  would  dispose  of  the  cpiestion  of  the  relation 
of  ther  g«)verunieiits  to  the  subject;  wouhl  make  iM>ssible  therehabili- 
tai., HI  of  many  of  the  seal  rookeries  of  tin*  south:  that  it  would  jtrotect 
such  industries  as  the  coral  aud  pearl  lisheries.  and  that  it  would  be 


i 


I 


r 


*  1 

:f 


•' 

M 

fc 

f    ^ 

■    '-f  ■■ 

326 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


useful  ill  controlliug  tlie  rapid  inroads  man's  iiigtMiiiity  is  now  making 
on  thedeni/ens  of  the  sea.  In  short,  tiiat  it  would  be  a  direct,  naet'ul, 
and  coiumou-sense  way  of  settling  the  whole  matter. 

rilE   liHITISH    I'OSITION. 

With  eijual  skill  of  argument  aiid  eloquence  of  address  tiie  advo- 
«',ate8  of  (Ireat  Britain  and  Canada  held  tliat  the  tribunal  possessed  but 
one  function — that  its  duty  'vas  to  declare  the  law  and  not  to  make  it; 
but  tliat,  whatever  its  function  might  be  as  an  international  body,  it  was 
not  vested  with  the  i)ower  to  make  international  law,  but  must  keep  to 
the  straight  and  narrow  way  of  settling  a  contention  between  two 
nations  and  adjusting  two  conflicting  methods  of  catciiing  seals.  They 
asked  that  the  tribunal  provi<le  for  the  continuation  of  pelagic  sealing 
«iid«'r  tlie  most  favorable  conditi<uis  consistent  with  carrying  out  the 
terms  of  the  treaty.  True,  nothing  was  sai«l  in  the  treaty  about  nreserv- 
iiig  the  business  of  ])elagic  sealing,  but  before  so  i)atient  and  generous 
a  court  it  was  not  ditlicnlt  to  ccmfuse  the  issue  of  jjreserving  the  seals 
and  continuing  pelagic  sealing  and  to  take  up  a  large  share  of  the  jno 
ceedings  with  pleadings  in  behalf  of  the  latter.  They  demanded  that 
the  (picstion  of  pi«>perty  right  be  settled  from  the  standpoint  that  the 
seals  were  wild  animuls,  whidi  man  could  <uily  reduce  to  jiossessioii  by 
destroying.  They  insisted  that  the  law  relating  to  wild  animals,  regard- 
less of  its  origin,  liad  been  accepted  by  nations  iis  the  years  ran  on;  it 
was  very  old  law  and  very  goo«l  law;  but.  whether  yood  or  bad,  it  was 
the  law,  and  from  its  teachings  the  tribunal  must  not  allow  itself  to  be 
enticed  away  by  the  seductive  citations  and  insidious  arguments  of 
learned  counsel  on  the  other  side.  There  must  be  no  making  of  laws  to 
suit  new  conditions;  the  ohi  stand  bys  must  be  adhered  to,  whether 
applicable  or  not.  They  urged  that  the  seals  being  Mild  animals,  tin 
United  States  had  done  nothing  to  encourage  or  develop  in  them  the 
animuni  reveitendl — the  inclination  to  return  to  their  homes,  as  in  the 
e^ise  of  bees  and  similar  creatures — and  thus  had  lost  their  claim  to  a 
property  in  them,  and  if  the  world  or  a  part  of  it  desired  to  turn  out 
in  boats  and  to  destroy  the  industry  by  shooting  the  seals  in  the  water 
they  had  a  perfect  riglit  to  dcr  s«),  fin-  a  wild  animal  was  free  to  all.  >'o 
matter  if  seal  mothers  roaming  the  sea  for  food  did  fall  before  the  gnn 
or  spear  of  the  jielagic  hunter  and  their  helpless  pups  starve  on  the 
rookeries,  the  linnd  of  destruction  must  not  Ik  atayid,  for  the  liiited 
States  hiid  no  rights  anyone  was  bound  legally  to  respect  when  the 
senis  were  .'{  miles  off  shore,  and  humanitarian  c(»nsiderations  had  no 
place  in  the  controversy.  They  insisted  that  the  tribunal  liad  no  author 
ity  in  hrv  to  declare  a  property  riglit  in  the  seals  or  in  the  industry,  but 
if  the  tribunal  contemplated  disiegaiding  the  law  and  settling  this 
question  on  lines  of  tlieir  own  crhoosing  they  must  refrain  t\'ou\  doing 
HO,  because  it  would  interfere  with  that  womlertVil  inventioii,  the  imme 
morinl  rigirt  on  the  h'gli  seas,  an  interference  iiati(.as  not  only  would 
not  brook. but  which  they  would  actively  resent. 

THE   TKIMUNAI/S   I)E<nsiON. 

The  tribunal,  true  to  the  «roiiservatism  of  the  Old  World,  accepted 
thia  iiiter|U'etatioii  of  tiieir  powers,  recognized  the  potency  of  venerable 
legal  relics,  assented  to  the  arguments  of  the  counsel  for  (ireat  liritain 
and  Canada  based  thereon,  and  contented  itself  with  deci<ling  that  the 
United  States  had  no  right  of  protection  or  jnoperty  in  the  fur  seals. 


SEAL    LIFH    ON    THE    I'lilltlLOF    ISLANDS. 


TUB   UKCJri.ATIONS. 


3J7 


Tlie  next  task  to  wiiidi  the  tribiuiiil  suldies.sed  itself  wjis  the  fram- 
ing of  reguhitions.  Tliese  regulations  furnish  the  hist  liope  for  the 
preservation  of  the  fur  seal  as  a  e(unniercial  eoniniodity.  It  is  not 
probable  that  any  othei'  nations  having  seal  interests  will  be  content 
with  less  than  the  United  States  secured,  nor  is  it  likely  they  will 
obtain  more,  and  thus  they  lepresent  the  measni'e  of  protection  all 
seals  are  likely  to  re<*eive  in  the  future. 

After  listening  to  an  enormous  mass  of  testimony — some  good,  some 
bad,  and  some  very  indiflerent — concerning  seal  life,  the  tribunal  pro- 
poses to  i>reserve  the  Alaskan  branch  of  the  northern  fur  seal  by  pro- 
hibiting sealing  within  a  zone  of  GO  miles  around  the  Pribilof  Islands 
by  establishing  a  closed  time,  or  time  of  no  killing  at  sea,  from  May  1 
to  July  'M :  by  permitting  only  sailing  vessels  to  engage  in  tho  business 
<»f  seal  hunting,  and  re<|uiring  them  to  carry  a  distinctive  flag,  to  take 
out  a  special  license,  and  to  keep  a  daily  recin-d  of  the  catch  and  the  sex 
of  the  seals  taken,  these  records  to  be  commnnicatetl  to  each  of  the 
two  (iovernments  at  the  close  of  the  sealing  season;  by  limiting  t!,e 
weapons  of  capture  to  shotguns  in  the  North  Pacific  and  spears  in 
Hering  Sea,  and  by  requiring  the  two  (Iovernments  to  take  sn«'li  meas- 
ures as  will  determine  whether  the  iinnteis  are  tit  to  handh'  with  suffl 
cient  skill  the  weapons  by  means  of  which  the  seals  are  to  be  captured. 
These  regulations,  which  are  tor'-main  in  force  until  they  have  bern  in 
whoh'  or  in  part  abolished  or  nx  ditied  by  common  agreement  between 
the  (jovernmeatsof  the  I'nited  States  and  (Jreat  Uritain,  are  toitesub 
mitted  every  five  years  to  a  iu*w  examination,  so  as  to  eindOe  both 
Governments  to  consider  whetlu'i-,  in  the  light  of  past  exjierience.  there 
is  occasion  for  any  moditication  of  them. 

The  three  prime  points  in  the  ri'gtilations  are:  The  zone  arountl  the 
islamls;  the  closed  time  of  three  months  injected  into  the  middle  of  the 
sealing  season,  thus  breaking  it  U]»,  an<l  the  restriction  ai'  tin*  use  of 
tirearms  to  the  Noitli  Pacific. 

First  as  to  the  zone:  If  there  was  any  one  fact  clearly  <'stablislied  by 
the  testimony  of  the  pelagic  sealers  themselves  and  o'  ial  expt'rts  it 
was  that  in  the  summer  season  great  numbers  of  seals,  iumI  esiiceially 
feiiiales,  are  ftmnd  at  long  distances  from  the  islands  of  llering  Soa, 
distances  two  or  thn'e  times  gr«'ater  than  that  of  the  prot«'cting  one 
])rovided  by  the  regulatitnis.  Now.  as  the  object  was  to  jjreserve  th" 
fur  seals,  it  is  proi)er  to  assume  that  the  tribunal,  promi»te(l  by  a  desire 
to  protect  them,  and  acting  in  good  I'aith.  established  suidi  a  zone  as 
they  believed  would  luactically  pndiibit  the  attack  of  the  i)elagic  sealer; 
but  if  this  was  so,  then  mere  amount  ot  distance  was  immaterial,  and 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  incessant  fogs  i>rood  over  tin'  waters  of  liering 
Sea  during  the  summer  season,  rendering  it  diflitult  to  tell  when  a  vessel 
is  within  or  without  a  zone,  the  limit  of  which  can  n«»t  be  nn«rke<l,  why 
not  at  once  adopt  that  mitnral  and  well  defined  boumlary  line,  the 
Aleutian  chain?  .lust  here  arises  the  (|Uestion:  When  vessels  are 
seized,  whose  word  shall  be  ac(!e])ted  as  to  the  locality  of  s«'izure — the 
pelagic  sealer's  or  the  seizing  officer's  ?  Does  not  this  uncertainty,  hav- 
ing as  it  does  an  important  bearing  on  the  ([uestion  of  conviction,  weaken 
the  regulations  restraiidng  inHuence  on  pelagic  sealing?  Aside  from 
•juestions  of  protection  it  seems  to  nie  that  this  i>art  of  tlie  decision  will 
tend  to  in<3rease  dispute  and  bitterness  rather  tlian  to  dindnish  it. 

The  ado|>tion  (dthe  cl(»8ed  time  means  the  recognition  on  the  part  of 


f    '' 


J''     I 


,li  = 


K-  M 


tti| 


32S 


SKAL    l-IFE    ON    THK    PKIItlLOF    ISLANDS. 


tlie  tribunal  that  tlie  destruction  by  the  pehijjic  sealer  lias  been  exces- 
sive, and  the  cutting  ott'  of  one  month  of  the  sealisig  season  in  Berinpf 
Sea  clearly  shows  that  it  realized  the  danger  to  the  herd  from  allowing 
sealing  there.  Why,  then,  was  sealiuf;  not  prohibited  altogether  in 
those  waters?  Is  the  danger  less  in  August  and  a  ])Grtion  of  Si'ptenj- 
ber?  The  seals  are  still  going  long  distances  from  the  islands  and  the 
sealer  can  continue  his  work  until  stopped  by  the  September  gales. 
Bering  Sea  is  the  focal  point,  the  great  massing  ground  of  seal  life,  and 
the  seals  are  more  readily  taken  there  than  anywhere  else.  In  18IU  the 
catch  of  the  Canadian  Heetin  the  North  Pacific  was  s;  little  over  LM,0(M) 
seals,  and  before  the  modus  vivendi  could  be  enforced  a  portion  of  the 
fleet  seale<l  from  three  to  five  weeks  on  the  American  side  of  Bering  Sea, 
and  with  fewer  vessels  and  with  fewer  small  boats  they  took  in  that  time 
as  many  seals  as  they  had  previously  secured  in  the  racifi*;.  During 
the  three  years  ending  with  and  including  1801  the  Canadian  fleet  (and 
I  only  (|Uote  from  Canadian  records,  because  they  are  so  reliable)  took, 
in  Ave  months,  in  the  North  I'acihi',  an  average  of  r)(»7  skins  per  vessel; 
with  ten  vessels  less,  they  took  in  Bering  Sea  727  skins  per  vessel  in 
about  two  and  one-half  months. 

The  jn-oposed  regulations  still  allow  at  least  live  weeks'  sealing  in 
Bering  Sea;  but,  say  the  regulations,  the  hunters  ran  only  use  spears 
in  Bering  Sea,  therei)y  intimating  that  spears  are  less  effective  than  the 
shotguns  allowed  in  the  North  Pacific,  and  that  an  additional  safeguard 
has  therefore  been  provitled  in  Bering  Sea.  .lust  why  the  shotgun  is 
pernicious  in  Bering  Sea  and  is  not  in  the  North  Pacilie  is  iu)t  indicated: 
but  if  we  turn  to  the  testimony  of  the  Northwest  Coast  Indians,  who 
ship  (Ml  the  schooners  and  accompany  them  to  Bering  Sea,  wa  find  that 
they  claim  that  they  can  <lo  better  work  with  the  spear  than  with  the 
shotgun.  The  latter  makes  the  uame  wild,  while  the  former  does  not. 
The  spear  makes  no  noise,  and  they  are  thus  able  to  take  seal  after  seal 
as  they  sleep  on  the  water,  and  g«'t  all  in  sight,  while  at  the  souiul  of  a 
gun's  discharge  the  connades  of  the  captured  or  wounded  seal  swim 
away. 

It  is  evi<lent  from  an  inspection  of  these  regidations  as  a  whole  that 
the  tribunal,  taking  in  to  account  the  inten'sts  of  both  nations,  cndeaviu-ed 
to  frame  nwasures  which,  while  [>rotecting  the  seals,  would  permit  the 
continuation  of  pelagic  scaling.  This  seems  to  ww,  a  task  the  accoiu- 
plishment  of  whicli  is  an  inipossil»i!ity.  The  evils  of  pelagic  sealing 
ai>pear  to  have  been  clesirly  recognized  by  the  tiibunal,  but  instea<l  of 
ado])ting  i>rohibitive  mesisures  it  took  tlie  middle  course  of  throwing 
some  protection  around  the  seals,  and  wliiU'at  the  snnn'time  appearing 
to  ('oncede  something  to  tlu'  pelagic  sealers,  made  tlu'  coiuliti«)ns  Just 
sufliciently  hanl  as  to  prevent  them  from  enga;:ing  successfully  in  the 
business.  I(  is  admitted  that  these  reglllatinn^  possess  value  in  limit 
ing  and  discouraging  pelagic  sealing,  but  tlieii  inherent  weakness  is 
that  while  they  n«»w  st-em  to  |)ossess  some  detcniiig  power,  ciianged 
corulitions  niay  at  anytime  arise  which  will  negative  their  influence 
and  offer  inducements  sullicient  to  enable  the  sealers  to  again  engage 
in  this  business  on  a  large  an«l  injurious  s<'ale.  This  contingency  is 
not  so  remote  as  nniy  apjiear  at  first  sight.  In  lS.Si>  the  average  price 
paid  in  Victoria  for  skins  taken  at  sea  was  #ii.8.'3;  in  l.Sl>0  it  had  risen 
to  *I(>.7(>;  in  ISIM  it  was  ^Sl").  In  1H81)  the  cost  of  each  skin  in  wages 
was  from  *L»  to  ^'.i;  in  1890  and  1891  it  was  $3.00;  in  1892  it  was  $+; 
in  other  words,  an  advancing  price  for  both  nuister  and  hunter. 

Now,  it  is  evident  that  it  will  be  some  time  before  the  I'ribilof  Islands 
can  very  greatly  increase  their  annual  output  of  skins.    The  maxinuuu 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


329 


output  of  the  Coniuiander  iHlauds  has  been  reache<l,  and  ju'obably  will 
have  to  be  decrease<l  in  the  future.  There  uuist  be  throu^jh  these  regu- 
lations some  curtaihneiit  of  the  contribution  of  the  sealing  schooners, 
and  the  result  of  all  this  will  be  that  seal  skins  will  demand  a  higher 
price.  Should  that  price  reach  a  tigure  which  will  compensate  tor  the 
(ibstacle.s  which  the  regulations  place  in  tiie  way  of  the  i)elagic  sealer, 
then  we  will  have  the  changed  (conditions  referred  to,  and  i>elagic  seal- 
ing with  its  attendant  evils  will  go  on  as  before.  If  there  is  doubt  in 
the  minds  of  anyone  upon  this  point  it  is  only  necessary  to  turn  to  the 
history  of  the  sea  otter,  which,  though  nearly  exterminated,  is  as 
eagerly  sought  after  to-day  as  it  ever  was,  simply  beciiuse  the  ever- 
increasing  price  the  tra'^e  is  willing  to  pay  for  its  skin  still  compensates 
for  the  small  numbers  now  taken.  There  is  no  reason  to  believe  that 
the  career  of  the  fur  seal  will  be  ditlerent  from  that  of  the  sea  otter. 

Another  possible  source  of  changed  conditions  lies  in  the  regulations 
themselves,  tor  they  provide,  as  we  have  peen,  for  their  own  modifica- 
tion every  live  years,  and  the  pressure  will  «'ome  heaviest  from  the 
jM'lagic  sealers'  side  of  the  case.  Indeed,  the  regulations  re(|uin'  that 
each  pelagic  sealer — an  interested  party — shall  keep  records  which  are 
to  be  made  available  when  the  <piestion  of  moditictations  of  ihe  regula- 
tions arises.  Now,  while  there  never  was  a  more  fearless  iind  coura- 
geous set  of  men  than  these  pelagic  sealers,  it  will  be  something  entirely 
new  in  their  history  if  their  records  do  not  appeal  in  the  strongest  pos- 
sible terms  for  a  modification  of  the  regulations  in  their  favor. 

The  final  (piesti(Ui  that  arises  in  regar<l  to  these  regulations  is,  will 
they,  as  they  now  stand,  ever  be  put  in  operation?  The  inteiested 
powers  have  yet  to  agree  ujion  nu'asures  for  giving  effect  to  them.  Is 
it  likely  that,  wImii  a  neutral  tribunal  found  the  nuiking  of  regulations 
so  tedious  aiul  <litti<-ult,  the  interested  jiowers  will  be  able  without  itjter- 
niinably  delay  an<l  po>sibly  irn'<'<uu'ilable  conflict  to  agree  upon  "•(con- 
current measures"  ])utting  them  in  force?  ICngland  has  won  on  the 
great  law  p<»ints  of  the  case,  but  these  regulations  are  (»bje(rtionable  to 
Canada,  for  they  bear  somewhat  heavily  upon  pelagic  sealing;  and  these 
''  concurrent  nu'iisures  "  otter  tempting  fighting  ground  for  secuiing  their 
modifitration  in  favor  of  the  Dominion. 

lender  the  circumstances  it  is  only  to  be  exjietcted  tliut  the  arts  of 
diplomacy  will  be  vig<u"ously  exercised  in  that  directi<m.  There  Is  but 
one  course,  however,  for  the  United  States  to  jiursue — permit  no  modi- 
fications, stand  s(|uarely  forthe  prompt  carryingout  of  these  reguliitions, 
and  let  time  reveal  how  nmch  value  they  possess  for  i)r()tecting  tl»e  seal 
herd.  Kngland  will  champion  no  plan  of  greater  )uotection:  she  has 
all  to  gain  and  nothing  to  lose  from  delay,  ami  it  will  re<|uire  all  the 
eiieigy  aiul  fii-mness  of  the  Kxecutive  to  put  ettectively  in  force  the 
regulati(His  as  adopted  by  the  tribunal. 

«'(>N<'Ll  SIONS. 

After  more  than  two  years  of  dose  study  <.r  this  ([uestion  it  is  my 
conviction  that  the  only  way  in  wiiich  the  world  can  secure  the  liirgest 
benefit  commercially  fnun  tlie  fur  seal  wherever  found  is  by  taking  the 
surplus  immature  nudes  upon  land  umler  the  most  favorable  conditions 
8  iggested  by  experience;  that  securing  seals  by  any  (jther  methods 
iiitroducses  the  fatal  element  of  indiscrimination ;  that  the  life  of  the  herd 
is  Jeopardized  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  females  killed;  that  the 
injury  inflicted  on  the  northern  herds  by  pelagic  sealing  increases  from 
-lanuary  to  August,  grows  greater  as  Bering  Sea  is  approached,  and 


In 


■  t 


fffl 


:^^i 


330 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIUILOF    ISLANDS. 


4;ulniiiijit«!s  in  those  Wfiteis;  that  the  sliotgun  faiid  spear  are  both  deadly, 
the  hitter  l>y  reason  of  its  noiseless  etticieiiey,  the  former  by  reason  of 
its  ready  nsc  l)y  all  ehisses,  and  that  the  disposition  of  this  qnestion  on 
the  basis  of  adjnsting  two  conHicting  interests  is  futile  and  illog;icai, 
but  niateiial  issues  are  not  alone  involved;  it  jiresents  bioloj?ic  features 
as  well  and  has  to  do  with  forces  of  nature  beyond  man's  control. 

IJeyulations  can  not  be  franied  by  human  ingenuity  which  will  pre- 
serve tiie  seal  herds  in  their  greatest  i)ossible  proportions  and  permit 
the  continuation  of  successful  pelagic  sealing.  It  would  be  reconciling 
the  irreconcilable.  It  would  be  accomplishing  a  feat  equal  to  that  of 
making  two  bodies  occupy  the  same  space  at  the  same  tinie.  Kitlier 
the  regulations  will  be  prohibitive  in  their  operation — in  wliicli  case  it 
■would  be  more  straightforward  to  make  them  so  in  the  lirst  instance — 
or,  if  allowing  successfiil  pelnp-ic  sealing,  they  will  be  valueless  in  pre- 
venting the  extermination  of  th,^  seal.  In  general  it  may  be  said  that 
no  pelagic  sealing  can  be  carried  on  which  is  not  inherently  and  un<;on 
trollably  injurious  to  the  life  of  the  seal  herd — the  annniut  of  injury 
being  proportionate  to  the  magnitude  of  the  attack. 


iiii 


'WIS! 


▲WASD  OF  THE  TRIBUNAL  OF  ARBITRATION  CONSTITUTED  UNDER  THE  TBEATT 
CONCLUDED  AT  WASHINGTON  THE  29TH  OF  FEBRUARY,  1892,  BETWEEN  THE 
UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA  AND  HER  MAJESTY  THE  QUEEN  OF  THE  UNITED 
KINGDOM  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND. 

[Kii^Iisli  vcrsiiiii.] 

Wheresis,  by  a  treaty  between  the  United  8tr  tes  of  America  and  Great 
JU'itain,  signed  at  Washington,  February  29,  1S!)2,  the  ratirtcations  oi 
which  by  the  (lovernraents  of  the  two  countries  were  exchanged  at 
London  on  May  7,  l.S!>2,  it  was,  amongst  other  things,  agreed  and  con- 
■eluded  that  the  questions  which  had  arisen  between  the  Government  of 
the  United  States  of  America  and  the  Government  of  Her  Hritannic 
Majesty,  conceridng  the  jurisdictional  rights  of  the  United  States  in 
the  waters  of  Bering  Sea,  aiul  concerning  also  the  preservation  of  the 
fur  seal  in  or  habitually  resorting  to  the  said  sea,  and  the  rights  of  the 
citizens  and  subjects  of  either  country  as  regards  the  taking  cC  fur 
seals  in  or  habitually  lesorting  to  the  said  waters,  should  be  submitted 
to  a  tribunal  of  arbitration  to  be  composed  of  seven  arbitrators,  who 
should  be  appointed  in  the  following  manner,  that  is  to  say:  Two  should 
be  named  by  the  I'residentof  the  United  States;  twoshoidd  be  named 
by  Her  Britannic  Majesty;  His  Excellency  the  President  of  the  French 
Itepublic  shouhl  be  jointly  requested  by  the  high  contracting  ]>ai'ties 
to  name  one;  His  Majesty  the  King  of  Italy  should  be  so  requested  to 
name  one;  His  Majesty  the  King  of  Sweden  and  Norway  should  be 
so  requested  to  name  one;  the  seven  arbitrators  to  be  so  named  should 
be  jurists  of  distinguished  reputation  in  their  respective  countries,  and 
the  selecting  powers  sluuild  be  requested  to  choose,  if  possible,  jurists 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  English  language; 

And  whereas  it  was  further  agreed  by  Article  II  of  the  sai<l  treaty 
that  the  arbitrators  should  meet  at  Paris  within  twenty  days  after  the 
<lelivery  of  the  counter  cases  mentioned  in  Article  IV,  and  should  pro- 
ceed impartially  and  carefully  to  exanune  and  decide  the  questions 
which  had  been  or  should  belaid  before  them  as  in  the  said  treaty  pro 
vided  on  the  part  of  the  Governments  of  the  United  States  and  of  Her 
Britannic  Majesty,  respectively,  ami  that  all  questions  considered  by 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THK    PKIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


331 


tli<^  Iribiiiiiil,  iiicliuliii^'  t)io  final  decision,  sliould  be  deterniined  by  a 
miijority  ot  :ill  rlie  arbitrators; 

And  whereas  by  Article  VI  of  the  said  treaty,  it  was  further  i)ro- 
vided  as  tbllows: 

III  (It^citliii^  till'  iiiatters  sroiiiittoil  ti>  tin-  siiid  :irliitrati>rs.  it  jh  agreed  that  tin-  tol- 
lawiii^  live  pointN  nIuiII  bt-  H.iUinittetl  to  tluMii  in  order  lliat  tlii'ir  award  Hliall  einbruce 
a  distinct  deciHioii  ii))iin  ci.cli  ol'  naid  live  ]ioiiits,  t<>  wit: 

1.  What  exclusive'  Jurisdiction  in  the  sea  now  iinowii  as  IJeriny;  Sea.  and  wliiit 
I'xi'lnsive  ri<;htM  in  the  seal  lishcries  therein,  ilid  l^nssia  assert  and  exercise  i>rior  and 
ii|i  to  tbi;  time  of  tiie  ccHsion  ot  Alaska  to  the  I'liited  States^ 

L'.  How  far  were  these  claims  of  Jnrisdiction  us  to  the  seal  lisheries  iccoyni/ed  and 
conceded  by  (ireat  Hritain? 

.'>.  Was  the  body  of  water  now  known  a8  nurin<>  Sea  included  in  the  |dirase  I'acitii; 
Ocean,  as  used  in  the  treaty  of  \H2'y  between  (ireat  [tritain  and  Russia;  and  what 
rijfhts,  if  any,  in  IJeriny:  Sea  were  held  and  exclusively  exercised  by  Kussia  aftersaid 
treaty  f 

4.  Did  not  all  the  ri^rbtsof  KiiHsia,  as  to  jurisdiction  and  as  to  the  seal  fisheries  in 
Herinjj;  Sea  east  of  the  water  boundary,  in  the  treaty  between  the  I'uited  States  and 
Russia  of  the  HOth  of  .March,  ISitT,  iiass  uiiinipaired  to  the  United  States  under  that 
treaty  f 

.').  Has  the  I'nited  .states  any  ri^ht,  and  if  so,  what  rijjht.of  jroteetion  or  jtrop- 
erty  in  the  fnr  seals  frei|ueiiting  the  islands  of  the  United  .States  in  Merinn;  .Sea  when 
such  seals  :ne  found  outside  the  ordinary  S-tnile  limit ' 

And  whereas,  by  Article  VII  of  the  said  treaty,  it  was  lin  tiier  ayieed 
as  follows: 

If  the  determination  of  the  fore;roiii;j;  ipiestions  as  to  the  exclusive  ,|urisdicti<ui  of 
the  United  States  shall  leave  the  sub.Ject  in  such  position  that  tin;  coi:L';'.;r;'m'e  of 
fircat  Kritain  is  necessary  to  the  establishment  of  rejfulations  for  the  propei'  pr«.tec- 
tion  iind  preservation  of  the  fur  seal  in,  or  habitually  resortiiif;  to,  lieriiiij  .Sea,  the 
arbitrators  shiill  then  <letermine  what  concurrent  re;;ulatioiis,  outside  the  Jurisdic- 
tion limits  of  the  respec^tive  4ioveinmenls,  are  ne<'essary.  and  over  what  wat  rs  sii<  h 
re<;ulations  should  esieiid: 

The  hi^h  <'oiitraciin);  ]>ai'lics  furthermore  a<>'rce  to  cooperate  in  securing:  the  aillie- 
sion  of  other  jtowers  In  such  rc<;uliitioiis; 

•Vnd  when'sis,  l>y  Article  \'!II  of  the  said  tit-aty.  after  n-citinyf  that 
the  high  contracting  |>arties  lia<l  round  themselves  unable  to  agree 
u)ton  a  reference  which  should  include  the  <|uestion  of  the  liability  of 
each  for  the  injuries  alleged  to  have  lieeii  sustained  by  the  otlu'i-,  or  by 
its  <'iti/ens,  in  conneution  with  the  claims  pre.>«ented  and  urged  by  it, 
and  that '"they  were  .solicitions  that  this  subtu'dinate  question  shoidd 
not  interrui>t  or  longer  delay  the  submi.ssion  and  determination  of  the 
main  questions."' the  high  c<Hitracting  i»arties  agreed  that  "either  <»f 
them  might  submit  to  tlie  aibitrators  any  question  of  faci  involved  in 
.sai<l  claims  and  a><k  for  a  tinding  thereon,  the  question  of  i'le  liability 
of  either  (lov«^rnment  upon  tin'  facts  found,  to  be  the  subject  of  fnitlier 
negotiation; 

And  whereas  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America  nameil 
the  Hon.  John  M.  Harlan,  .lustice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  Hon..lohn  T.  Morgan.  Senator  of  the  United  States,  to 
be  two  of  the  sai<l  arbitrattns,  an<l  Her  Britannii;  Majesty  named  the 
Kight  Hon.  Lord  Hannen  and  the  Hon.  Sir  .lohn  Thomi)80U,  minister 
of  Justice  and  attorne.v-general  for  ('amida,  to  be  two  of  the  said 
arbitrators,  and  His  Kxcellency  the  Pre.sideut  of  the  French  l{e]iublic 
named  the  Baron  de  C«»ur<'el,  senator,  and)assador  of  France,  to  be 
one  of  the  said  arbitrators:  and  His  Majesty  the  King  of  Italy  naiFied 
the  Marquis  Knnlio  Vi.sconti  Venosta,  former  mini.sterof  foreign  att'airs 
and  senator  of  the  Kingdom  of  Italy,  to  be  one  of  the  said  arbitrators; 
and  His  Majesty  the  King  of  Sweden  and  Norway  named  Mr.  (Iregers 
< Irani,  minister  of  state,  to  be  one  of  the  said  arbitrators; 

And  whereas  we,  the  said  arbitrators  so  named  and  appointed,  hav- 


mil 


I'  1 


Jill! 


■4' 


;■''   , 


I* 


TTTT 


I       I 


332 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


in;;  taken  upon  ourHelvo^  the  burden  of  the  said  arbitration,  and  liavin;^ 
duly  met  at  Paris,  proceeded  itn|>artially  and  caret'ully  to  examine  an<l 
decide  all  the  questions  submitted  to  us,  the  said  arbitrators,  under  the 
8aid  treaty,  or  laid  before  us  as  provided  in  the  said  trea  y  on  the  part 
of  the  Cloverun)ents  of  Her  Britaunic;  Majesty  and  the  I'nited  States. 
resi)ectively; 

Now  we,  the  said  arbitrators,  having  impartially  and  carefully  exjim 
Ined  the  said  questions,  do  in  like  manner  by  this  our  award  decide  and 
determine  the  said  questions  in  the  manner  following;  that  is  to  sny. 
we  deci«le  and  determine  as  to  the  five  points  mentioned  in  Article  \'I 
as  to  which  our  award  is  to  embrace  a  distinct  decision  upon  each  of 
them : 

As  to  the  first  of  the  said  live  i>oints,  we,  the  said  iiaron  deCourcel,  .Mr. 
Justice  Harlan,  Lord  Hannen,  Sir  .John  Thompson,  Marquis  \"sconti 
Venosta,  and  Mr.  (Iregers  Graiii,  being  a  nuijority  of  tin'  said  arbi- 
trators, do  decide  and  determine  as  follows: 

By  the  ukase  of  1821  Russia  claimed  jurisdiction  in  the  sea  now 
known  as  Bering  Sea  to  the  extent  of  1(H)  Italian  nules  from  the  coast 
andislaudsbehuigingtoher;  but, in  thectmrseof  the  negotiations  which 
led  to  the  cont'lusion  of  the  treaties  of  I.Sl'4  with  the  TnitcMl  Statesand 
and  of  i82>~i  with  Great  Britain,  Russia  adnutted  that  her  jurisdiction 
in  the  said  sea  should  be  restricted  to  the  reach  of  cannon  shot  from 
shore,  and  it  appears  that  from  that  time  u]>  to  the  time  of  the  cession 
of  Alaska  to  the  I'nited  States  Russia  never  asserted  in  fact  or  exer- 
cised any  exclusive  Jurisdiction  in  Bering  Sea  or  any  exclusive  rights 
in  the  seal  fisheries  therein  beyond  the  ordinary  limit  of  territorial 
waters. 

As  to  the  secoiul  of  the  said  five  points,  we.  the  said  Baron  de  Courcel, 
Mr.  Justice  Harlan,  Lord  ilannen.  Sir  John  Thompson,  Marquis  Visconti 
Venosta,  and  Mr.  Gregers  Grain,  being  a  majority  of  the  said  arbi- 
trators, do  decide  and  determin<*  that  Great  Britain  did  not  recognize 
or  concede  any  claim  upon  the  part  of  Russia  to  exclusive  Jurisdiction 
as  to  the  seal  fisheries  in  Bering  Sea  outsi<le  of  onlinary  territoiial 
waters. 

As  to  the  tlnrd  of  the  8ai<l  five  points,  as  to  so  much  thereof  as  re(|uires 
us  to  decide  whether  the  body  of  water  now  known  as  Bering  Sea  was 
included  in  the  phrase  "  l'acirt<;  Ocean"  as  used  in  the  treaty  of  I.SlT* 
between  Great  Britain  and  Russia,  we,  the  said  arbitrators,  do  uuiiiii- 
raously  decide  and  determine  that  the  body  of  water  now  known  as 
Bering  Sea  was  included  in  the  phrase  ''  Pacific  Ocejin"  as  used  in  the 
said  treaty. 

And  as  to  so  nuu'h  of  the  said  third  point  as  requires  us  to  decide 
what  rights,  if  any,  in  Bering  Sea  were  held  and  exclusively  exercised 
by  Russia  afti'r  the  Siud  treaty  of  182o,  we,  the  sai<l  Baron  de  Courcel, 
Mr.  Justice  Harlan,  Lord  Hannen,  Sir  J(din  Thompson,  Marquis  Visconti 
N'enosta,  au<l  Mr.  Gregers  Gram,  being  a  majority  of  the  sai<l  arbitni 
tors,  do  decide  and  determine  that  no  exclusive  rights  of  Jurisdii^tioii 
in  Bering  Sea  and  no  exclusive  rights  as  to  the  seal  fisheries  therein 
were  held  <n  exercised  by  Russia  outside  <)f  ordinary  territoriiil  wat<'rs 
after  the  treaty  of  182r». 

As  to  the  fourth  of  the  said  five  points,  we,  the  said  arbitrators,  do 
unainmously  decide  and  determine  that  all  the  rights  of  Russia  as  to 
Jurisdiction  aiul  as  to  the  seal  fisheries  in  Bering  Sea  east  of  the  water 
boundary,  in  the  treaty  between  the  United  States  and  Russia  of  the 
.'iOth  March,  18({7,  did  pass  unimpaired  to  the  United  States  under  the 
said  treaty. 


SKAL    Lll'K    ON    THK    I'HIItlLOF    ISLANDS. 


333 


As  to  the  lit'tli  of  tlu»  said  five  points,  we,  the  siiid  Haroii  de  Conrcel, 
Lord  llaiineii,  Sir  .loliii  Tlioinpsoii,  Manniis  Visconti  Venosta,  and  Mr. 
(irejiers  Gram,  beiiij;  a  iiiajctrity  of  tlie  said  arbitrators,  do  decide  and 
<l('t<'rniine  tiiat  the  United  States  has  not  any  rij;iit  of  protection  or 
property  in  the  fur  seals  fiecpientiiifr  tiie  ishmds  of  the  Inited  States 
in  IJering:  Sea  when  such  seals  are  found  outside  the  ordinary  .»  mile 
limit. 

And  whereas  the  aforesaid  deterndnation  of  the  fore;ioin}i"  questions 
as  to  the  exclusive  Jurisdiction  of  tlu;  United  States,  mentioned  iu 
Article  VI,  leaves  the  subject  in  such  a  i>ositi()ii  that  the  concurrence 
of  Great  IJritain  is  necessary  to  the  establishment  of  refjul.itions  for 
the  proper  protection  and  jtreservation  of  the  fur  seals  in  or  habitually 
resorting:  to  Berinjj  Sea,  the  tribunal  havniji'  decide<l  by  a  nmjority  as 
to  each  article  of  the  followinj;  le^ulations,  we,  the  said  liaron  de 
Courcel,  L(ud  Ilannen,  MarquLs  Visconti  N'enosta,  and  Mr.  (lrey:ers 
(iram,  assenting;  to  the  whole  of  the  nine  articles  of  the  following;  re(;u- 
lations,  and  beiii};'  a  majority  of  the  said  arbitrators,  do  decide  an<l 
<letermine  in  the  mode  provided  by  the  treaty  that  the  followiii^j  con- 
current regulations  outside  the  jurisdictional  limits  of  the  respective 
(ioveininents  are  necessary,  and  that  they  should  extend  over  the 
waters  hereinafter  mentioned,  that  is  to  say: 

REGULATIONS. 
Artici.k  1. 

The  Governments  of  the  Uiiite<l  States  and  of  Great  Mritain  shall 
forbid  their  citizens  and  subjects,  resj>ective!y,  to  kill,  capture,  or  \mr 
sue  at  any  time  and  in  any  manner  whatever  the  aninmls  commoidy 
<!alled  fur  seals  within  a  zone  of  <»(»  miles  arouiul  the  Pribilof  Islands, 
inclusive  of  the  teiritorial  waters. 

The  nules  mentioned  in  the  precedin<>'  itaragraph  are  geographical 
ndles,  of  (•(>  to  a  degree  of  latitude. 

Aitru  i,K  1'. 

The  two  (rovernments  shall  forbid  their  citizens  and  subjects,  respec- 
tively, to  kill,  ca])ture,  or  pursue,  in  any  manner  whatever,  during  the 
season  extending  each  year  from  the  1st  of  >[ay  to  the  1st  of  July,  both 
inclusive,  the  fur  seals  on  the  high  sea,  in  the  part  of  the  I'acitic  Ocean, 
inclusive  of  IJering  Sea,  which  is  situated  to  the  north  of  the  thirty- 
fifth  degree  of  north  latitude  and  eastward  of  the  one  hundred  and 
eightieth  degree  of  longitude  from  Greenwich,  till  it  strikes  the  water 
boundary  described  in  Article  I  of  the  treaty  of  18(57  between  the 
United  States  and  Russia,  and  following  that  line  up  to  Bering  Straits. 

Artici.k  ;J. 

During  the  period  of  time  and  in  the  waters  in  which  the  fur  seal 
fishing  is  allowed,  oidy  sailing  vessels  shall  be  permitted  to  carry  ou 
or  take  part  in  fur-seal  fishing  operations.  They  will,  however,  be  at 
liberty  to  avail  themselves  of  the  use  of  such  canoes  or  uiuUM'ked 
boats,  propelled  by  paddles,  oars,  or  sails  as  are  iu  common  use  as 
fishing  boats. 

Aktici.k  I. 

Kacli  sailing  vessel  authorized  to  fish  for  fur  seals  must  be  provided 
with  a  special  license  issued  for  that  pnrpose  by  its  (iovernment,  and 
shall  be  required  to  carry  a  distinguishing  dag,  to  be  prescribed  by  its 
Government.  . 


I    I 


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334 


SKAL    lAVK    ON    TIIK    PRIHILOF    ISLANhS. 


Aktklk  5. 


The  iiiiisters  of  the  vessels  eiii^af^cd  in  tiii'Meul  lishiiig  shiill  ciifci 
accurately  in  their  otticial  log  book  the  date  and  phice  of  each  fur-seal 
fishing  o])eration,  and  also  the  number  and  sex  of  the  seals  captured 
upon  each  day.  These  entries  shall  be  connnunicated  by  each  of  the 
two  (loverninents  to  the  other  at  the  end  of  each  lishing  season. 

AUTICI-K  H. 

The  nse  of  nets,  lirearnis,  and  explosives  shall  be  forbi<lde;i  in  tlie 
fur-seal  fishing.  This  restriction  shall  not  apply  to  shotguns  when  such 
fishing  takes  place  outside  of  Mering  Sea  during  the  season  when  it 
may  be  lawfully  carried  oji. 

AlM'K  t.K    7. 

The  two  (Joverninents  shall  take  measures  to  control  the  fitness  (»t 
the  men  authorized  to  engagj  in  fur  seal  fishing.  These  men  shall  have 
been  proved  lit  to  handle  with  sutlicient  skill  the  weap<ms  by  means  of 
which  this  fishing  nuiy  l)e  carried  on. 

AUTICI.K   X. 

The  regulati>)ns  contained  in  the  precedln.u  articles  shall  not  apply  to 
Jndians  dwelling  on  the  coasts  of  the  territory  of  the  United  States  or 
of  Cheat  Britain,  and  carrying  on  fur-seal  fishing  iu  canoes  or  undecked 
boats  not  transported  by  paddles,  osirs,  or  sails,  and  numned  by  uot 
more  than  five  i)ersonseach  in  the  way  hitherto  i)racticed  by  the  Indians, 
provided  such  Imlians  are  not  in  the  employment  of  other  persons,  and 
provided  that,  when  so  hunting  in  canoes  or  undecked  l)oats,  they  shall 
uot  huut  fur  seals  outside  of  territorial  waters  uiuler  contract  for  the 
delivery  of  the  skins  to  any  persou. 

This  exemption  shall  not  be  construed  to  affect  the  municipal  law  of 
either  country,  nor  shall  it  extend  to  the  waters  of  Bering  Sea  or  the 
waters  of  the  Aleutian  Passes. 

Nothing  herein  contained  is  intended  to  interfere  with  the  employ- 
ment of  luilians  as  hunters  or  otherwise  in  (Connection  with  fur-sealing 
vessels,  as  heretofore. 

AKTICI-K  It. 

The  concurrent  regulations  hereby  determined  with  a  view  to  the  pro- 
tection and  preservation  of  the  fur  seals  shall  remain  in  force  until  they 
have  been  in  whole  or  in  part  abolished  or  modified  by  common  agree 
ment  between  the  Govarnraents  of  the  United  States  and  of  Great 
Britain. 

The  said  concurrent  regulations  shall  be  submitted  every  five  years 
to  a  new  exsinnnation,  so  as  to  enable  both  interested  Governments  to 
consider  whether  in  the  light  of  past  experience  there  is  occasion  for 
any  modificati(U)  thereof. 

And  whereas  the  Government  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty  did  submit 
to  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration  by  Article  VIII  of  the  said  treaty  cer 
tain  questions  of  tact  involved  in  the  claims  referred  to  in  said  Article 
VIII,  and  di<l  also  submit  to  us,  the  said  tribumil,  a  statement  of  the 
said  facts,  as  follows,  that  is  to  say: 

FINDINGS  OF  l.A(T  I'KOl'OHKK  ItV  THK  AiJKNT  (»K  (iUKAT  IJKITAIX  AN1>  ACItKKD  ll> 
AS  I'KOVKI)  l»Y  TIIK  Atil'.NT  1  OIJ  TUK  rXmCl)  STATES  AND  SI  UMITTKI)  TO  TIIK 
TIUIU'NAL  OK    AKIUTUATIOX    KOIJ    ITS    COXSIDKBAITOX. 

1.  That  the  several  searches  and  seizures,  whether  of  ships  or  ^oods,  and  the  sev- 
eral arrests  of  masters  and  crews.  re8])ectively,  mentioned  in  the  schedule  to  the 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THK    IMMItlLOF    ISLANDS. 


335 


KritiHli  cjiKf,  piip'h  1  til  tin,  incliisivo,  uuie  iiiado  liy  tlir  antli(irit,v  ut'  ilin  riiit«'.t 
gtati-><  liovcriiiiient,  'I'lii'  i|iie.stiiiim  us  to  tlie  valuta  of  the  Mai<l  v«>sHt']s  or  tlii-ir  con- 
tentH,  or  <;itIiiT  ul'  tlit'iii,  and  the  i|ii<'.Htiiiii  an  tn  whtttlier  the  vi'shi-Ih  nifiitidiifil  in 
the  H('Iie<liile  to  tht*  Mritish  ('»»<■,  or  any  of  tlu'iii,  wtrit  wholly  or  in  ]iart  Ihr  actiiiil 
prii|M'rty  of  the  I'iti/.oiis  of  thi-  I'niti-il  .Stati-8  have  Item  withdrawn  Ironi  anil  huve 
nut  lii'<;ii  ('oii-<idirrtMl  hy  tht-  triltiinai,  it  lifiii;r  iindrr^tooil  that  it  is  open  to  the  I'liited 
StateH  to  raise  tln-Hi-  i|iii'Btions  or  any  of  them,  if  they  think  lit,  in  any  future  ne^o- 
tiations  hh  to  the  liability  of  the  rniteil  States  (iovernineiit  lo  pay  the  amounts 
mentioned  in  the  Hi-hednle  of  the  Hritish  ease. 

'J.  That  the  sei/.iireH  aforesaid,  with  the  exeejition  of  the  I'dlliUndei:  Ht'i/.vi\  at  Neah 
Hay,  were  made  in  liering  i!<>ea  at  the  distanceH  from  shore  mentioned  in  the  Hchediile 
annexed  hereto,  marked  ('. 

',i.  That  the  said  several  searches  and  Hei/nresof  vessels  were  niadi'  Ity  piihlir  armed 
vessels  of  the  I'lnted  States,  the  eommautlers  of  whieh  had,  at  the  several  times  wlieu 
they  were  made,  from  the  Kxeciitive  Department  of  the  (iovernniunt  of  the  I'nited 
States,  instrnrtions.  a  copy  of  one  of  which  is  annexed  hereto,  marked  .V,  and  tliat  the 
others  were,  in  all  substantial  respects,  the  same;  that  in  all  the  instances  in  which 
procee<Iiii};s  were  had  in  the  district  courts  of  the  I'nited  .States  resnltinfj  in  condem- 
nation, such  proceediiiKN  were  befjnn  by  the  lilinj;  of  libids.  a  copy  of  one  of  which 
is  annexed  tiereto.  marked  H.  and  that  tlie  libels  in  the  other  proceedin<;s  were  in  all 
Bubstantial  res)iects  the  same:  that  the  ;ille;re(l  acts  or  oll'enses  for  which  said  several 
BearchcH  and  sei/.nrcs  were  made  in  each  case  were  done  or  eonimitted  in  I$eriii<j  Sea 
at  the  distances  from  shore  aforesaid  ;  and  that  in  each  case  in  w  liich  sentence  ot  con- 
demnation was  i)assed.  excei>t  in  those  cases  when  the  \essels  were  released  after 
condemnation,  the  sci/nre  was  ado])ted  by  the  tiovernment  of  the  I'nited  States; 
and  in  those  cases  in  which  the  vessels  were  relcaseil  the  seizure  was  made  by  the 
authority  of  the  I'nited  States:  that  the  said  lines  ami  imprison nu-iits  were  for  alie<red 
breaches  of  the  municipal  laws  of  the  I'nited  States,  which  ullc;.jc(l  breaches  were 
wholly  committed  in  Merinj:  Sea  at  the  distances  from  the  shore  aforesaid. 

1.  That  the  several  orders  mentioned  in  the  schedule  annexed  hereto  and  nuirked 
(i,  warning  vessels  to  leave  or  not  to  enter  lierinj;  Sea,  were  made  by  public  armed 
vessels  of  the  I'nited  St.ites,  the  coramanilers  of  which  had,  at  the  several  times 
when  tht-y  were  )?iven,  like  instructions  as  mentioned  in  tindin<;  l>,  and  that  the  ves- 
sels so  warned  weie  enj^afjed  in  sealiii};  or  jirosecutinfi;  voyages  for  that  puri>ose,  and 
that  such  action  was  adopted  by  the  (iovernnieiit  of  the  I'nited  States. 

't.  That  the  district  courts  of  the  I'nited  States  in  which  any  j)roeeedinj^8  were 
had  or  taken  for  the  purpose  of  conih'mnitif;  any  vessel  seized,  as  ini^ntioned  in  the 
schedule  to  the  case  of  (ireat  liritain,  i»aj:;es  1  to  (iO,  inclusive,  hi.d  all  the  jtirisdic- 
tion  and  powers  of  courts  of  admiralty,  including  the  prize, jurisdiction,  but  that  in 
each  case  the  sentenci!  pronounced  b.\  the  court  was  based  upon  the  grounds  set 
forth  in  the  libel. 


il    M 


Annex  A. 

Tkeasurv  Dkpaktmknt,  OKI'ICE  (>1    tiik  Secritahy, 

IVashhitilon,  Jpril  21,  ISSd. 

Sir  :  Keferring  to  Department  letter  of  this  date,  directing  you  to  proceed  with  the 
revenue  steamer  Hear,  under  your  command,  to  the  seal  islands,  etc.,  you  are  hereby 
clothed  with  full  power  to  enforce  the  law  contained  in  the  jirovisions  of  section  1956 
of  the  United  States  IJevised  St.'itutes,  and  directed  to  seize  all  vessels  and  arrest  and 
deliver  to  the  proper  authorities  an.\  or  all  persons  whom  you  may  detect  violating 
the  law  referred  to,  after  «lue  notice  shall  have  been  given. 

You  will  also  seize  any  liipiors  or  lirearms  attempted  to  be  introduced  into  tbe 
country  without  proper  permit,  under  the  ])rovisioiis  of  .section  111,")"!  <)f  the  IJevised 
Statutes,  and  the  proclamation  of  the  President  dated  February  t,  1><7(I. 
He8j)ectfnlly,  yours, 

C.  S.  FAiitciiii.i),    {(titut  Secretary. 
("apt.  M.  A.  llEAi.Y, 

Commtinding  nereniie  Steamei'  Bear,  San  FranviKco,  Cnl. 


Annex  IJ. 


In  the  district  court  of  the  United  States  for  the  District  of  Alaska — .Viigust  special 

term,  1886. 

To  the  Hon.  Lakayktte  Dawson,  Judge  of  mid  District  Court: 

The  libel  of  information  of  M.  D.  Ball,  attorney  for  the  United  States  for  the  Dis- 
trict of  Alaska,  who  prosocutes  on  behalf  of  said  rnite<l  States,  and  being  present 


&  '• 


■J    i- 


OPFP 


t 

1 

ii 

■  i 

^ 

m 

M 

'^^ff  f 


336 


.si:al  ijkh  on  thk  priuilof  IHI-AM»s. 


]i<>r«  ill  oMirt  ill  his  |i|'ii|m>i'  ]irrsoii,  in  tli«  iiaiiic  uikI  «ii  iMtlnilf  of  imiil  I'liitcil  StatcH. 
ii);aiiiHt  tilt)  sfliooiiiT  Thornton,  iiur  tarlxlu,  ii|>|iar*-l,  lioutN,  car^o,  ami  riiriiitiiri',  aini 
n>;niii8t  all  iicisoiis  iiitcrvt'iiiii;;  Cur  tlitMi-  inturuMt  tlxn'ttiii,  in  a  canst'  of  lort't'itnrc, 
alleKt'^  anil  inlorniH  wn  lullnwN: 

Tliat  Charles  A.  Alilit-y.  an  onift-r  in  tlin  Ifcvfiiim-Mariiu'  StTvicf  of  tlio  I'liitoil 
StatfH,  anil  on  spefial  tliit.v  in  tin-  wiitiTH  of  tin-  DiHirii't  ut°  Alasl<a,  herftofoit-,  to 
wit,  on  tlii>  iHt  ilav  of  An^riiHt,  IHXii,  within  tlit^  iiinitH  of  Alasl<a  TtMritorv,  aiul  in  tin' 
watt'i'H  tiitToof,  anil  within  tlif  civil  anil  Jiiilicial  Di.slrii^t  of  AImmUii,  to  wit,  within 
tliu  watt'i's  of  that  |iortioii  of  Hi'rin^  Sun  lM>loii;;inK  to  tlii>  saiil  iliHtiiit.  on  wadrs 
ii»vi;;a1>le  from  tin-  stia  li,v  vcssfiN  of  10  or  mor«  tons  hnnltni.  sfi/.t-il  thrHhipor  vi-ssel 
connnonly  ralliil  a  Hclioontr,  tlit^  Thornlon,  lirr  taiklt;,  a|i|iar«!l,  liuiitM,  rar;:o,  ami 
fiirnitiiri',  Iti'iii);  tin-  propi'rtv  of  sonu'  piTHon  or  piTHoiiH  to  tht'saiil  attornti.v  nnknown, 
an  forfeitfti  to  tin-  I'nitt'il  Stati'8,  for  tin;  folli>winK  I'ltiisi's; 

That  tim  siiiil  vt'sxt-l  or  si-hooiifr  was  foiiml  fn^apitl  in  killing  fur  si-al  within  tin- 
liniitN  of  Alaska  Territorj*,  anil  in  the  wntt'rH  thi^reof,  in  violation  of  section  lil.'iti  uf 
tht)  U't'visi'tl  StatntfHof  the  L'nitfil  Statt-s. 

Aud  the  saiil  attoriif.v  Haith  that  all  ami  Hin|rnlar  tlio  prt-miHes  aro  ami  woro  trm-, 
auil  within  the  ailmiialty  ami  maritinnt  Jnrisdirtion  of  this  court,  ami  that  liy  reason 
thereof  ami  liy  force  of  the  statntcK  oi'  the  Initoil  StateH  in  such  rascH  nnidc  anil 
proviilcil,  the  aforementioneil  ami  dcHcriheil  schooner  or  veHHcl,  beiuK  '^  vessel  of 
over  20  toiiH  biinlen,  her  tai^kle  and  apparel,  boatn,  caruo,  and  furniture,  lieiMinit; 
forfeited  to  the  use  of  the  Haiti  United  States,  ami  that  saiti  schttoner  is  now  within 
the  district  aforesaid. 

Wherefore  the  said  attorney  (irays  the  iiaiial  process  ami  monition  of  this  hoiior- 
nhle  court  issue  in  this  lielialf,  ami  that  all  pi>rsoim  intcn^Hted  iu  the  hefore-mentioncil 
and  ileHCrilied  schooner  or  vedsel  may  he  cited  in  <reiieral  anil  Hpeciiil  to  answer  the 
premises,  ami  all  due  |>roceeilin);H  heiiiK  ha«I,  that  the  saiil  Hchooner  or  vesHid,  her 
tackle,  apparel,  hoatH,  carj^o,  and  furniture  may,  for  the  caii.se  aforesaitl,  anil  others 
appearing;,  he  conilemneil  liy  the  delinite  sentence  anil  ilt;cree  of  this  honorahle 
court,  as  forfeited  to  the  ii.se  of  the  Haiti  I'tiiteil  States,  accordinj;  to  the  form  of  the 
ototute  of  the  suiti  I'nitetl  States  in  such  teases  made  and  provided. 

M.    I>.    ItAI.I., 

Unitril  Statet  Dialrict  Attorney  for  the  lUHlrivt  of  .lUinka. 


in 


A.V.NKX   V. 

The  followin;;  tahle  shows  the  nanien  of  the  Mritiiih  aealin^  ves.sel8  8ei/eil  or  wanietl 
by  the  Uniteil  States  revenue  cruisers,  1S86-18li<»,  ami  the  approximate  distance  from 
land  when  seizeil.  The  distances  assi^netl  in  the  cases  of  the  Carohna,  Thornlon,  &iu\ 
Onuaril  are  on  the  authority  of  the  United  States  Naval  C'oiumander  Abbey  (see 
Senate  Kx.  Doc  No.  KNi,  ])]>.  L'O,  'M),  10,  Fiftieth  Congress,  second  session).  The  dis- 
tances assigned  in  the  cast\s  of  the  .tnna  lievk,  W.  /'.  Sa/iward,  Dolphin,  and  Grace  are 
on  the  authority  of  Ca|itain  Slieparil,  United  States  iievenne  Marine  (Mine  Hook, 
United  States,  No.  2,  IHW,  pp.  80-SL'.     See  Appendix,  Vol.  III). 


Name  of  vessel. 


Uiitf 

of  ^<ei/.llr^. 


Apiin>\iiiiiite  ilistMiicu  frum  laiiil  wht^ii  Mei/.<'tl. 


Uiiilt'il  .Statt-M 

vi'Mxel  niakiiit; 

seizurus. 


CaroUnn Aug.   1.1880 

ThomtoD <li> 

Onwnrtl Aiij:.   2,1880 

Pavtmrite do 

Aiinii  Uecli Iiilv    2. 1H87 

W.  r.  Siiywiuil tiilV    0,1887 

Doliiliiii Miil'v  1'.',  1887 

( iniie Jiilv  17, 1887 

Alfnil  Ailains Auii.  lU,  1887 

Atlii    \iiK.  ■-'.">.  1887 

Triuiii|ih Aiijj.    4.1887! 

Jiiiinita Jiilv  31.  1881)  ' 

riitlifliiilcr 11111-29,  1K89 

Tiiumi.h Iiil.v  1I.188U 

lilack  Diaiiioiiil  ...  ilo 

Lllv  Auk.  «.  1880  1 

Arl.l Inly  ao,  1880 

Kate AilK-l^.  1889 

Miiiiiit" July  15.1880  1 

Vuthrtmler Miir.  27. 1800 


75  iiiilc8 

7ll  iiiili'H 

115  niUt's 

Warnol  Ity  rorwiii  in  nlioiit  »aiiii'  poRitioii  as 
Oimaril." 


(11! 


,V,I  iniU'14 

4ii  mill'.-* 

Wl  mill's 

«2  miles 

15  miles 

Warneil  liv  Kusli  not  to  enter  Iteriiitf  S«a 

fiO  miles  . ." 

50  miles 

< InliTuil  out  of  Kei'iu^  .<<t'a  l>.v  liiisli.     (!)  As 
to  positlun  wlieii  warneil. 

.'iri  miles 

«fl  miles 

Ortleretl  out  of  Herin};  Sea  liy  Kush 

. . . .  do 

65  miles 

Seized  In  Neali  )'.ay.  I .') 


(.'orwiu. 
Do. 
Do. 


Kiisli. 

Do. 

])<■. 

Do. 

Do. 
Itenr, 

Itiisli. 
Do. 


Do. 
Do. 


Do. 
Corwiii. 


w 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    TIIK    PKIIULOF    ISLANDS. 


337 


And  whereas  the  (Toveiniiieiit  of  Her  Itrituuiiie  Majesty  did  ask  the 
said  arbitrators  to  tind  the  said  tacts  as  set  forth  in  the  said  stateineut, 
and  whereas  the  a^rent  and  counsel  for  tiie  United  States  GoverniiuMit 
tliereiipon  in  our  presence  infornuHl  us  that  tlie  said  statement  of  facts 
was  sustained  by  the  evidence,  and  that  tliey  iiad  a};reed  with  thea^eut 
and  (iounsel  for  ller  Hritannic  Majesty  that  we,  the  arbitrators,  if  we 
shouhl  tliink  tit  so  to  do,  n)iji;ht  find  the  said  statement  of  facts  to  be 
true : 

Now  we,  the  said  arbitrators,  do  unaninio.u  ly  tind  tlie  facts  as  set 
fortli  in  tiie  said  statement  to  be  true. 

And  wliereas  eacli  and  every  question  wliicli  lias  been  considered  by 
tlie  tribunal  Inis  been  determined  by  a  majority  of  all  tin;  arbitrators: 

Now  we.  Baron  de  Courccl,  Lonl  llannen,  Mr.  .Justice  Karlan,  Sir 
John  Thompson,  Senator  Mor;j;aii,  tlie  Marquis  V'isconti  Venosta,  and 
Mr.  Gregers  (Irani,  the  respective  minorities  not  withdrawinj''  their 
votes,  do  declare  this  to  be  the  tiiial  decision  and  award  in  writing  of 
this  tribunal  in  accordance  with  the  treaty. 

Made  in  dupli<*ate  at  l*arls  and  signed  by  us  the  ir»tli  day  of  Au^'ist, 
in  the  year  1«!)3. 

And  we  do  certify  this  Knj-lish  version  there<»f  to  be  true  and  accurate. 

(Beri.ij^  Sea  Arbitration.     Indexes  to  tlie  British  case,  p.  1!).) 


DECLABATIONS   MADE  BY   THE  TRIBUNAL  OF   ABBITBATION   AND  REFERRED  TO 
THE  GOVERNMENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  AND  GREAT  BRITAIN  FOR  THEIR 

CONSIDERATION. 

[KiigliAli  MTsiciii.) 

I. 

The  lubitrators  declare  that  the  concurrent  regulations,  as  determined 
upon  by  lite  Tribunal  of  Arbitration,  by  virtue  of  Artiiile  VI I  of  the 
treaty  < ''  ti.e  L'Dth  of  February,  189L',  being  applicable  to  the  high  sea 
only,  should,  in  their  opinion,  be  supplenieiitetl  by  other  regulations 
apitlicabic  within  the  limits  of  the  sovereignty  of  each  of  the  two  powers 
interested  and  to  be  settled  by  their  common  agreement. 

II. 

In  view  of  the  critical  condition  to  which  it  appears  certain  that  the 
race  of  fur  seals  is  now  reduced  in  consequence  of  circumstances  not 
fully  known,  the  arbitrators  think  lit  to  recommend  both  Governments 
to  come  to  an  understanding  in  (uder  to  ]>rohibit  any  killing  of  fur  seals, 
either  on  land  or  at  sea,  for  a  period  of  two  or  three  years,  or  at  least 
one  year,  subject  to  such  exceptions  as  the  two  Governments  might 
think  ju'oper  to  admit  of. 

Such  a  measure  might  be  recurred  to  at  occasional  intervals,  if  found 
beneflcial. 

III. 

The  arbitrators  declare  moreover  that,  in  their  opinion,  the  carrying 
out  of  the  regulations  determined  upon  by  the  Tribunal  of  Arbitration 
should  be  assured  by  a  system  of  stipulations  and  measures  to  be 
enacted  by  the  two  powers;  and  that  the  tribunal  must,  in  conse(juence, 
leave  it  to  the  two  powers  to  decide  upon  the  means  for  giving  ett'ect  to 
the  regulations  determined  upon  by  it. 

We  do  certify  this  English  version  to  be  true  and  accurate,  and  havo 
signed  the  same  at  Paris  this  loth  day  of  August,  1893. 

(Bering  Sea  Arbitration.    Indexes  to  the  British  case,  p.  3.) 
S.  Doc.137,  pt.  1 22 


m 


T\ — -rr^: 


\i   ■' 


33 

8                       SEAL    MFE 

ON    THE    PRIBILOF 

ISLANDS. 

lexneh  vomponiiig  :h,  ionadiaii  xeulinf/ Jieel  for  li>!)l. 

1. 

Arctic. 

21. 

Geneva. 

41. 

Pioneer. 

•2. 

Aiiiak. 

22. 

Henrietta. 

42. 

Ro.  iti  <  Hsen. 

3. 

Aurora. 

23. 

Kate. 

43. 

Sheiby. 

4. 

Auiiie  ('.  Moure. 

21. 

Kilnieny. 

41. 

•San  .lo»e. 

5. 

Aj^iieH  McDoiiahl. 

2.".. 

Kiitlurine. 

4-.. 

Sai>phire. 

6. 

Ariet.is. 

2t!. 

C.  1).  hand. 

46. 

iSuiiey  La.ss. 

7. 

Annie  K.  Faint. 

27. 

l.iMde. 

47. 

.**adie  Tiirpcl. 

8. 

Uremia. 

28. 

Labrador. 

4S. 

Theresa. 

9. 

JJeatriic. 

2!t. 

Lonis  Adair. 

4!t. 

Trinmph. 

10. 

KorealiH. 

31  >. 

.Minnie. 

no. 

I'nibrina. 

11. 

(i.  (>.  t'ox. 

31. 

.May  I5ell. 

51. 

Viva. 

12. 

COH«'0. 

32. 

Mand  S. 

52. 

Vera. 

13. 

Charlotte. 

33. 

Mary  Taylor. 

.-.3. 

\'eiitnre. 

1'!. 

City  of  San  Diego. 

31. 

Mascot. 

54. 

\V.  11.  Hall. 

IE. 

Dora  Sieward. 

3->. 

Mary  Ellen. 

55. 

W.  1',  Wayward. 

16. 

Diana. 

3(!. 

Mermaid. 

56. 

Wanilercr. 

17. 

K.  15.  Mi.roin. 

37. 

Otto. 

57. 

Walter  L.  !{ich. 

18. 

Enterpriue. 

38. 

Ocean  Hell. 

.-.8. 

\V.  A.  Earle. 

1«J. 

Fawn. 

3!». 

Osca  and  lluttie. 

.Oit. 

I'livorite. 

20. 

I'lorencc  M.  Sniitli. 

40. 

l'enolo))e. 

\' 

I'esselx  com/wxinn  the  .i'lurknii  sealing  Hrel  for  Ism. 

1. 

Alton. 

IS. 

Henry  Dennis. 

35. 

Ro»iie  .^narks. 

2. 

Alexander. 

1!». 

Herman. 

3ti. 

St.  I'aiii. 

3. 

A'laconda. 

2(t. 

Ada  Etta. 

37, 

Sophia  Sutherland 

4. 

Anna  Matilda. 

21. 

.Fane  (ircy. 

3S. 

San  Uie-jo. 

''1 

5. 

AUie  1.  Alirer. 

22. 

u«(e  and  Ann. 

;i!i. 

Stella  Erland. 

f:I 

6. 

Itonan/a. 

23. 

Louis  I). 

40. 

Ti  lesa. 

|:-| 

7. 

lU>\vlieail. 

21. 

Lotiia  Olsen. 

41. 

Volunteer. 

'..) 

8. 

(J.  (i.  Wiiite. 

2".. 

Lillie  L. 

42. 

Willard  Ainswcitli 

1 

J». 

Kninia  and  Louisa. 

2(). 

,los<-pliiii('. 

43. 

Winchester. 

J 

10. 

K'nnia. 

27. 

Mary  11.  TliomaH. 

44. 

Auiaturc. 

11. 

Kpjiinfier. 

•JH. 

Ma.scot. 

45. 

Coltinibia. 

12. 

ICdward  11.  Wcbuter. 

29. 

Mat  tie  T.  Dyer. 

46. 

t!.  C.  I'l'vkins. 

13. 

EMa  .InlinHon. 

:«). 

Malliew  liirncr. 

47. 

DeeahkB. 

i4. 

Etlioi. 

31. 

renelo]!!'. 

4X. 

Dart. 

:  i 

ir.. 

(ieo.  l'eal)od>  . 

32. 

l're>.cott. 

lit. 

Felitz. 

'   i 

16. 

(ieo.  1{.  White. 

33. 

!\'etrio\er. 

50. 

.l.-imes  (i.  Swan. 

1 

17. 

H.  r.  \V;il)lherj,'. 

34. 

Kattler. 

51. 

T'lritau. 

MANAGEMENT   OF   ROOKERIES -DECREASE   OF   SEALS. 

Seal  Islands,  Alaska,  rfuli/  it;,  jss;). 

(lENTLEMEN:  I  regret  to  rt'povt  that  the  season's  seal  catch  is  j)!*) 
grossiiip:  very  unfavorably,  and  tliat  1  he  condition  of  tlie  hreeding  rook- 
eries, rth'eady  past  the  date  of  fullest  occupiition  for  the  year,  indicates 
a  large  falling  off  in  pn.diu-tivenes.s — much  greater,  ?u  fact,  than  I  have 
herett»fore  rei)orted . 

J)uring  the  period  from  187.'?  to  1>SH,'5,  as  my  reports  fnmi  year  t'»yt'ar 
will  show,  we  ex|)erienced  nt>  dittlculty  in  obtaining  the  fnil  catcli  of 
seals  early  in  the  season,  and  the  skins  wee  all  of  tlicbi^st  murketahlo 
size  and  quality,  for  we  had  at  that  time  a  h\\<xv  surplus  of  killahlo 
animals  from  "  liich  to  nuike  our  selection.  It  uas  customary  tluring 
that  period  to  secure  in  the  month  of  June  nearly  one-half  of  mir 
catch,  all  of  the  priinest  and  best,  aiul  at  the  same  time  turn  back  to 
the  rookeries  for  breeding  aniniiils,  or  as  being  undesirable  for  market, 
a  very  large  percentage,  averaging  for  the  ten  years  in  (pu'stiou  \wr- 
haps  .*U)  per  cent  nf  the  whole  numbei  driven.  In  July  in  each  of  those 
years  the  percentage  of  reje<'.ted  animals  was  still  larger,  amounting 
tVom  60  to  80  per  cent  of  the  number  driven ;  but  of  those  a  large  major- 


SEAL    LUK    ON    THK    I'KIIHLOF   ISLANDS. 


339 


ity  were  uiuler  size  for  kil'iriji  <iii(l  rn|uirt'(l  Ww  iulditiuiial  year's  {jrowth 
that  we  were  enabled  '.»y  tlie  very  almiulant  supply  oJ  seals  to  give 
them.  We  <'<niii!  euiifhlently  comit  on  their  return  tlie  next  season  in 
prime  eondition. 

Tlie  season's  work  I'm  a  ('at(;h  of  100,000  skins  was  then  finished  from 
the  14th  to  the  liOth  of  .Inly,  <leterinined  by  our  ability  to  «lo  tln^  work 
and  not  by  the  eonditioii  of  the  hauling  grounds,  for  we  had  always 
seals  enough  in  sight  after  the  l(»th  <»f  .Iun«',  and  sometimes  even  earlier, 
to  keep  our  foi-ce  fully  oeeupieii. 

The  breeding  rookeries,  fioni  the  beginning  ot  the  lease  till  18.SU  or 
1883,  were,  I  belit-ve,  ronsfantly  increasing  in  area  and  jiopuhition,  and 
my  observations  in  this  direction  are  in  aeconlanee  with  those  of  Mr. 
Morgan,  Mr.  \Vel>ster,  and  others  who  have  bet'U  for  many  years  with 
me  in  your  service,  an»l  of  the  late  S|)ecial  Treasury  Agent  .1.  M.  iMor- 
ton,  who  was  on  the  islands  from  1870  to  1880,  Kveu  as  late  as  1885 
Special  Tn'asuiy  Agent  Tingh'  rep.  'ted  a  further  increas*'  of  breeding 
seals,  but  his  estimates  were  made  in  comparison  with  those  of  Prof. 
11.  W.  Elliott  in  lS71i-7'>,  and  he  was  probably  not  fully  aware  of  the 
fact  that  the  increase  had  <K'curred  prior  to  188;},  and  that  in  188.')  there 
was  already  perhaps  a  sligiit  <limiimtiou  of  bree«lers. 

The  contrast  between  the  present  condition  of  seal  life  and  that  of 
the  first  decjide  of  the  lease 's  so  marked  that  the  most  inexpert  can 
not  fail  to  notice  it.  .Inst  when  tin'  change  comnu'iiced  1  am  unable 
from  persona]  observation  to  say,  for,  as  y<»u  will  remend)er.  I  was  in 
ill  health  and  unable  to  visit  the  islands  in'  1  8;{.  188-1.  ami  188.'>.  1  left 
the  rookeries  in  I8SL'  in  their  fullest  an<l  I'cst  condition,  and  fouiul  them 
in  188(J  a.ready  showing  a  .dight  'ailing  off,  and  experienced  that  year 
for  the  first  tiuu'  some  d'lHculty  in  securing  jtist  the  tdass  of  aninnils 
in  every  case  tliat  we  desired.  We,  however,  obtained  t'ne  full  catch  in 
that  and  the  two  lollowii'g  yes'.rs,  linishing  the  work  from  the  L'lvli  of 
.Mine  to  tlie  Tth  of  .'uly,  biit  w<>ie  obliged,  particularly  in  1888,  to  con- 
tent onrse'ves  with  much  smaller  seals  than  we  had  iieretofore  taken. 
Tills  was  in  part  due  t<t  the  necessity  for  turning  back  to  the  rookeries 
many  half  grown  bulls,  owing  to  the  si.ircily  (»f  bie»>diiig  males,  i 
should  have  been  glati  to  havei  ordered  them  killed  ihstea<l,  but,  under 
your  instiiictions  to  see  that  the  best  interests  of  the  rookeries  were 
conserved,  vhouglit  best  to  reject  them.  The  result  of  killing  from  .\  ear 
to  year  a  lar-^e  and  increasing  iinmber  of  small  animals  is  very  appar- 
ent. We  are  siiiijily  drawing  in  advance  on  the  stock  that  should  be 
kept  over  lb.  another  > ear's  growth,  reserving  as  far  as  jiossibh',  of 
cmirse, all  desirable  half-grown  bulls  for  bie<MUrs,  but  at  the  same  time 
killing  closer,  1  believe,  than  a  wise  ])oliey  would  indicate. 

The  deduction  need  hardly  be  drawn,  as  it  is  only  too  apparent  that 
the  lessees,  for  the  next  two  or  three  years  at  least,  must,  in  any  event, 
if  the  rookeries  are  to  lie  stocked  up  t.;  their  best  (■ondition.  Ite  content 
with  \ery  small  cats  iii's,  1  estimate  that  not  more  than  l.">,000  or  L'0,000 
desirable  skins  can  be  obtained  next  year,  and  it  is  possible  that  taking 
even  a  much  smaller  number  wiudd  sooner  restore  the  rookeries  to  their 
f(ii  iiier  vitality. 

The  change  in  the  breeding  ronkeries,  though  not  so  immediately 
alarming  as  that  observed  in  tlui  i^auling  groumis,  owing  to  the  largo 
number  of  seals  still  in  sight,  is  snitlciently  marked  to  ext-ito  curious 
im|uiry  as  to  its  i-ause.  Largo  jiatches  of  ground  on  the  outskirts  of 
every  rookery,  which  were  covered  with  breeding  seals  and  their  y<»iuig 
a  few  years  ago,  are  now  bare;  the  lanes  and  paths  a«;ross  the  rookeries, 
along  which  the  nonbreeding  seals  pass  to  and  from  their  grounds,  are 


\i 


WT 


'J 


340 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


growing  wider,  jukI  wliat  is  still  more  disturbing  to  the  experitMiced 
seal  liuiiter  there  is  a  very  noticeable  sj)arseness  of  ^lopulation,  botli 
male  and  female,  on  every  lookery.  I  should  certainly  be  within  bounds 
in  stating  that  at  least  one-third  less  seals  landed  on  the  islands  this 
year  than  ten  years  ago. 

You  will  remark  that  I  have,  at  the  beginning  of  this  statement, 
referred  back  tor  comi)arison  only  to  187.'5.  Prior  to  that  time  we  were 
suffering  from  the  excessive  killing  of  18(!S,  when,  in  the  absence  of  any 
restriction,  more  than  L*0(»,()()()  seals  were  killed  in  a  single  year.  The 
deflciency  of  male  bree<ling  seals,  caused  by  this  excess,  continued  for 
four  or  Ave  years,  and  is  referred  to  by  Special  T^cu^nry  Agent  IJryant 
in  his  report  to  the  Department  under  <iate  of  September  5,  iSTl*.  I 
alhule  to  this  only  lor  the  purpose  of  calling  attention  to  the  fact  tlint 
any  improper  handling  of  the  seal  industry  is  imtnuliately  followed  by 
marked  results. 

For  the  cause  of  the  present  diminution  of  seal  life  we  have  not  far 
to  look.  It  is  directly  traceable  to  the  illicit  killing  of  seals  of  eveiy 
age  and  sex  during  the  last  few  years  in  the  waters  of  the  >«'orth  Tacilic 
and  Uering  Sea.  We  are  in  no  way  responsible  for  it.  During  the  lirst 
thirteen  years  of  tln^  lease  comparatively  few  seals  were  killed  by 
marauders,  and  we  were  then  able  not  only  to  make  good  the  deticiency 
caused  by  the  slaughter  of  1S(JS,  but,  under  our  (^arcinl  nuuiagement.  to 
produce  a  dej'ided  expansion  of  the  breeding  lookiMies. 

The  history  of  fur-seal  killing  on  the  IJritisii  Columbia  coast  would. 
no  doubt,  carry  us  ba(;k  to  an  earlier  date  than  the  transfer  of  Aluska 
to  the  United  States,  but  it  was  done  mostly  up  to  1S7"»  by  the  use  of 
rude  appliances,  and  the  hunters  w»:e  unable  to  pursue  their  vocati«)n, 
to  any  great  extent,  on  the  op«Mi  :,ea.  About  187"»-7(»,  under  the  stiin 
ulusof  better  prices  for  skins,  induced  by  the  im|)roved  metln  dsa))plic(l 
by  us  to  the  fur  nmrkets  of  the  world,  it  was  (bund  i>rofltable  to  fit  out 
more  expensive  ventures  from  Vi(ttoria,  an<l  the  seals  were  followed 
along  the  British  (.)(dund)ia  ami  United  Slates  coasts  as  far  north  as 
Sitka;  but  ])rior  to  18S'J-8;{  it  had  not  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
hutiters  that  their  work  ccmld  be  profitably  ])ursued  fsirther  to  the 
iiorthwestwijrd.  The  catch  was  too  small  up  to  this  ti»ne  to  seriously 
affect  seal  life.  An  occasiomil  predatory  schooner  came  into  JJering  Sea 
before  18S2,  and  the  ISnn  J>iegOjVf\t\\  her  cargo,  was  seized  in  187<l  and 
condemned  to  forfeiture  under  section  1950  of  the  United  States  laws. 
lu  one  or  two  other  leases  certificates  of  ])robable  cause  of  seizure  were 
issued  by  the  courts  to  the  revenue  officers,  thus  affirming  the  illegal 
ity  of  killing  seals  in  Alaskan  waters. 

About  1882-83  the  Hritish  seal  hunters  discovered  that  profitable 
voyages  could  be  made  to  lieriug  Sea,  and  the  few  vessels  engaged  in 
those  years  were  soon  joined  by  others,  until,  in  1885,  a  fleet  of  twelve 
or  fifteen  schooners,  some  of  them  i)roi)elled  by  steam,  were  engaged  in 
the  business,  and  the  catch  sent  into  Victoria  amounted  to  about  L'5,0()() 
skins.  The  fleet  sent  more  than  40,000  skins  to  nuirket  in  the  follow  injjf 
year.  More  stringent  orders  were,  however,  issued  to  our  revenue  ves- 
sels, and  three  of  the  twenty  or  more  engaged  in  that  year  were  seized 
and  still  lie  rotting  on  the  beach  in  Unalaska  Harbor.  In  1887  a 
still  larger  fleet  appeared,  but  was  badly  demoralized  before  the  end  of 
the  season  by  the  capture  of  fourteen  of  the  vessels  and  the  conflscatioii 
and  sale  of  a  large  part  ol  them,  together  with  a  large  number  of  skins; 
in  all,  some  r2,0<K),  I  think.  Had  this  repressive  policy  of  the  (iovcrii 
ment  been  firmly  adhered  to  from  thii :  time  we  should  i)robably  be  little 
troubled  with  marauders  this  year;  but  ponding  negotiations  with  for 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    FRI15IL0F    LSLANDS. 


341 . 


eigii  powers  sealed  orders  to  be  opened  in  Bering  Sea  were  given  to 
the  revenue^  oHicers,  dire«;ting  them  not  to  iniike  seizures,  and  while 
these  orders  were  withhehl  from  American  hnnters  they  appear  to  have 
been  pnbUshed  to  tlie  iiritisli  Heet,  for  the  usual  number  of  British  ves- 
sels made  a  profitable  season's  cruise,  sending  into  market  more  than 
1!>,()00  skins;  at  the  saun^  time  our  American  vessels  were  deterred  by 
the  tone  of  the  published  regulations  of  our  Ciovernment  from  under- 
taking their  usual  voyages. 

The  operations  of  tiie  marauders  in  the  North  Pacitic  and  Bering  Sea 
beyond  the  Jurisdiction  of  British  Columbia,  and  exclusive  of  what  is 
known  as  rhe  "  N'ictoria  catcli "  i)roper,  may  be  summarized,  not  with 
absolute  accuracy,  but  c<uTectly  en«mgli  for  all  i)ractical  purposes,  about 
as  follows: 

lS.s;t,  1,000,  and  ISSl,  r),000  skins,  estinuited  without  reliable  data  at 
hand;  18.S5,  ll-',000;  1880,  27,.")00;  1887,  li"),000;  and  1888,  10,000  skins 
reported  by  Messrs.  C.  M.  Lampson  <S:  ('o.,  of  London ;  1880,  10,701  skins 
to  August  1,  landed  at  Victoria,  British  Columbia. 

Add  to  this  the  Victoria  catch  for  the  same  seven  years,  which  has 
averaged  about  IL',000  skins  per  annum — 84,000 — and  we  have  a  total 
of  184,1*01  skins  sent  to  market  in  less  than  seven  years.  To  represent 
the  destruction  of  seal  life,  this  number  should  b«^  nearly  doubled  to 
include  the  loss  of  one  young  seal  in  embryo  or  left  to  starve  upon  the 
islands  for  nearly  every  adult  killed;  an(l  again  doubh'd,  perhaps,  to 
c<mipensate  for  the  unknown  factor  of  waste  in  killing.  Just  what  pro- 
portion of  seals  kille<l  are  actually  secured  we  do  not  know,  but  we  are 
contident  that  the  loss  of  dead  seals  in  the  rough  water  of  the  open  sea, 
ami  the  wounding  and  subsequent  death  of  many  more,  is  a  large  per- 
centage of  those  taken.  Beyond  this,  wc  nmst  also  take  into  the 
account  the  demoralization  of  the  herd,  the  infraction  of  their  steady 
migratory  habits  and  their  possible  deviation  from  their  accustomed 
haunts,  ami  the  consecjuent  destruction  of  the  imlustry  within  our 
borders  if  indiscriminate  slaughter  is  continued.  1  append  a  list  of 
vessels  reported  engaged  in  sealing  the  ju-esent  season. 

1  have  at  hand  data  from  this  year  only  on  which  to  base  an  estimate 
of  the  respective  numbers  of  seals  kille<l  in  the  waters  of  the  North 
I'acilic  and  Bering  Sea.  It  appears  that  during  the  present  season  at 
least  r),iMU  skins,  exclusive  of  the  catch  of  the  American  vessels,  were 
taken  after  the  sealers  left  the  Straits  of  Fuca  and  before  they  passed 
the  Alaskan  peninsula,  for  that  number  were  ti'ansshipped  to  the  British 
schooner  Wonilenr  at  Sand  Point  and  sent  back  to  Victoria  to  avoid 
possible  <'apture  by  our  revenue  vessels.  The  British  schooners  Path- 
Jinder,  Vii'o,  and  iSapphire  landed  in  Victoria  their  spring  catches, 
amounting  to  l,7n>  skins,  early  in  June,  and  again  sent  down  by  the 
Wanderer  li,0.'V.>  skins  about  the  middle  of  tluly.  This  latter  number 
must  have  been  captured  in  the  Pacilic  in  less  than  six  weeks,  and 
many  of  them  among  the  Shumagin  Islands  and  along  the  coast  to  the 
westward  of  Kodiak,  clearly  within  American  waters. 

Attention  should  also  be  directed  to  the  fact  that  by  preconcerted 
action  all  the  British  vessels  ren«lezv(msed  at  Sand  Point,  Ounga  Island, 
Alaska,  where  there  is  m-iiiier  port  of  entry  nor  customs  ollicer  sta- 
tioned, and  there,  in  utter  disregard  of  customs  law  or  international 
right,  transshipped  cargo,  received  supplies  brought  from  a  foreign 
|Mut,  and  landed  and  sold  whisky  to  the  Alaska  natives. 

I'ntil  the  present  season  we  have  been  under  the  impression  that  the 
catching  of  seals  in  the  waters  of  the  North  PaciH(!  would  be  «lil1lcult 
and  unprotltable,  and  that  seal  life  couM  be  preserved  by  maintaining 


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342 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THK    PRIIJILOF    ISLANDS. 


the  closure  of  Itering  Sea.  Now,  however,  it  seems  doubtful  whether 
it  will  not  be  necessary  to  extend  i)rotectiou  over  the  waters  of  the 
North  Pacific. 

Of  course  it  will  be  asked  if  this  can  be  legally  etiecfed;  I  see  no 
obstacle  in  the  way  of  doing  it.  We  would  have  no  dithculty  whatever 
in  proving  to  the  satisfaction  of  any  fair-minded  nation  that  all  the 
seals  in  the  eastern  iiart  of  the  North  Pacific  and  Hering  Sea  are  born 
and  reared  on  the  Pribilof  Islands,  and  tln)se  in  the  western  jiart  of 
the  same  waters  have  their  habitat  on  the  Commander  Islands;  nor  do 
they  resort  for  breeding  to  any  other  than  these  two  places  in  the  North- 
ern Hemisphere,  excepting  only  the  very  small  number  found  on  Hob- 
ben  Island  in  the  Okhotsk  Sea.  They  can  be  jKKsitively  identified  as 
our  property.  The  seals  found  in  these  respective  pla<;es  differ  so  nuich 
that  expert  skin  asscuters  can  distinguish  between  them  in  handling 
the  skins;  and,  in  any  event,  this  niafter  concerns  only  the  United 
States  and  Russia.  When  the  seals  on  which  the  1  hitish  are  now  poach- 
ing are  found  in  the  Pacific  they  are  simi)ly  astray:  but  an',  neverthe- 
less, either  <uir  property  or  that  of  liussia,  and  should  be  respected  and 
protected  as  such. 

After  twenty  one  years  of  careful  study  of  the  subject,  1  am  entirely 
satisfied  that  the  usual  migratory  course  of  the  seals  leads  them  to  the 
southward  from  the  Pribilof  Islands,  mostly  through  the  ]»asscs  into 
the  Pa(!ific,  to  tlie  eastward  of  and  including  the  i)ass  of  longitude  172^ 
west;  thence  they  turn  to  the  eastward  along  the  Aleutian  Archipelago, 
through  the  Shumagin  group,  and  past  Kodiak,  to  a|)))ear  in  February 
and  March  down  about  Vancouver  Islaiul  an«l  in  the  straits  and  chan- 
nels to  the  northward  and  eastward  of  Vancouver,  where  hirge  numbers 
are  annually  kille<l  in  the  early  spring  months.  The  more  notable  proofs 
of  this  are: 

(1)  That  many  young  seals  are  killed  in  November,  December,  and 
January  by  the  Alaskans  among  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and  more  could 
and  wouhl  be  taken  if  the  natives  were  not  restrained  by  our  agents 
from  hunting  them. 

(2)  Fur  seals  are  fish  eaters  and  naturally  keep  upon  su(!h  banks  and 
shoals,  within  easy  soundings,  as  fuinish  them  an  abniidant  food  supply. 

(3)  Tlu*y  are  rarely  seen  in  the  waters  of  the  North  Pacific  at  any 
considerable  distance  from  soundings,  but  are  plentiful  along  the  Alas- 
kan coast  during  all  the  winter  months. 

(4)  A  large  proportion  of  the  several  thousand  seals  killed  annually 
about  the  Mritish  Columitia  tutast  in  March  and  April  iire  ])regnant 
females  in  Just  that  stage  of  gestation  that  would  be  expected  in  ani- 
nuils  whose  period  of  eleven  months  ternnnates  in  •lune. 

(.5)  Almost  simultaneously  with  their  disappearance  from  the  Hritish 
Columbia  coast  in  April  they  are  again  fouiul  in  im>rcasing  nundters  in 
the  Aleutian  ArchijH'lago  and,  a  little  later,  in  Hering  Sea. 

(<))  The  most  careful  search  for  other  breeding  grounds  than  those  at 
the  Pribilof  Islands  has  been  fruitless.  It  can  be  positively  asserted 
that  none  exist. 

The  best  season  for  nuirauding  in  Bering  Sea  is  the  latter  part  of 
July  and  August,  for  the  female  seals,  having  left  their  young  on  the 
islands,  are  then  off  on  the  feeding  grounds  to  the  southward,  and  the 
destruction  of  the  mother  at  this  tinu>  is  followed  by  the  loss  of  the  pup, 
which  dies  for  want  of  nourishment.  This  was  vividly  illustrated  in 
the  heavy  storms  of  last  fall,  when  several  thousand  pups,  too  weak  and 
feeble  to  withstand  tlu'ir  violence,  were  thrown  upon  the  beaches  and 
killed.  In  the  earlier  years  of  the  lease  no  such  destruction  of  the  young 
was  observed  during  the  autumn  storms  as  we  have  lately  witnessed. 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOK    ISLANDS. 


343 


The  greater  part  of  the  illegal  killing  is  done  with  flrearius,  but  some 
of  the  vessels  manned  by  Indians,  and  notably  the  Black  Diamond^ 
seized  this  summer,  are  fitted  only  with  8])(>ars,  and  these,  skillfully 
handled,  are  even  more  effective  than  guns,  as  they  can  be  used  with- 
out alarming  the  neighboring  seals.  The  crew  of  the  Black  Diamond 
secured  143  skins  in  less  than  two  days  preceding  her  capture.  It  is 
also  regarded  by  old  hunters  as  quite  feasible  to  catch  them  still  more 
rapidly  and  surely  by  the  use  of  seines  and  purse  nets,  though  1  am 
not  aware  the  attempt  has  as  yet  been  made. 

The  effect  of  this  extensive  and  indiscrinunate  slaughter  I  have 
already  pointed  out.  If  unrestricted  killing  is  to  be  continued  we  have 
no  oc<!asion  to  inquire  in  regard  to  any  further  franchise.  The  renewal 
of  the  lease  would  hardly  be  worth  taking  as  a  gift,  and  with  the  assur- 
ance of  fullest  jtrotection  against  marauders  and  poachers,  the  fact 
should  not  be  lost  sight  of  that  under  the  most  intelligent  management 
some  years  must  elapse  before  the  rookeries  can  be  restored  to  their 
former  productiveness.  The  protection,  too,  must  extend  beyond  Ber- 
ing Sea  and  over  the  North  I'acilic  to  insure  perpetuation  of  the  indus- 
try; and  imght,  indeed,  in  order  to  make  it  c<»mplete,  to  include  all  the 
waters  along  the  British  Columbia  coast,  for  even  the  c(unparatively 
snuill  number  killed  there  is  no  inconsiderable  item  to  the  lessees  in  the 
jireseiit  status  of  the  rookeries. 

Different  plans  for  the  preservation  of  the  seals  are  suggested: 

1.  It  is  certainly  in  the  interest  of  the  whole  world,  excepting  a  few 
Canadian  seal  hunters,  that  the  seals  should  be  propagated  and  killed 
under  proper  restrictions.  This  is  particularly  true  for  the  English,  for 
they  have  ntore  capital  invested  in  the  business  and  more  people 
dependent  upon  the  seal  iiulustry  than  any  other  nation.  If,  therefore, 
a  territorial  limit  can  be  detined  beyond  which  no  seals  shall  be  killed 
in  the  water,  such  limit  being  agreed  upon  by  c<mvention  with  lOngland 
and  Russia,  and  acquiesced  in  by  the  jiowers  that  have  nothing  at 
stake  in  the  matter,  proteeti(m  will  be  afforded  to  such  an  extent  as  the 
limit  proves  restrictive.  My  own  idea  is  tiiat  it  should  cover  all  the 
aquatic  resorts  of  the  seals,  but  if  it  be  decided  that  British  Columbia 
hunters  are  right  in  killing  seals  in  British  Columbia  waters,  tiien  the 
limits  miglit  be  defined,  say,  by  restricting  their  operations  to  the  east- 
ward of  longitude  litS'^  west  fro<n  (Ireenwich,  to  the  southward  of  lati- 
tude 04^  north,  ami  to  the  northward  of  Cape  Flattery.  If  at  the 
same  time  restrictions  are  needed  for  the  protection  of  Russian  inter- 
ests in  the  Northwestern  Pacific,  similar  limitati«)ns,  as  the  facts  may 
indicate,  may  be  marked  out  andse.il  life  respected  at  all  i)oints  beyond 
such  limits. 

2.  If  restriction  by  territorial  limitation  is  likely  to  be  difficult  to 
enforce,  or  if  for  any  other  reason  it  appeai-s  objectionable,  a  (tlose  season 
could  be  agreed  upon  by  conventicm  within  which  no  seals  should  be 
killed  in  the  water.  Such  s<'uson  should  begin,  if  it  be  determined  to 
allow  seals  to  be  killed  in  British  ('olumbia  waters,  at  almut  the  time 
when  the  seals  leave  the  vicinity  of  Van<*ouver  Island  in  tlie  spring  and 
continue  until  the  next  winter,  say  about  the  middle  of  May  until  about 
the  1st  of  February. 

3.  To  facilitate  the  enforcement  of  the  regulation,  both  the  territorial 
limitation  and  close  season  miglit  be  adopted.  The  vast  extent  of 
water  to  be  patrolled,  and  the  eagerness  with  which  the  seals  are  pur- 
sued, nuike  it  necessary  to  throw  every  jjossible  safeguard  around  tliem 
if  they  are  to  be  jireserved. 

It  would  unquestionably  be  unwise,  from  a  ffnancial  point  of  view,  on 


■f  * 


^■|i 


r 


i 


344 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


the  part  of  any  of  the  natioiiH  interested,  to  allow  pregnant  female  seiils 
(and  scarcely  any  other  are  taken  there)  to  be  killed  on  the  BritJHh 
Oolumbia  coast;  but,  if  something  must  l>e  conceded  to  the  poachers, 
perhaps  the  opportunity  to  pursue  their  destructive  occupation  along 
this  coast  m  the  least  that  will  reasonably  content  them. 

In  the  present  status  of  the  seal  fishery  the  value  of  a  renewal  of  the 
franchise  for  another  term  of  twenty  years  is  very  ditticult  to  estimate. 
The  outlook  for  the  next  three  or  four  years  is  decidedly  bad.  The 
chief  elements  of  uncertainty  are: 

(1)  Doubt  as  to  the  intention  of  our  (iovernment  in  regard  to  pro- 
tecting the  fisheries  against  poachers. 

(2)  Question  whether,  in  case  a  restrictive  policy  is  decided  upon,  the 
Government  will  be  able  to  successfully  patrol  the  broad  extent  over 
which  the  seals  are  scattered.  A  failure  to  protect  them  without  fur- 
ther delay  will  be  fatal  to  any  considerable  catch  on  the  islands. 

(3)  The  fact  that  the  rookeries  are  already  badly  depleted,  and  that 
all  the  best  seals,  for  the  next  two  or  three  years  at  least,  must  be 
reserved  for  breeders. 

(4)  The  positive  knowledge  that  the  seals  that  wouhl  otherwise  come 
forward  for  killing  during  the  next  two  years  have  already  been  slaugh- 
tered, and  that  the  catch  must  for  several  years  to  come  be  much 
smaller  than  heretofore. 

I  was  of  opinion  two  years  ago  that  the  next  twenty  years'  lease 
could  be  more  valuable  than  the  i)resent  term,  but  am  now  greatly  in 
doubt  whether  we  can  afford  to  pay  as  much  as  the  present  rental,  even 
with  a  guaranty  from  the  (Jovernment  of  entire  protection  outside  of 
British  Columbia  waters.  Without  su(!h  guaranty  there  is  "nothing  in 
it"  beyond  a  small  prospective  catch  f"om  such  animals  as  may  escape 
the  toilsof  the  hunter  thissunnner.  At  tiie present  rateof  liminution 
the  rookeries  will  soon  do  little  more  than  support  the  native  dependent 
on  them  and  pay  the  expenses  of  the  necessary  outfit  to  follow  the 
business. 

Very  truly,  yours,  H.  H.  M<iNTVUE, 

iiuperinfendent. 
The  Alaska  Commercial  Company, 

(S'a*<  Francisco,  Vul. 


on| 
tic 
sea 
or 


CAUSES   OF  DECREASE   IN   SEAL   HERD. 

West  Randolph,  Vt.,  Deiemher  ^,5,  iN90. 

My  Dear  Sir:  1  have  at  hand  extracts  from  the  report  of  Prof.  11. 
W.  Elliott  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  the  fail  of  ISOO,  relative 
to  the  decrease  of  the  seal  rookeries  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  (ieorge  islands, 
Alaska;  and  knowing  that  you  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  matter,  beg 
to  call  your  attention  to  a  few  conspicuous  errors  into  Mhicli  he  has 
fallen. 

He  asks,  "  Why  is  it  that  we  find  now  only  a  scant  tenth  of  the  num- 
ber of  young  male  seals  which  I  saw  there  in  1872?  When  did  this 
work  of  decrease  and  destruction  so  marked  on  the  breeding  grounds 
begin f    And  howf  "    He  answers  these  questions  as  follows: 

(1)  From  ovenlriving,  without  lieediuK  its  warning,  Hrnt  IteKuii  in  1879,  dropped 
then  until  1882,  tlien  suddenly  renewed  \\\in\n  with  increiised  en«'r>?y  from  yeur  to 
year,  until  the  end  Ih  abruptly  rearh*-d.  this  Hoanon  uf  189<). 

(2)  From  the  Hhootin^;  of  fur  Heals  (chitilly  females)  in  the  open  waters  of  the  North 
Pacitio  Ocean  and  Bering  Boa,  begun  as  a  Ijusiness  in  188(],  and  continued  to  date. 


'm 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE    PRIHILOF   ISLANDS. 


345 


Professor  Klliott  is  si  iisituralist,  and  a  very  good  one.  He  is  tbor- 
oiiglily  familiar  with  the  size,  form,  color,  comparative  anatomy,  domes- 
tic habits,  and  whatever  goes  to  make  up  the  natural  history  of  the 
seal.  He  is  tolerably  familiar  with  the  seal  as  viewed  from  the  hunter 
or  business  nuufs  standpoint.  He  is  also  fairly  capable  of  deducing  from 
,  given  facts  a  theory  in  regard  to  the  increase  or  decrease  of  the  seal. 
Given  correct  premises,  he  would  perhaps  come  as  near  the  truth  in 
his  deduction  as  the  average  observer.  But  whiMi  his  premises  are 
wrong,  his  deductions  are  more  mischievous  than  those  of  the  average 
man,  because  he  asseverates  his  findings  with  such  positiveness,  and 
such  an  air  of  knowing  all  about  it,  as  to  carry  the  investigator  along 
with  him  to  the  i)itlalls  digged  by  theory  from  wrong  hypotheses. 

He  says,  in  brief,  that  there  was  overdriving  in  1879,  n<nie  in  the  two 
following  years,  beginning  again  in  1882  and  continuing  'Mintil  the  end 
is  abrui>tly  r-eachcil  in  the  season  of  1800."  As  he  writes  fonibly  in 
the  same  connection  against  the  practice  of  driving  the  long  distance 
from  Southwest  Bay  (Zapadnie)  to  the  village  killing  ground — sd)out  4 
miles — pointing  out  most  disastrous  elfects  from  this  practice,  1  snjipose 
he  means  by  "overdriving"  the  driving  too  great  distance.  If  tliis  is 
it  I  quite  agree  with  him,  and  always  have,  and  for  that  reason,  except 
on  very  rjire  occasions,  did  not  allow  seals  t<»  be  driven  the  long  ilis- 
tances  he  describes,  and  it  has  never  been  habitually  done.  Boats  were 
lease  I  almost  invariably  sent  to  Southwest  Bay  and  carts  to  Halfway  Point 
to  bring  in  tiie  skins,  and  the  aniinals  were  as  inviirisibly  killed,  dur- 
ing the  last  ten  years  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Con)i)any's  If'ase,  as 
near  the  rookeries  as  seemed  prudent.  The  windmill  he  lights  through 
several  paragraphs  of  alleged  "reasons''  is  less  worthy  of  attack  than 
Don  (Quixote's.     It  exists  only  in  his  ima;:ination. 

Then,  the  end  was  not  "abruptly  reached."  1  rei)eatedly  pointed  <mt 
to  our  company  and  to  the  special  Treasury  agents,  during  the  seasons 
of  1887,  1888,  and  1889,  that  the  seals  were  rapidly  diminishing,  and 
that  in  order  to  get  the  lull  quota  allowed  by  law  we  were  obliged  to 
kill,  in  increasing  numbers  in  each  of  those  years,  animals  that  siiould 
have  been  allowed  to  attain  greater  si/e;  and,  finally,  the  catch  of  1889 
was  mostly  of  this  class.  If  they  had  been  contented  with  the  same 
class  in  1890  a  much  larger  catch  could  have  been  obtained. 

Again  he  is  in  error  in  saying  that  marauding  in  Bering  Sea  began 
in  188(».  It  connnenccd  in  1884  with  a  catcii  of  4,000  skins,  and  was 
followed  with  a  take  of  almost  10.00(»  in  1885. 

This  brings  us  to  the  second  reason  given  by  him  for  the  decrease,  to 
wit,  "the  shooting  of  seals  (mostly  fenuiles)  in  the  open  waters  of  the 
North  Pacific  Ocean  and  Uering  Sea."  And  here  he  strikes  the  key 
note  of  what  slumld  have  been  his  warning,  but  he  strikes  it  so  Hat  as 
to  throw  his  chorus  quite  out  of  tune;  but  he  was  not  there  i»resent  on 
the  islands  during  any  of  those  six  years  of  active  poaching  prior  to 
the  season  Just  past,  nor,  in  fact,  for  vseveral  years  previous  to  those  six 
years,  and  does  not  know  what  he  is  talking  about.  His  second  "  reason  " 
shouhl  have  been  his  first,  ami  I  assert  most  positively,  with  knowledge 
drawn  from  an  accurate  i)ersonal  cognizance  of  the  tiu'ts,  that  the  dimi- 
nution of  the  seal  was  exactly  coin(;idcnt  in  the  time  of  the  decrease, 
and  in  its  ratio  from  year  to  year,  with  the  time  an<l  extent  of  the  pirat- 
ical marauding  of  the  Canadian  and  American  vessels  in  the  waters  of 
Bering  Sea,  and  prior  to  the  beginning  of  such  marauding  was  not 
perceptible  aiul  did  not  exist. 

I  regret  that  Professor  Klliott  did  not  urge  this  one  true  reason  with 
all  the  strong  force  of  which  he  is  capable,  because  it  is  fully  time  that 


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346 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


the  serious  import  to  the  seal  fisheries  of  furtlier  poaching  was  under- 
stood by  our  (loverunieiit,  premising  always  tiiat  it  is  really  in  earnest 
about  what  it  is  doing  to  preserve  the  fisheries,  which,  indeed,  I  find 
myself  already  doubting. 

I  am,  very  truly,  yours, 

H.  H.  MclNTYRE. 
Gen.  N.  L.  Jeffkies, 

Washington^  D.  C. 


letter  from  secretary  of  tueasl  rv  transmitting  elliott's 
report  to  state  department. 

Treasury  J)epartment, 

Office  of  the  Secretary. 
WaHhingtoHy  IK  C,  February  L'.'l,  18D3. 

Sir:  In  compliance  with  the  retjuest  contained  in  your  communica- 
tion of  February  11,  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewifh  a  certified 
copy  (together  with  the  photographic  reproductions  of  the  illustrations 
and  maps)  of  the  report  of  H.  W.  Elliott  on  the  Pribilof  Islands  for 
1890.  The  original  ot  this  report  will  be  ]ilaced  in  the  custody  of 
Special  Agent  W.  H.  Williams  for  such  use  as  you  may  find  nei^essary. 

In  handing  you  this  report  1  deem  it  my  duty  to  acquaint  y(m  with 
certain  facts  in  connecti(ni  with  my  refusal  to  permit  its  publiiration. 

Upon  its  examination  I  became  convinced  that  it  was  pervaded  by  a 
spirit  of  aggressive  criticism  instead  of  being  a  dispassionate  statement 
of  facts;  tliat  Mr.  Elliott's  views  had  been  unduly  infiuenced  by  his 
relations  toward  certain  individuals;  that  the  report  contained  much 
matter,  and  particularly  that  referring  to  the  fur  seal,  which  had  already 
been  published  by  the  (lovernment  in  two  forms  at  least ;  that  the  illus- 
trations being  made  from  sketches  possessed  inherent  defects  which 
rendered  them  valueless  as  records  of  the  diminution  or  {trowth  of  the 
rookeries,  while  the  scale  of  the  rookery  charts  was  too  small  to  accu- 
rately indicate  the  condition  of  seal  life  at  the  time  these  observations 
were  made. 

I  therefore  declined  to  permit  Mr.  Elliott's  return  to  the  islands,  and 
deemed  it  expedient  to  withhold  publication  of  his  report  pending  the 
sendnig  of  other  officers  to  the  islands  for  the  verification  of  his  state- 
ments and  for  the  procuring  of  data  on  a  systematic  plan,  aided  by 
photography. 

On  further  examining  Mr.  Elliott's  report  in  the  light  of  this  addi- 
tional information  and  comparing  his  statements  with  the  island  records 
now  on  file  in  this  Department,  I  find  that  not  aly  do  the  objections 
against  the  report  cited  above  still  hold  good,  but  that  Mr.  Elliott  has 
so  used  extracts  from  the  records  of  the  islands  as  to  make  them  ap])eai 
to  substantiate  his  assertions  that  mismanagement  on  the  i)art  of  the 
United  States  has  played  an  important  part  in  the  diminution  of  seal 
life,  which  assertions  are  unsupimrted  by  the  unabridged  records.  In 
view  of  its  inaccuracies,  its  misleading  character,  and  its  disagreement 
with  the  information  brought  to  me  independently  by  at  least  three 
other  officers  whom  I  sent  to  the  islands,  and  the  further  grave  fact  of 
the  misuse  of  official  data  by  Mr.  Elliott,  I  do  not  believe  that  the 
Government  would  be  justified  iu  publishing  this  report. 
Very  respectfully, 

Charles  Foster,  Secretary. 

Hon.  John  W.  Foster, 

Secretary  of  State. 


^ya^ 


^ 


SKAL    LIFE   ON    THK    PRIIULOF    ISLANDS. 
MIt.   IMIELP'S  AROUMENT   BEFORE   PARIS  TRIBUNAL. 


.'{47 


I. 

On  April  4,  18!U,  Mr.  Phelps  made  to  the  Tribunal  the  following 
statement  in  rey:ard  to  Mr.  Elliott's  report  of  18!M): 

This  papur  \v»h  proiliicod  and  fiiniishod  to  the  Itritisb  comniiBsiouers  during  their 
Beosion  at  WiiHhinKton  and  remained  in  thuir  ixissession  an  lon^r  as  tlioycan'd  tukeop 
it.  It  will  thiifl  be  Heun  tliat  there  has  been  no  diR|>08ition  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States  (iovernnient  to  withhoiil  or  to  conceal  this  document. 

II. 

The  report  is  of  little  valne  as  an  authority  and  quite  as  likely  to 
mislead  as  to  guide.  The  author  is  utterly  utitrustworthy  as  an 
observer. 

(1)  Uis  Held  notes  show  this  on  their  fa<;e:  A  field  note  should  be  a 
bare  and  rlear  and  uncolored  record  of  facts  observed.  Tiu'.se  are  a 
record  not  oidy  of  facts,  but  of  (conjectures,  ojiinions,  predictions, 
reflections,  emotions,  etc. 

An  observer  should  be  severely  objective.  Klliott  is  always  sub- 
jective. It  is  his  own  conjectures  and  reasonings  which  he  is  most 
concerned  with.  A  perusal  of  pages  23(5  and  2.'{7  (entry  of  July  10)  will 
afibrd  amusing  ])roof  of  this. 

(li)  It  is  the  misfortune  of  Mr.  Klliott  and  of  those  who  rely  upon 
him  that  he  has  written  at  ditterent  times  on  the  subject  of  fur  seals, 
and  his  representations  of  the  facts  at  these  ditterent  times  vary 
in  some  cases  according  to  the  theories  which  he  was  interested  to 
establish. 

Thus,  in  187l*-1.S74,  he  observed  that  a  certain  detached  hm^U  or  islet 
was  then  covered  with  the  forms  of  fur  seals;  but  in  18!K>,  writing  with 
the  purpose  of  showing  that  injurious  red  riving  was'  i)racticed,  he  repre- 
sents that  the  presence  of  seals  at  this  i)lace  was  a  wholly  recent 
phenomenon,  occasioned  by  a  too  severe  working  of  the  neighboring 
sealing  grounds. 

(.'5)  His  as.sertions  of  important  matters  of  fact  are  shown  to  be  errone- 
ous by  evi«lenee  far  better  than  his.  For  instance,  in  his  report  for 
1890  he  represents  certain  places  which  on  his  earlier  visits  he  found 
abounding  in  young  seals  to  be  ab.solutely  destitute  of  them,  whereas 
it  is  proved  by  the  records  of  the  islands  that  at  those  very  times  young 
seals  were  driven  and  killed  from  tlmse  same  jdaces. 

Thus  he  writes  July  19,  ISOO:  "Not  a  single  hoUuschak  on  Zoltoi 
Sands  this  morning  and  not  one  had  hauled  there  this  season."  The 
oflQcial  records  for  181M)  (British  ca.se,  Appendix,  \'ol.  Ill,  United  States, 
No.  2.  1800,  i>p.  10,  2.{)  show:  {n)  That  on  that  very  day  .'{,950  seals 
were  driven  from  Zoltoi  in  connection  with  Keef  rookeries,  of  which 
number  o.'ili  were  killed;  {!>)  that  a  drive  had  already  been  made  from 
those  same  places  June  24,  on  which  occasion  420  seals  were  killed. 

(4)  Mr.  Klliott  appears  to  be  guilty  of  great  inaccuracy  in  quoting 
statements  which  have  been  nuide  to  him.  Thus  he  attributes  to  Daniel 
Webster  the  following: 

He  says  that  ever  sinre  187()-77  he  has  observed  a  steady  shrinking  of  the  hauling 
grounds  at  Northenst  Point. 

In  the  United  States  case  (Appendix,  Vol.  II,  ]).  181),  Daniel  Web.ster 
makes,  however,  a  sworn  statement  which  is  wholly  at  variance  with  the 
above : 

My  (>Um>rvation  has  been  that  IIktu  was  an  expansion  of  the  rookeries  from  1870  up 
to  at  least  1S7!).    In  the  year  1H80  I  thought  I  began  to  notice  a  falling  oft'  from  the 


it  ' 


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ill 


IT 


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( 

t     ' 

!  ! 

1 

!     i 

J 

k 

1 

848 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIHILOF    INLANDS. 


year  previous  of  the  uniiilier  of  Hcnls  on  NortbeaNt  I'oint  rookerv,  but  this  (leerenHs 
was  HO  very  alijcht  that  (troliably  it  woultl  not  bavu  been  obHorved  by  one  Icmh  familiar 
with  Bual  life  anil  iti*  conilitiouH  than  L 

(5)  As  a  reusoiier  he  ih  equally  bad.  lie  is  doiniiiattMl  by  a  favorite 
theory,  and  when  this  comes  in  coUiHioii  with  facts  ho  can  not  yiehl  the 
former,  and  is  conse<|uentIy  constrained  toaccommothitc  tlie  hitter  to  it. 

(0)  The  counsel  for  Great  Britain,  in  order  to  establish  credit  for 
Mr.  Elliott  as  an  authority,  jtoint  to  the  circumstance  that  Mr.  Blaine 
referred  to  him  with  respect  in  his  letter  of  March  1, 18!M).  Mr.  Blaine 
was,  undoubtedly,  as  many  others  were  upon  the  first  appearance  of  Mr. 
Elliott  as  a  writer  upon  seals,  under  the  impression  that  he  was  a  trust- 
worthy witness.  But  such  was  not,  at  that  time,  the  view  of  those 
re])resenting  the  British  Government. 

In  order  t<Mliscre(lit  Mr.  Elliott  as  a  theorist  and  reasouer,  Mr.Tupper 
cites,  in  a  letter  dated  March  8,  18!M>  (British  case.  Appendix,  Vol.  Ill, 
United  States,  No.  1',  181M>,  p.  441),  the  following  criti<;ism  nuide  upon 
Mr.  Elliott  by  Mr.  W.  L.  Morris  in  1879: 

ThiH  man  HetMus  to  be  tiie  natural  foe  of  Alaska,  proHecutint;  and  iiersccutin);  lu-r 
with  the  brush  and  the  pen  of  an  expert  whenever  and  wlierevcr  lie  can  ant  nn  audi- 
ence, and  I  attriliute  the  [iresent  forlorn  conditi<ui  of  the  Territory  more  to  his 
i^norame  and  miHreprt'sentation  than  to  all  otiier  I'auHeH  eombinetl, 

Mr.  Tupper  then  goes  on  to  say: 

His  evidence  in  1888  is  open  advocacy  of  the  I'nited  iStati^s  iimtcntion.  His  writ- 
ings and  reports  jtrior  to  tlie  dispute  will  be  referred  to,  and  it  w  ill  be  siilimitted  that 
his  statements  and  experiences  before  1888  harilly  support  his  later  theories. 

(7)  Dr.  Dawson's  (one  of  the  British  commissioners)  estimate  of  Pro- 
fessor Elliott  in  the  fall  of  181U  is  thus  told  by  Jin'  '  Swan  (United 
States  counter  case,  p.  414),  who  quotes  Dr.  Dawson  as  follows: 

Elliott's  work  on  seals  is  amusing.  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  there  is  no 
ini])ortant  |)oint  that  he  takes  up  in  his  book  that  he  does  not  contradict  smnewhere 
else  in  the  same  covers,     '     *     '     ilis  work  is  snperticial  iu  the  extreme, 

111. 

The  avowed  puri)ose  of  Mr.  Elliott  iu  this  re])ort  of  181K>  is  to  show- 
that  the  Alaskan  herd  has  been  generally  diminished  in  numbers  and 
to  point  out  the  causes  of  the  diminution. 

The  only  true  cause  of  this  tleijrease  which  (ian  be  gathered  from  any 
facts  stated  by  him  is  pelagic  sealing;  but  he  has  a  theory  that  there 
is  another  cause,  namely,  overdriving  aiul  redriving,  which  he  assumes, 
not  only  without  i)roof,  but  against  the  i)roof,  to  have  been  i)racticetl 
to  a  considerable  extent  for  a  long  period  of  time  prior  to  1890. 

It  is  important  to  understand  just  what  he  means  by  overdriving  and 
redriving.  lie  does  not  mean  careless  handling  or  undue  urging  of  the 
seals  during  any  given  drive,  for  he  s^tecially  states  that  the  drives 
were  and  are  very  carefully  made  (infra,  under  fourth,  3). 

What  he  does  niean  by  his  charges  concerning  overdriving  is  this: 
That  in  the  face  of  a  diminishing  number  of  seals  it  was  still  endeavored 
to  tiike  100,(KM)  skins  per  annum,  which  necessitated,  at  a  date  as  early 
as  1884  to  1885,  the  following: 

Driving  fron»  the  rookery  margins,  where  alone  the  young  males  were 
found  in  these  later  years,  with  consequent  disturbance  to  the  breeding 
seals. 

The  turning  away  from  the  killing  grounds  of  an  increasing  number 
of  unkillable  seals,  which  seals  ran  the  risk  of  being  several  times 
redriven  in  the  same  season. 


SEAL    LIFK    ON    THK    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


349 


(b)  VVlieii  Mid  this  scnipiii^r  of  the  rookery  inur^nns  aixl  overdriving 
bepii '  Tlier«  is  no  evidence  that  either  began  prior  to  18iK).  Elliott 
failed  to  observe  or  record  either  between  1872  and  1S7(>.  lie  advances 
in  his  report  of  ISUO  no  evidence  whatever  on  the  subject,  though  he 
alleges  at  a  single  place  that  the  natives  assured  Idni  >'  that  they  had 
been  driving  seals  in  this  method  ever  since  IS.sr);  had  been  obliged  to 
or  go  without  seals." 

Tills  statement  attributed  to  the  natives  is  wholly  uncorroborated, 
nor  does  it  appear  in  their  examinations,  which  are  given  at  pages  ',H)0 
to  .MU;  that  it  is  in  conflict  with  the  evidence  of  Mr.  GolV  will  be  shown 
hereafter. 

(f)  Mr.  Klliott  thinks  that  the  necessity  which  leads  to  overdiiving, 
namely,  a  scarcity  of  killable  males,  began  to  exhibit  itself  as  early  as 
1879,  and  in  i)roof  of  this  he  alleges  that  a  hitherto  untouched  reserve 
was  then  resorted  to,  namely,  Zapadnie.  l-'urtlieriuore.  he  supposes 
that  this  s(!arcity  of  killable  seals,  making  re<lriving  essentially  neces- 
sary, was  decisively  manifested  in  18Sl'  and  contininilly  thereafter  by 
the  fact  that  a  constant  resort  was  from  that  time  mad*'  to  theretofore 
"untouched  s(Mirces  of  supply"(\'l,  VIM,  IX).  In  this  particular  also 
he  is  totally  in  error.  No  such  supposed  '"untouched  sources  of  supply" 
then,  or  ever,  existed.  Zai»adnie  and  Polavina  are  intended  by  him. 
They  had  been  systematically  di'awn  upon  from  the  first.  (Vol.  II, 
Appendix  to  Tnited  States  case,  pp.  117-127;  I'nited  States  ccainter 
case,  PI).  78,  7!>.) 

Mr.  Elliott's  error  in  this  resjiecl  is  the  more  incx<;usalde,  since  the 
oHicial  island  records  were  at  his  disposal  and  appear  to  have  been 
examined  by  him.    The  following  tables  slH)wing  the  diives  that  were 


actually  nnide  from  Zapadnie  and 
argument,  page  103: 


I'olavina  are  taken  from  the  British 


Veai'. 


1871  . 
187'J  . 
1873. 
1874. 
1875. 
1 870  . 
1877. 
1878. 
1879. 
1880. 


SniitllwCHt 
Hay  liii- 
I'liiilinK 

/.upiiiliiit'). 

4 

I 

:i 
6 
7 
8 
0 
6 
7 
S 


HiiHwiiv 

I'oillt 
(I'Dlnvina). 


V.iir. 


Siiiilliwcst 
151I.V  (ill- 
I    cliiilinu 
/a|iailiii<'). 


ILi'way 

r.int 

(I'olaviiiH). 


1881  . 
IHH'J  . 

1883  . 

1884  . 
188.1  . 
188(1 . 

1887  . 

1888  . 
1889 


S 

10 

9 

•) 
« 

I'J 

8 
8 

8 


4 
5 
5 
9 
8 
9 
6 
8 


(In  examining  tables  in  the  United  States  case.  Appendix  Vol.  II, 
pp.117-127,  it  should  be  reniend)ered  that  "Zai)adnie"and  "Southwest 
Bay"  are  two  names  for  the  same  place,  and  .so  also  are  "  Tolavina" 
and  "Halfway  Point,"  the  latter  term  being  the  Knglish  for  I'olavina.) 

(<1)  Upon  this  basis  of  utter  misai>prehension  Elliott  jiroceeds  forth- 
with to  construct  a  theory,  and  his  tlieory  as  far  outruns  his  sup])08ed 
facts  as  those  su])posed  facets  do  the  truth.  For  he  iiroceeds  to  assume 
that  the  driving  and  redriving  of  seals  have  been  gradually  increasing 
from  year  to  year  and  very  rapidly  since  1884-8."),  that  the  jirocess  of 
driving  in  any  form  renders  those  seals  which  are  turned  back  from  the 
killing  grounds  worthless  for  rookery  service,  and  that  the  work  of 
destruction  thereby  produced  "set  in  from  the  beginning,  twenty  years 
before  1890"  (pp.  7  to  10). 

('0  He  introduces  no  proof  that  driving,  overdriving,  or  redriving  of 
any  sort  ever  injured  the  generative  organs  of  a  seal  which  was  allowed 


!  : !!  i 

i 


35U 


SEAL    LIKE    ON    THE    I'KIHILOF    I>*LANl>8. 


eventually  to  ruturii  to  thu  water,  save  the  tidlowiii);  {»oe  pp.  loU,  'Jl).S, 
271),  wliicli  li(>  lias  iniHtraiiHlatetl  from  \'<'iiiaiiiiiiof.  lint  lien*,  too,  he 
Lau  led  hiiiiseH'  into  err(»r: 


Klliiill'»  Imimlalioii  (;*.  ,YAt). 

Nfiii'l.v  nil  thfuld  iiii'ii  think  aniliiHHert 
tliat  the  sfulH  which  mo  Hii.irfd  tvcry 
vear,  i.  i*,,  thoNt*  whit'li  hav<-  not  lieLMi 
killcM  tor  scvi'i'al  ycnis,  iiru  truly  of  little 
UNI-  for  lintxlin};,  l,\  in^  iilioiit  us  it'  tlwy 
viurv  outcasts  or  ilisl'ranchisfil. 


Cort'tvt  irnUHhtiiitn, 

Nearly  all  the  old  travelertt  think  and 
aHsert  that  sparing  Mio  Healn  for  Hoine 
yearH,  i.  v.,  nut  killing  them  tor  somt^ 
yearH,  does  not  eoutrihute  in  the  leaMt  to 
their  inereaHe  and  only  anioiintH  to  ioHJn^ 
them  torever. 


Veniatninof  thus  makes  no  reference  whatever  to  drivhi^',  still  less 
does  he  refer  to  any  supposed  etfeets  of  driving  tipon  the  reproductive 
powers  of  the  seal. 

It  should  be  added  thsit  both  thu  British  commissioners  and  the 
British  (iovernment  have  been  misled  by  I'Mliott's  i'rroneous  translaticni. 
(See  British  Commissioners'  |{eport,  sec.  712,  and  British  counter  case, 
p.  2(J;J.) 

(./■)  The  notion  that  the  meietlrivingof  ast-al  even  over  rough  ground 
reuders  it  impotent  is  in  itself  suniciently  absurd,  but  it  becomes  still 
more  so  when  considered  in  connection  with  the  following  extract  from 
Mr.  Klliott's  held  notes  (p.  L'41): 

I  have  Hat  tor  litHirH  at  a  time  watching  the  Heal8  come  up  and  ^o  down  in  eeaHolexH 
iileH  ot'  linnilredH  anil  thoiiHantls,  aetiially  elimliin^  np  in  plare.s  no  Hteep  that  it  wmh 
all  an  ii^ile  man  could  do  to  t'oliow  them  Hal'uly. 

(</)  It  follows  from  the  above  that  so  far  as  Klliott's  report  is  relied 
on  tt»  show  c<msiderable  «ause  of  injury  to  the  herd,  it  fails  entirely. 
His  belief  upon  this  point  was  founded  upon  an  utter  mistake,  assuming 
that  he  did  not  wish  to  be  misled.  lie  never  saw  any  redriving  or 
overdriving  until  IS!K>  (when  it  did  exist);  nor  hsid  any  other  witness 
ever  seen  any  w(U'thy  of  notice  previous  to  1890. 

The  c(mnsel  for  (ireat  Britain,  se«'king  for  another  ••vidence  to  jn'ove 
redriving,  have  recourse  to  the  report  of  Mr.  (Joff  for  18JK>.  But  lie 
disproves  the  assertion  by  distinctly  contrasting  the  large  numbers  of 
young  seals  turned  back  in  IS'.K),  with  the  small  number  theretofore 
turned  back.     (British  counter  case,  p.  2«m.) 

(A)  HIimiiuiting  this  clear  and  maidfest  error  from  Klliott's  report, 
the  latter  i)i'oves,  and  alone  proves  the  following:  That  in  187i'-l.S7i  the 
herd  was  in  a  condition  of  full  and  abounding  i)rospeiity;  that  when  he 
next  observed  it  in  IS7«!,  its  condition  was  not  perceptibly  changed; 
that  in  18!)(>,  when  he  last  observed  it,  it  ha<l  become  greatly  dimiidshetl 
i'l  numbers,  so  as  to  make  it  ditlicult  to  obtain  the  (juota  of  10(),()(»0 
without  redriving. 

And  this  is  Just  what  the  United  States  have  from  the  Hrst  maintained. 

IV. 

His  melange  of  observations,  reasonings,  conjectures, i)rediction8,  and 
eriticisu.s,  when  scrutini/.etl,  will  be  found  to  support  the  positions  of  the 
United  States  in  nearly  every  particular,  certaiidy  in  each  of  the  fol- 
lowing: 

(1)  That  it  is  in  the  jjower  of  the  United  States  and  its  lessees  under 
uormni  conditions  to  gather  the  whole  annual  increase  of  the  seals 
without  diminishing  the  normal  numbers  of  the  herd. 

Pane  fi!t:  The  poly^nnions  habit  of  this  aninml  is  snch  that,  by  its  own  volition,  I 
do  not  think  that  luoro  than  uue  male  annually  out  of  fifteen  boru  is  needed  on  the 
breeding  gronndB  in  the  tnture. 


'Co 


8KAL    LIFE    ON    THE    I'KIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


;i5i 


l'll^e  IIS:  III  thiH  uilniintbly  perlVct  iii«th(iil  i>t'  nature  urc  tliDscHfiilN  wliicli  iiin  he 
liroperly  killctl  without  iiijiiiyto  the  rookiricN, m>h><'tod  anil  h«l<l  iiHiih*  h,v  their  own 
volition,  NO  that  thu  iiatises  can  vixit  iiiiil  take  thi'iii  without  ilisiiiiliiii};  in  tlu*  It-aat 
degree  the  tMitir«<  i|iiift  of  the  hrtuilin^  groiiiiilM  wlirn*  tlie  Htork  in  |M'r|M'tiiiiteil, 

Pag*'  I'-"':  NN'Im'Ii  the  "  holliiNchickii- "  iuc  up  on  lanil  tlics  can  lie  rciiililv  Ncpiiratod 
into  their  Heveriii  claHNcH  nn  to  a-iv  hy  the  color  of  their  eoatn  anil  Hi/e,  when  iioteil; 
namely,  the  yeailin^N,  the  'J,  'X  I,  ami  ft  year  old  iiialeH. 

(li)  That  tliv  iiiotliods  iMlopted  on  tlx'  l'ril)ilot'  IsIjiimIh  were  IVoiii  the 
first,  acconliiij,'  to  liis  ohservatioiis  of  isTii-IHTI,  ailiiiiriiltl.v  udapti'd  to 
a<;('oiii]ilis|i  the  ^atlierin;:' of  tlie  annual  increase  (pp.  71,  74). 

(See  also  deseription  of  drive  in  the  parts  ipioted  t'roin  his  report  of 
1871,  pp.  lUl'-l-'H.) 

(."{)  That  the  nn'thotls  pnrsneil  in  l.S!M>  (with  the  sinjjle  exception  of 
allej^ed  redriviMjn'  and  overdriviiif;,  alread>  noticed)  were  in  all  resi)ect8 
as  p)od  as,  and  in  some  better  than,  those  pursued  in  1872  t<»  1H74. 

I'a^e  L*li!):  I  HJioiild  remark  that  the  drivin;;  of  the  stalH  Iuih  heen  very  carefully 
done;  no  extra  rushing  and  Hiiiotheriii}; of  the  herd,  aH  it  watt  t'rei|iieiitly  done  in  IH72. 
Mr.  (iolf  hcKaii  with  a  Hharp  admonition,  and  it  Iiiih  heen  Hcriipiiloii.sly  oliHcrved  thnit 
far  hy  the  natives. 

Pajje  'JK\:  Vo«terday  al'teriioon  I  went  hack  to  Tolntoi  over  the  seal  roud  on  which 
the  drive  ahove  tallied  waH  made  in  the  nij^lit  and  iiiorninu  of  the  Ttli  instant;  the 
niimlier  of  road  "faintH"  or  road  Hkins  wan  n«it  liir<;i-,  wliicli  hIiowh  tliat  the  iiutiveH 
liad  taken  ^reat  cure  in  drivini;  these  Heals.  Thi**  they  have  uniformly  iloin-  thus  far 
(see  alHO  )•.  12!)). 

Mr.  Klliott  draws  a  bill  (p. Iil7)  tor  tlie  restoration  of  the  herd, but  it 
contains  no  desi^^ned  iinprovenient  in  the  methods. 

KIsewhere,  however,  he  sufjfjests  the  following;':  That  no  t'ulliny;  of 
the  herds  be  allowed,  i.  e.,  that  ev»'r.v  seal  driven  up  be  killed  (p.  73), 
an<l  that  no  drivin}>;  be  allowed  after  July  '2(\  (p.  170). 

These  are  the  sole  improvements  whicli  even  he  has  to  8U};};est. 

(4)  That  according?  to  his  observiitions  of  1.S7L'-1874  ami  187(»  the 
herd  eoidd  salely  support  a  draft  far  hirj^er  than  10(>,(M)0,  jnobably  as 
large  as  ISIMMMriinnnally  (p.  («>). 

(lie  was  first  on  the  islamis  during  th»'  three  years  1.S7L'  to  1874. 
This  report,  written  in  ISJM),  ri'piesents  the  herd  in  1874  as  b«'ing  in  a 
nourishing  comlition.  Me  was  again  on  the  islands  in  187(>.  He  does 
not  intimate  anywhere  in  Ihis  re|>ort  <»f  18!H>  that  the  condition  of  1.S7U 
was  not  in  all  respects  as  good  as  that  of  1872,  187.'{,  an<l  1874.) 

(."»)  That  female  seals  should  never  be  killed. 

Pay*'  '■I:  ^^  <'  <h>  not  touch  or  disttirli  these  females  aH  tlioy  ;;row  up  and  live,  and 
we  never  will  if  the  law  and  present  maiiajienient  is  eontiniied. 

I'ayel'i;!:  In  1H3.").  for  the  lirst  time  in  the  history  of  this  industry  on  those  islands, 
was  the  vital  principal  of  not  killinj;  female  seals  reco^ni/ed. 

(»»)  That  pelagic  sealing  is  essentially  destructive  in  its  nature,  and 
that  at  least  85  per  cent  of  the  pelagic  catch  is  composed  of  females. 

Paye  IX  :  I  could  (imire  out  from  the  known  numlMr  of  sUins  which  those  hunters 
had  placed  on  the  market  a  statement  of  the  loss  and  dam.iKe  to  the  rookeries,  to 
the  females  and  young  horn  and  iinhorn,  for  that  is  the  class  from  which  the  poacher 
secures  at  least  85  of  the  KM)  of  his  eatch. 

Page  lit:  Tlio  yonnjj;  male  seals  have  heen  directly  hotweon  the  drive,  clnh,  and 
poacher  since  ISKL',  while  the  females  have  hail  hut  one  direct  attack  outside  of  tho 
natural  causes.  They  have  heen,  however,  the  chief  quarry  of  the  pelagic  sealer 
during  tho  hist  five  years. 

(7)  That  the  loss  through  tho  wounding  and  sinking  of  seals  is 
enormous. 

Page  214:  Five  thousand  female  seals,  heavy  with  their  young,  are  killed  in  order 
to  secure  every  1,(H)()  skins  taken.     (See  also  p.  8.">,  footnote.) 

(8)  That  it  is  au  absolute  necessity  that  pelagic  sealing  should  be 
suppressed  on  the  ground  that  it  is  an  immoral  pursuit,  and  one  which 


1    '  V 


I 


fi 


I  ^ 


III 


ht:      ' 


m 


■    .if 


ii 


IJ52 


8KAL    LIl'K    t)N    THE    I'KIIilLOF    ISLANDS. 


is  "  Vi'imgiiant  to  the  sense  of  d«<*eii(!y  ami  siir.plest  instincts  of  true 
manhood.''     tie  nnikes  the  t'oUowiti};  reooniuieiulatioii  (see  p.  214): 

That  polauit-  Hi>)iliii;i;  iu  the  wtitors  of  Httriiii;  S<>ii  bu  piohihitetl  iiikI  Hiip))ieN8i-d 
tbroiiK'huiit  th<<  hre«(liii<r  Hoitson,  no  matter  liow,  ho  thiit  it  in  ll(>Il(^  iinil  <loii*"|iiickly. 

This  Mt)'p  i8  01(11  <lly  iinperativt-,  Vlw  iminonility  ot°  Mint  iliMiiitini  iiiiiilj  liy  th.- 
open- iviitor  Healitr  ti>  ruin  witliiii  a  Ct-w  short  years  and  d«»Htroy  I'orcver  thoHo  fm- 
bearii<K  iiiteivHtu  on  tlii  Priliilof  Isiumls— the  immorality  of  thin  ticninnil  can  not  ln' 
gh)Risfl<l  ov<>r  l)y  any  ^ophitttry.  'I'ho  i*h'a  ot°  fterinittiiiK  hu<-Ii  a  ciniHo  to  continue 
where  ").(KX)  teinaloN.  Iieavy  with  their  (inborn  ytnin^,  are  killed  in  order  to  Heciiri) 
«very  1,(NM)  hU-vn  taken,  is  repii<;pant  to  the  HMHHe  of  decency  and  the  Hiinplust 
instinctB  of  tiiie  manhood. 

I  can  not  refrain  Iroai  expresninj;  my  lirm  belief  that  if  the  trniii  \n  known— made 
plain  to  rettpoiiHilde  lioa<ls  of  the  eivili/ed  r.o\v.''s  of  the  wtuld— that  not  one  of  these 
(iovernment.s  will  hesitate  to  unite  with  turs  in  cinslnjL;  iteriii}!^  Sea  ;<nd  its  ]>aHseM  of 
the  AloDtian  ciiain  to  any  an<l  all  ptdugio  fnr  sealiii;;  diiriii};  the  lireedin^  Heaso-.i  of 
that  animal. 

(!>)    That  cows  suckh^  no  pups  oti«er  tiian  their  own. 
Referring:  to  tlie  driviiifj  of  iiur.siny  eow.s,  lie  says: 


P»K<' 


That  means  death  or  permanent  dimibility,  even  if  the  rows 


are  driven  l>iit  onee— dcatji  to  l)oth  cow  and  her  pnj)  left  behind,  since  thuc  pnp  will 
not  be  permitted  to  suckle  any  other. 

(If»)  That  pup.<  learn  toswini;  that  in  the  befjinniiif?  of  An^'iist  a 
lar^e  majority  of  them  are  '.vliolly  unused  to  water  (p.  l.'."t;>),  and  that  a 
luimlx'rof  tluMii  «hinot  "j^jel  into  the  water"  l»efore  Se]»teniWer  1  (p.  LMIO). 

(11)  Thiit  tiie  seals  are  of  a  yentle  disposition,  are  not  fri^litened  by 
the  presence  of  mm,  ai.d  sh.>iihl  not  be  re}i:iirded  as  wilil  aniiiials. 

raj?o!2;i:  ihifililii  j/  fiir  aitih  whfii  ilihrii.  —  I  was  also  imprcHsed  by  the  sinuuliir 
docility  and  amiability  of  these  animals  wIhmi  driven  iiloiijr  the  iciid;  they  never 
show  ii;;iit  any  moie  than  a  lloek  of  sheep  would  do. 

rai.;e  '.IS:  tlriillnii-nH  of  Ihr  mi  /».— Descend  with  me  from  Ibis  sand-dune  elevation  of 
Tolstoi  and  w.ilk  i.ito  the  drei'ti  of  hoiluschickie  lielow  ns;  we  can  do  it;  yon  do  not 
not'ee  much  confnnion  <:r  <'.isei;iy  as  \vt!  jr(t  in  aiitou^  them;  tliey  simplv  Oiten  out 
before  ns  and  clo,s<'  m  bebind  onr  tracks,  stirring,  crowdinji  to  the  rijjbt  anil  left  as 
we  iro,  12  to  I'M  feel  awsiy  fr(uu  ns  on  each  siile.  Look  at  ibis  small  lloek  of  yeni- 
linKM--Hoiue  1,  others  '.i,  and  esen  '.i  years  old,  which  are  conjjhiny:  anil  spittiuf; 
aruuinl  ns  now,  st^riui;  up. it  our  laces  in  atnazenient  as  we  walk  ahead;  they  struK- 
({le  a  few  rods  out  of  our  reach  :>nd  then  come  lou;ether  a;;ain  bidiiiid  ns  hliowiu); 
no  further  noti'  o  of  ourselves.  You  eonld  net  walk  into  a  drove  of  hojjs  at  Chieauo 
without  exciting;  aH  much  ('onfusion  and  ;ironMinK  an  inlinitely  more  iliHa^^reeablo 
tiii.i'ilt;  an.l  as  for  sheejf  on  the  plains  they  v.-onld  stanipiile  far  (|iiicker.  Wild 
indeed!  yini  can  now  readily  uuderNtan<l  bow  ta8.\  it  is  for  t-vo  or  throe  men,  early 
in  the  morninjf,  to  <oine  where  we  are,  turn  aside  from  this  vast  herd  in  front  of  n.s 
and  around  ns  2,(XK)  or  3,000of  thebef-t  oxamplos,  and  drive  tlioni  back,  np  and  over 
to  the  villap'. 

(12)  That  viipin  females  go  t;  c!;e  islands  when  2  yearc  old  and  are 
there  impiej'nated. 

!'aK«  l<^:  It  . mist  be  I  .ime  in  mind  tbsit  jterhaps  10  or  12  ]mr  cent  of  tlie  entire 
number  were  ye<>('Iin}{H  last  season  and  uame  up  inito  these  breeding  Kromids  as  vir- 
^ina  tor  the  lirst  time  dnrini;  this  season  j  as  2year-old  ^ows  they  of  conrse  bear 
no  yoiiiik'.  I  Ibid.)  This  surplus  area  of  the  males  is  also  more  than  balanced  and 
«(juali/od  by  the  1.">,IK«»  to  20, (MM)  virgin  femiMes  which  come  onto  the  rookery  for  tin* 
first  tir.ie  to  meet  the  iinileH.  They  come,  r^st  a  few  days  or  a  week,  and  retire,  leav- 
inji  no  youn;^  tosliow  th-j'v  iireHeuco  on  tlie  grounil. 

I'aKc  i;>!l:  Next  year  these  ytiar  injjs  which  are  now  iroopiiij;;  out  with  the  youthful 
males  on  the  hanlitifr  u;roiuids  wii!  repair  to  tiie  rookeries,  wiiile  their  male  coin- 
pauioim  will  be  obliged  to  come  again  to  this  sninc  spot. 

V. 

Again  tliis  rejiort  not  only  supports  all  positions  taken  by  the  United 
States  on  the  jtiain  ixunts,  but  as  clearly  condemns  all  of  tlu^  speciiil 
assertions  made  on  t}»o  pan  of  Great  Ihitaiu  for  the  purjiose  of  weak 
ening  those  positions: 

(1)  Mr.  Elliott  holds  that  coition  is  never  effected  in  the  sea  (p.  83). 


T 


SKAI.    LIFE    OX    TMK    rUIIill.OF    ISI.AN'DS. 


:\5:^ 


(2)  II«'  rojiiuliiitcs  tlie  notion  that  Tlu*  seals  liavr  in  any  res|u>('t 
4-liaii$;('(l  llifii-  iiabits.  citiu-r  in  dates  of  ari'ival  at  the  ishiiuls  <»r  other- 
wise (pp.  S(».  KM.  M>:..  1(»H,  140,  1'4L',  LMU). 

(.'?)  liis  ol)servMtions  are  to  the  elleet  that  in  tlie  years  1S7'_*  to  1S7(J 
the  herd  was  in  a  coiniition  of  abonndiii^  i>rosperity.  The  ISritish 
(iov«'rninent  <*ites  llryant  to  jirove  that  dnrinji'  tliis  i)eriod  a  deen'ase 
in  certain  ehisses  of  the  seals  had  been  observed  (|>p.  (>*.>,  77,  IH,  7!»,  ll.'4, 
ir>l ). 

(4)  The  Mritisli  assertion  that  the  etl'eet  of  raids  upon  tlie  ishtnd  has 
been  consideiabh'  is  eontrailicted  by  liini  (pp.  .■»7,  oS). 

(.">)  He  states,  contrary  to  the  eonteutioii  of  (Ireat  IJrilain.  that  tlu'ie 
has  been  a  •jfradnal  improvement  in  the  metliods  ol  driving  and  that 
the  a<'tnal  dnviiij;'  today  is  j-arried  on  with  tlie  jjreatest  of  «'are  (pp. 
LT.'.I.  '2H:i). 

(i't)  lie  states  that  the  condition  of  the  natives  has  impntved  sin«'e 
the  Americans  took  possession  ol  the  island.s,  iuid  that  they  are  today 
in  every  respect  well  off  (pp.  1«;.'{,  l,s."»), 

(7)  lie  states  that  no  reduction  took  place  in  the  standard  weight  of 
skins  until  lss7  (p.  I  I.'!). 

(5)  lie  slates  that  the  seals  ha\»'  ureiit  powi-rs  o*  loconiol  ion  lai  land 


(pp.  .)-., 


Mt,  L'.VS) 


ICIsewhere  -Mr.  Illliolt  says  (I'nr-seal  l''isheri«'s  of  .Maska,  j).  \'M>): 

Il>  foi'i'l't'ct  or  tlipiKTs  MIC  t'xi'i  I  diii;il\   liro.iil  :inil  ihiwiM'TiiI.  iiiul  \\  ln'ii  il  t'onirs  out 
ot'tliv  WMtri'  il  iriiiM's  loi'w  ai'il.  .stf|)|>iiiK  with  ciiiisiilrrMlilc  i:i|ii<>il\  tiiid  iniuli  ^r:i('<>. 

(t>)  That  the  latest  date  tor  i>roperly  <»bser\in;i'  the  rookeries  is  -Inly 
Ut*  »)r  tlier«'ai)outs.  for  after  that  date  disinte;;ralinn  sets  in  (p|).  iii.  Hi, 


:i,  s;{,  L'.Jd,  i,'|'.> 


It  follows  that  tlie  rookery  observations  of  the  I'.ritish  cominissioners, 
who  did  not  r(>ach  the  isl  inds  in  IS!M  until  .Inly  117,  are  worthless.  it< 
follows,  also,  that  .Mr,  Macoiiii  (wlujse  observations  in  IcS'.U  were  «'\('ii 
less  extensive  than  those  of  the  Ibitish  commissioiieis)  is  not  in  a  posi- 
tion to  institute  any  eoiiipai  ison  between  the  appearance  of  the  rookeries 
in  INIM  ami  IH!>J.  resju'clivt'ly. 

(10)  .Mr.  IClliott  ;>ives  no  eountenanc(^  to  the  idea  that  there  exist 
independent  pela};ic  schools  <»f  yoiiiij;'  seals  whicdi  do  not  visit  the 
islands.  His  report  is  replete  witii  instainres  wiu'i-e  he  has  »)bserved 
Iar;;e  numbers  <if  yearling's  and  L'ycar  oldsof  both  si  .ves  on  the  islands. 

I'liL';!'  11)5:  Itv  the  lltli.  to  tln>  I'ntli  nf  .liiiio,  tlicv  (till'  lioliii.siliicki.'^  tluMi  !i)iit('!ir 
in  t  heir  liin'Mt    t'cirm  mikI   iniinlii'i'  Cnv  t  lie  N(<;iscm.  In'iii.;;  ioiin-d   now  \<y  t  lii>  y:ic;il  Imik 


of  III.- 


viMi'  iiiiiH,  and  I 


lilt 


I'  M  niiiiiiii"  III  viMriiii'. 


Ii\   till'  loth  III  .ImIv  tlii'ii  II- 


II')'  iK'.u'inniiii;  to  l.ir^i'ly  iii('ir,'i»i'.  owiiii;  In  llir  iiiilii\  at  liiin  tinir  of  tliai  ;;n'at 


Itv  tl.)'  I'llth  of  .hilv  till'  vi'ail 


lioily  of'  tlir  lii.sl    Vi'ai'>  |iil|is  or  \  B;irli 

ill   tlii'ir  a|>|n';ii'aiic'i'  lur   the  si'iimih    in   I'liil    form'.      Nery  I 


IIIJ{>  ll:i\  r  put. 


I'rt-   vi'aiiinjix  iiii 


iki'  III 


i|ipi'al'aiiri'  iiiitil  tlii^  l.'itli  ol  .Inly,  lull  li\  tlic  2ii||i  tliry  liti'ially  Nwaniii'il  out.  in 
I  ST.'  isjl,  .'Hill  nii\t<ii  lip  i'oni{i|i'l<>l.\  \\  it  li  tlif  \  onn;;  ami  oIiIit  males  a  in  I  li'iiiali's  an 
till'  rookeries  ii'la\  tc.i'ir  ilisi  ipliiic  an 


or  srat tiT  out . 


I'a;^!' Jll! ;   I  look   not  ii'i- ol'  a   lar^i'   pi'oporl  ion  of 


ill  or  J-\  I'ar  oiil   rcmalt'N,  ami 


tlii^  iiiiiisimI  slowiKvss  of  lianlin 


oiiip.ii'i'il  with  IsTl',  wliiili  was  now  at  lis  j^rrati'st 


ai'tivity  .hilx  7.      iTollol,,lnh    l.ls'.id.) 

ra<{i' L'."):!:  I'lic  hollimrliii'kio  arit  rliiclly  l-year  olils;  nim>  IciiIIih  of  tlic  Hcxcial 
jioils  IiiiiIimI  out  lii'i'i'  to  ilay  afi'  yi'inliiinM.  A  y;ri'at  niiiiiy  .\raiiiiin  I't'inalcs  aro 
iiiciliiiL;  down  ,'ii  lanilin'.js  in  .'ind  ainnny;  the  sratlfrod  h h'i'iiih,  aiinh'ssly  |i:iildliii); 
alioiit :  IImmi  Hli;;iit  loi'ins  :imi  liri;j;lit  liarks,  white  t  hroats  .'iml  alidoiiieiis,  are  shilling 
out  very  ori'^htly.     (  Ni  rtli  K'ookery.  .Inly  ;;(»,  ISTo.  i 

l'aji(>  :.MIS:   |   ohseivi'd  a  vei  y  larno  |ii'oportioii  ol'  vearliny;  row  s  Ni'iitfeied  all  ove 


the  I. 


iri'euiii;^  Ufroiind   Irom  end   to  end  neiir  tin 


ra  niar'.:in.  while  the  \earliiius  of 


liotli  se\es  are  eompletely  Miixed  upon  the  untHkirlH  of  the  rook<«ry,  here  and  every- 
where  »dne  I'oniiniimlod  with  llu<  adult  cuwn  and  tbeii  voimy;  piipn.  (.St.  (Jeorno, 
■  Inly  ;iO,  1«!H). ) 


8.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1- 


i    1 


.1    ' 

'  J    • 


)  ■:!?  ^ 


*    r 


354 


8EAL    LIKE    ON    THK    J^RIHU.OF    IMLA5D8. 


Kel'erences  to  the  report  showinjf  tluit  yestrlin^H  ;*««!  L'  year  olds  come 
to  the  islaiulH  inijfht  be  iiiiiltiplit'd  almost  imleliml^'lv.  (f^ee  pp.  98, 
13!>,  140,  l\o.  117,  li5;{,  LT..").  I'.Wl,  L'TT.  L'.S'.».  1>!U.) 

(11)  Mr.  Elliott  scorns  the  notion  ii|>on  whifii  t;li«  I'ramers  of  tiie 
BritiHii  case  have  Hor.^ht  to  base  the  moral  titlf  ot'Canad;^  to  a  sp«'cial 
benetit  lroui«tlie  hcr<l.  namely,  riiat  the  seals  c<»riHMme  tbod  vrkiicii  w(»uUl 
otherwine  8ui)port  tishciit-s  valual>lc  to  Canada,  lor  he  (♦W«^*  that  the 
true  enemy  t>f  tiiesc  tisheries  \n  the  dojitisli,  of  \vhi«'h  thf  -»»•«;  in,  in  it» 
turn,  the  greatest  destroyer. 

I'a^«>  :)n7:  Mi|>|i<isi>,  I'lir  ar^niiicnf,  tli»t  \v<-  ('oiilit  Hintl  <liil  kill  at]  fXw  tteulH,  we 
would  at  (iiice  >»iv('  the  (U'liiilv  (lii;ilisli  i  .v/m«/hii  otivitrlliinf  \\\\\^  iaM^-y  swariiiH  in 
theHH  waU'i'M,  an  iiiiiiiiMis<>  iiii|)«>hm  to  it-  |nvit»'iif  ••xt<'HNi\>-  \\ot%  <»t'  tU>««f.ni<>tinn  «f 
untold  niilliohH  ot'  voiin^r  loixl  I'isIioh,  hiii-Ii  itn  hrrrlw^.  <-o«i.  iit.d  Hitlmon. 

A  do^rtixh  can  niid  (1o*-h  tioHtiov  <'\*'i',v  <la\  <>'  <v  "iHtt-nrf  linndrnlM  antl  tUoiiNii4»<l« 
ot  yoiMi);  (!od,  Mitliiitiii,  mid  oth»T  lood  lirthes-  i\>'^,.  vh  Ai  lestMt  doiililf  an<f  -|iiadr>t- 
ple  HH  niiU'li  aH  .<  si-al.      What  in  tin-  muHt  pott-ii'  •   lo  llic  ilinti  iwtion  ot'  nlu- du^;- 

nsli '     Why  t.li«'  i.^'ai  liiiiiseK',  and    iiuI»-sh  man  i  ,.  vill  doiroy  the  <loy^tii«(i  lii-Ht. 

In-  will   Ix^loiny   (loKilixc  injury  t»>  the  very  r.-m  ,  .•••UmmIm  lo  clnifupion   it'  .«»•  in 

permitted  to  ditrturlt  tliix  t)i|niliUriu«M  ot'  natiiir  ain:  .,<^-(oy  the  isral. 


If  Mr.  Elliott's  views,  as  an  observer  of  facts. as  a  diiwjoveiev  of  cai08e«, 
as  a  reaMoner,  or  as  an  autliority  in  any  particular  iipoti  seal  life  upmi 
the  I'ribilof  Islands,  are  of  any  value  whatever,  it  should  U-  to  slkvw 
that  in  tiie  years  from  1H81  to  1H!M)  the  male  seals  had,  in  <-ons»'<jueii«;* 
of  overdrivinjj,  become  so  few  in  inimbei-  and  so  <lestitnte  of  virile  power 
that  they  were  not  competent  to  the  task  of  imjire^iuiting  even  tiie 
diminished  nnml>er  of  female  s^als  wiiich  the  herd  tiien  contained. 

Do  those  who  represent  the  <iover;i«i'ent  of  <Jreat  Britai'i  really  wish 
to  persuade  the  Tribunal  that  this  is  wu'*  ^  Hueh  would  •♦em  to  be  the 
only  con<reivable  puri)ose  for  whi<'li  gue'.i  a  stmyiile  was  r»>ade  to  intro- 
duce this  report  into  the  evidence.  Tnless  it  t»'iids  to  prov*»  thi».  it  has 
no  tendency  except  to  overthrow  every  positi«rii  taken  on  the  n:  of 
Great  Britain. 

But  yet  Ihe  same  learned  coun«*el  bar^v^  pro-  uid  niore  than  one 
hundred  witnesses  who  swear  that  if  the  >^»rH  1^*1  and  1H02  the  seals 
were  found  upon  the  seas  in  iinprecert#'iit.ed  n umber »«,  and  sometwenty- 
flve  of  them  note  specilieally  having  taken  youtijf.  small,  or  'J  year  old 
seals,  some  of  the  catches  consistinn  ex*'lnsively  of  this  c1»h#.  which 
must  have  owed  their  existence  to  the  uu^A^^ut  U«ll  ol>served  by  Mr. 
Elliott. 

What  are  we  to  believe — that  Elliott's  staiCMMiDts  are  w*/rtk  >i*h,  or 
that  these  witnesses  are  testifyinjj  to  what  is  falM'.  or  that  •u*4i«e  few 
supposed  impotent  bulls  were  endowed  with  procreative  j>oweri«  wholly 
uni)reeedented  even  in  the  case  of  the  Alaskan  bull  seal*  Let  tht-se 
contradictions  be  reconciled  as  best  they  may.  In  the  view  of  tiie  (.w- 
ernment  of  the  United  States,  both  these  contlicting  stateuuMits  are  alilbr 
untrustworthy  a;id  should  be  disrei^arded. 

(1)  The  names  of  tlie  one  hundretl  witnesses  and  upward  are  ;j;iv<'n 
in  the  British  counter  case  (Appendix,  Vol.  II,  pp.  29-.'J.J). 

^2)  The  names  of  the  twenty-live  witnesses  above  mentioned,  who 
cauglit  young,  small,  or  2-year  olds  in  1H«.»2,  are  as  follows  (see  liritish 
counter  case,  Appendix,  Vol.  II,  pp.  14-22): 

Capt.  Abel  Douglas,  George  Roberts,  William  (^i,  Goudie,  Jaiii4>s 
Shields,  George  F.  French,  Andrew  .Mathison,  Capt.  Ernest  [.ovenz, 
Oapt.  Charles  Campbell,  Capt.  James  W.  Todd,  Henry  Pax  Ion.  George 


SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


355 


Heater,  Gapt.  James  I).  Warren,  Gapt.  Micajah  Pickuey,  Gapt.  Michael 
Keefe,  William  F.  Roland,  P.  Garlson,  Kasado,  Schoultwick,  Clahapi- 
sam,  Hanaisum,  Glahouto,  W.  Watt,  Glat-kakoi,  Kickiana,  and  Khen- 
chesut. 

Aud  Mr.  Elliott  himselt'  seems  to  have  observed  the  usual  number  of 
yearlings  in  L89U  (ante,  p.  17).  And  yet  the  iuipoteiicy  which  he  imagines 
to  have  been  brought  about  as  the  result  of  redriving  through  a  series  of 
years  must,  if  it  existed  at  all,  have  been  nearly  as  marked  in  1889, 
when  these  yearlings  were  begotten. 


•  tj 


pimn 


KKI'OIIT  OF  .lOSKPH  MliniAV,  SI'KCIAL  TIlKASl  UV  A(JKNT,  FOR 

THK  VKAK  ISli:.. 


Division  or  Spkoial  Ajjexts, 

TllKASrUY   DkI'AUTMKNT, 
Waxhingt<m,  1>.  C,  Ihccmhcr  :J(>,  ]S95. 

Sir:  I  Iiave  tlu*  honor  to  ivport  tliiit  imrsuiint  to  Department  iiustruc 
tions  dated  April  1,  l.S'.>r»,  I  prorct'dtMl  to  tin*  I'acillc  (.'oast  and  sailed 
from  Seatth'  April  I'.'J.  on  hoard  the  lejjnlar  mail  steamer  lor  Sitka, 
where  1  arrived  .Mav  I  and  learned  that  eonrt  was  abont  to  1)«'  held  at 
Jniiean,  to  wliiirh  rit.v  1  immediately  returned  tor  the  purjiose  of  looking 
after  the  interest  of  the  (lovernment,  as  it  mifjht  a|>pear  in  tl'e  ex  .Mar- 
shal Porter  ease,  one  of  whose  deputies,  Mr.  Adolph  Myer,  was  about 
to  In*  tried  on  tdiarjjes  of  for;;ery,  eml)e//lement,  stealiiiff  public  records, 
and  several  others  of  like  nature. 

My  written  instructions  are  as  follows: 

TlOCASlKV    DKI'AltlMKNT,  OlI'ICi;    ((|-   Till:   8K('I1KTAHY. 

naxhiiiiilon.  n.  v.,  .iiuil  I,  tS<X>. 

iSiit;  Y«)ii  iirtMlirrct«Ml  to  pcilt'Cl  voiir  ari':iii;r(>ini>iits\vitli  a  vicuv  toyoiir  departure  for 
Sitka,  AluHtca,  with  as  littlr  ilelay  uh  ]>ra)'ticaliic.  It  will  Imi  voiir  <liity  to  i.scvrtaiii 
Riid  report  ttio  location  ot  every  salmon  ramiery  vtrHaltorv  in  Alaska;  tim  eiipacity 
of  the  Hanie  iu  cnseH,  liarrels,  lialf-ltarrels,  an<l  kits;  tlie  pacK  in  fnll  for  each  soasou; 
the  nunilitir  of  boxes  of  tin  consnnieil  anil  the  cost  of  the  Name  ])er  liox  at  plucu  of 
piirehuHu;  thu  aitproxiinatc  or  uctiial  Helling  price  of  tliu  protliict  of  each  tlshery  in 
the  market  to  which  the  same  may  lie  consigned;  the  nuniher  of  employees  in  each 
cannery  and  the  totals  thereof,  Hegregntin;;  whites,  natives,  Chinese,  etc.,  mule  an<l 
female,  adultn  and  luinorH,  and  whether  citi/ens  or  aliens.  Vnn  should  incln<le,  also, 
in  said  reports  tlie  cotllish,  In'rring,  ht^rrin<j:-oiI,  •^nano,  and  other  such  industrieH. 
It  Ih  deoired  that  you  investigate  the  alleged  taking  and  destruction  ot'  the  eggs  of 
guiue  wild  fowl  in  Aluska,  as  well,  also,  as  to  the  alleged  wanton  d<'struction  of  game 
birds,  deer,  fox,  and  other  animals,  and  also  the  advisaliility  of  adopting;  siiitalile 
regulations  as  tu  clooo  seasons,  in  order  to  prevent  such  destructimi  iu  future. 

Vou  should  visit,  ifpossilde,  <'very  cannery  in  Alaska,  and,  when  practicalde,  the 
necessary  Journeys  should  lie  made  on  vessels  of  the  I' i'i  ted  States.  This  instruci  ion  is 
not  to  he  construed,  however,  as  l'(irl>iildiug  the  use  of  other  means  of  couveyance 
when  necessary.  Vou  are  e\)iei  t*'d  to  report  to  tin'  miirest  collector  of  cus'oms  any 
iiil'ractiou  of  the  rcvi'iiiic  laws  which  ii'ay  coiuc  to  your  notice.  Nou  should  report, 
also,  til  the  Ue])artmeiit  any  violation  of  the  laws  iclating  to  the  ii<t!°oi:iiction  of 
(Irearms  or  >\'  liijuors  into  the  Terrilory  ol'  Alaska. 

Fur  your  information  I  inclose  lierewitli  copy  of  the  circular  dated  .\ugu.i  10,  lKi)2, 
])ertaining  to  theen-ction  of  dams,  liarricailes,  or  other  ol-struct  Ions  iu  the  rivers  of 
Alaska  for  the  purpost>  or  result  of  jiKivciitini;  oi'  impeding  the  ascent  of  salmnn  or 
other  anadromous  species  to  their  spa  wning  411  iiinds.  Ii  willlic  your  dut.\  to  eiitoreo 
the  provisions  of  said  circular  and  to  warn  all  persons  who  have  elected  dams,  harri- 
ctides,  or  oihcr  olistriictions  to  i'em<iv*>  the  same  *'iirthwitli,  and   in  delaull   thereof 


yon  should  rcimrt  the  facts,  with  the  proper  proofs,  to  the  Initcd  .States  attorney  for 
prosecution. 

Von  should  siiliinit  reports  to  the  Departinent  from  t  line  to  time  shewing  ihe  r  'suit 
of  your  work,  and  at  the  close  of  the  lishiii<;  season  vou  should  forward  a  full  report, 
covering  said  season  and  stating  the  result  of  your  o,iserv;itions  under  these  iii!»true- 
tions.  Any  recommendations  you  deem  advisahle  may  he  eiiihodied  in  your  reports, 
Auy  olllcial  roinniuniiMtion  which  the  Department  may  tlnd  necessary  to  address  to 
you  horeaftor  will  l)e  mailed  to  Sitka,  Alaska.  In  this  connection  you  are  ini'urmed 
nitn 


SEAL    LIFi:    ON    THE    I'Rimi.OF    ISLAND?^. 


357 


that  ill  iulditioii  to  .voiir  (Inties  iih  an  a^fiit  tor  tlie  Nalinou  riHli<>i'i<>8  you  i\ui  to  hold 
yourself  in  readiiu-HS  to  make  siurh  other  iiivcHti^utioim  or  render  any  Hervice  wliich 
the  Depnrtnient  may  ri'(|uire  of  yon.  If  )iraeticnl(le,  yon  shonhl  at  some  time  dnr- 
U\)i  the  ensnin^  season  visit  the  seal  ishinds  of  St.  I'aul  and  St.  (ioor;:e  for  tiie  )inr- 
pose  of  inspeetiny  the  rookeries  thereon  and  of  ('omi>arin^  their  condition  with  that 
«if  the  seiiHon  of  1H!M,  with  which  yon  are  familiar. 

h'eHpi-ctfnlly,  yours,  J.  G.  Cahi.isi.k, 

Senelary. 
Mr.  .losKi-ii  MiitiiAY, 

Sjtecitil  Aijenl  for  the  rrotertioii  of  the  Salmon  l-'inhi-rieit, 

Fort  ('olIiiiH,  Colo. 

In  suldition  to  tlie  foit'jxoiiiy-,  I  was  verbsilly  iiistnu'i'ed  (tiiiii'  permit- 
tiiifi)  to  jitteinl  court  (liiriiijftiu'trisil  of  the  e.xMsirshal  Porter  cii.se  and 
to  tiike  pariiciihir  notice  of  liow  jury  trial  was  eondiieti'd  in  Alaska, 
and  to  learn  what  I  could  from  reliable  source;-  <bont  the  niiiiiiifactnre 
and  ini|iortatioii  of  spiritnotis  li(|nors. 

Fiinliiiff  it  wiis  its  y«'t  too  v'lrly  for  salmon  lishinj'-  iiiid  tlitit  1  «'oiild 
not  find  trsinsportation  to  tiie  nearest  ciinnery  for  isevertd  weeks,  -ind 
SIS  1  wiis  in  the  midst  of  the  best  ptirt  of  Alaska  and  of  its  best  and 
most  enerfjetic  (citizens,  where  I  could  ^irocure  most  of  tlu^  inforniiition 
asked  for  in  my  instructions,  I  restdved  to  attend  court  until  the  arrival 
of  the  Berinji  Seti  patrol  tieet  otf  Sitka,  ami  then  contitiue  my  journey 
to  the  westward. 

Duriu};  our  travels  throu}j;h  Alaska  in  ISIM,  lion.  C  S.  Iliimlin, 
Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Tretisury,  and  I  were  intbrnuMl  at  every 
iniportiint  point  we  touched  and  found  white  mentlitit,  ''beciiiise  of  its 
nom'iiforcement.  the  hiw  is  looked  upon  as  a  farce,"  tind  that  ''it  is 
impossible  to  iiu>\  a  Jury  to  c<mvict  for  smuffyling  or  viohitinj;  the 
revenue  law,"  aiitl  I  iiin  stuiy  to  hav«»  to  repoi t  that  it  is  only  too  true. 

For  three  weeks  I  wsis  jiresent  sit  every  session  of  the  couit,  suid  in 
that  time  I  learned  beyond  a  doubt  thsjt  iM)t  <»nly  weie  Juries  to  be  had 
to  return  verdicts  of  "md  {fiiilty"  in  behsilf  of  every  vitthitor  of  the 
revenue  law,  but  sdso  for  any  crime,  if  one  only  knew  the  particidar 
attorney  to  employ. 

Mr.  Ad(dph  Myer  lisid  been  a  deputy  for  Msirslnd  Porter;  h;id  stb.so- 
lute  control  tmd  persomil  c'iar;>'e  of  the  rnaishars  olli(;e,  books,  and 
money,  sind  for  years  .serve)!  his  .  iipt'rior  taithfully  and  well.  l>ut 
uiidei  tl;**  evil  intluence  of  bad  sind  wicked  men  h<!  was  led  step  by 
step  fkom  one  ciime  to  smother  until  for;rwy  antl  embezzlement  were 
resK^hed,  siixl  then  the  end. 

When  the  cstse  w;is  siixmt  to  come  to  tiisd,  1  wsis  in  tlstily,  hourly 
communicatio::  v/iili  the  distiicf  attorney,  wbom  I  suhised  to  stsmd  up 
for  the  iij;ht  stjisiinst  tdl  <»f  the  vile  tncthods  That  mij^iit  be  used  sijiainst 
him,  smd  that  in  doino-  so  he  would  be  .sujipoited  by  the  (lovernmeiit. 
lie  siiid  he  WSIS  iitVaitl  of  liodily  iiijmy,  <»f  ids  piMsoiiiil  ssiCetv  :  tliat 
unless  he  could  secure  the  Joint  .sevvices  ot'  si  certniii  sittctriiey  whom  he 
niiiiied  sind  whose  streiijitli  sind  worth  Isiy  in  his  t  ower  to  intluence 
Jiiiies.  it  would  be  useless  to  try  the  case  l»elnie  :i  Jury,  for  most  ol  tiie 
Jiiiymen  would  be  personal  friends  of  the  prisunci'  sitid  niiiny  ot  I  hem 
liiirticipators  in  his  crime;  thsit  altli<»ii;;li  the  |nisoiier  wsis  ^iiiilty  of 
eiioufil,  eiime  to  keep  him  iiiiprisone«l  twenty  vesirs.  if  lie  could  not 
inlliiencc  the  Jni\-  he  would  be  turned  loose  on  a  verdict  ol  ''not  guilty." 

Not  knowing  how  to  iiilluence  the  Jury  for  the  imrposes  indicsited, 
and  beiii"-  luiiible  to  control  the  district  sittorney.  1  was  necessmily 
obli;>cd  to  remsiin  a  silent  S|Cctator  of  si  compidmise  l»et  ween  tiie  parties 
intei<'sted,the  terms  of  which  were  that  on  condition  ol  the  withdrsiwal 
of  the  plea  of  "not  fjiiilty"  sind  the  substitution  of  the[)leaof  "j,'uilty" 


I 

\ 


f  s 


J I 


;    i 

1                 ^ 

i 

f  * ! 

IS!    1 

^iii  ^ 

;  i 

'IB""  1 

358 


SEA»,   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


the  prisoner  would  be  let  off  with  a  small  tine  and  li.<;ht  sentence,  which 
was  done  by  the  district  attorney  stating  that  a  tine  of  $50  and  twenty- 
eight  months'  im]«risonniunt  would  be  satisfactory. 

As  soon  as  he  was  sentenced  he  was  taken  from  his  cell  to  the  grand 
jury  room  to  testify  against  his  former  employer  and  superior  otticer, 
ex  Marshal  Porter,  and  he  actually  did  testify  to  Porter's  having  em- 
bezzled or  stolen  a  sum  of  money  fnun  the  Government,  sent  from  the 
Deiiartnicnt  of  Justice  by  check,  amounting  to  s(une  $l,120..'Jli,  which 
anuiunt  was  part  of  tlie  money  drawn  by  Deputy  Myers  from  the 
Department  during  the  temp(U'ary  absence  of  the  marshal,  and  for  which 
he  had  Just  been  convicted. 

And  yet,  on  testimony  of  that  sent  and  from  such  a  simrce,  ex-Marshal 
Porter  was  indicted  by  the  grand  jury  of  Alaska  for  4>mlH'/zlement.  I  le 
was  approached  in  my  i)res('iu'c  by  the  distri<'t  attorney  as  a  friend, 
and  asked  to  acknowledge  that  the  Government  owed  the  money  to  the 
nKMshal's  ollice,  or  to  be  disgraced  in  his  old  age  by  an  imlictment  by 
the  grand  juy. 

I'orter  answered  that  he  would  die  befoie  he  would  consent  to  rob 
the  (lovernment,  and  the  next  day  he  was  indicted. 


LIC^UOR   AND   SMlOtiLlNG. 

Li(|Uor  cases  were  called  and  disposed  of  witii  the  regularity  of  <'lock- 
work,  and  always  with  the  same  result:  the  witnesses  were  Indians  and 
half-breeds,  the  piisoner  was  a  white  man.  and  his  friends  and  ciiums 
were  in  the  Jury  box  to  accpiit  him. 

"(Jan  you  render  a  verdict  ac<!ording  to  the  law  aiul  testimony,"  said 
the  Judge  to  a  nnui  who  was  being  sworn  as  a  juroi-.  "I  can,"  said  the 
fellow,  "uidess  the  testimony  is  that  of  an  Indian." 

The  testimony  of  Indians  is  not  valued  in  .luneau,  although  nmny  of 
them  an^  brought  in  here  as  witnesses,  and  suppoited  at  the  expense  of 
the  (lOvernment. 

Within  sight  of  tlie  courthouse  wer«'  ."50  public  saloons  open  ami 
doing  a  public  busiiu'ss,  some  of  the  more  pretentious  ones  keeping 
ojyeii  house  all  night,  and  there  was  not  a  (iovernnient  otlicer  in  Juneau 
who  could  be  found  to  interfeie  with  them. 

On  one  teclinicality  or  another  it  seems  the  laws  are  not  sulliciently 
explicit  to  mak<>  it  the  plain  duty  of  any  particular  ollicer  to  raid  a 
saloon  without  the  cooperation  of  other  oliiccrs,  who  nre.  as  a  rule,  not 
on  hand  when  wanted 

Speaking  to  a  <'ustoms  ollicer  at  .luneau,  I  said,  "I low  on  ciirth  do 
you  account  for  the  existence  of  so  many  saloons  in  .Iuimmu.  and  many 
larger  oiu's  in  <v>urse  of  erection,  if  yon  men  ilo  your  dur^  ''"  To  whiitli 
he  replied,  "  Mr.  Murray,  I  know  yon  an-  iiisiilied  in  asking  such  a 
•jnestion,  but  you  do  not  know  anything  aUmt  the  real  "situation  here 
or  you  would  not  bhune  nu'  jHTsonally,  When  1  llrst  came  here  I  was 
zealous  and  watchlul,  and  I  raided  a  stnngyler's  den  and  captured 
sonu'  10  barrels  of  liipior,  but  what  was  the  result?  The  <listiict  attor- 
ney crame  into  court  and  moved  to  have  that  smuggler  discharged  ou 
paying  a  line  of  .*;")()." 

Meeting  the  tlistrict  attorney,  I  asked  him  for  his  side  of  the  story, 
and  he  said,  "  Yes,  I  did  let  the  fellow  go  on  a  small  line,  for  I  fouml 
that  because  he  was  n(>t  in  the  inner  circle  of  snnigglers  and  vemlors 
be  had  been  selected  as  a  victim  ami  his  whisky  seized,  taken  to  the 
custom-house,  and  sold  at  private  sale  to  one  of  the  inner  ring  for  less 
than  one  third  its  real  value." 


SKAL    LIFE    ON    THK    PRIItlLoF    ISLANDS. 


:)')d 


And  so  the  story  contimu'd  to  tlie  end  of  the  ehaptc-;  one  ollU-er 
willing  to  hiy  all  the  bhune  on  tlie  otlier,  whih*  l>et\veen  them  the  inter- 
ests ot"  tliedovernnient  are  left  to  sntVer,  and  tlie  hiw,  that  was  intended 
to  do  p>od,  become  a  snhje(;t  of  derision  and  contempt. 

At  •inneau  many  inllncntiil  |M'ofcssional  and  Imsincss  men — whose 
names  can  he  {jiven  if  necessary — expresscil  themselves  to  me  in  sul>- 
stance  as  follows:  *'There  are  .'$U  saloons  here  doinj^  an  open,  pnblic 
bnsiiiess,  and  the  jfovernor  is  l>eing  very  badly  deceived  by  men  hijfh 
in  ])ul>lic  atfairs  who  are  all  more  or  less  linancially  iiiteiested  in  th<i 
liquor  business.  \\v.  favor  the  fearh'ss  enlbn-enuMit  ot  the  law  <»r  its 
uin'onditioiial  r<  ,  cal.  We  thiiik  that  the  true  s(»lution  of  the  li<|Uor 
question  in  Alaska  is  hi;,^h  lic(>nse — say  ^^l.ono  in  Sitka  and  .luneau  an<l 
in  proporrion  in  smaller  places." 

One  of  the  most  prominent  att(U'neys  at  the  .huu-aii  bar  said:  '•  I 
have  faitli  in  tiie  future  of  Alaska, and  I  tliink  I  can;;ive  some  reliable 
informal i(Ui  alnuit  the  country  and  it-'  needs.  1  believe  the  (lovern- 
nient  is  to  blaiiui  because,  for  tc  .  or  twelve  yeais,  no  elllort  has  been 
ma<le  to  enforce  the  law,  until  now  the  av«'ra>ie  nmn  iuis  no  idea  of 
]iavin<;  any  law  enforced.  Courts,  juries,  and  lawy«'rs  are  looked  upon 
with  contempt.  .Furies  can  mtt  be  found  here,  even  aun)nin'  oui'  best  peo- 
ple, to  convict  for  smu^^lin;;  or  violatinj;  the  revenue  laws.  I'erjury 
isconnnoii;  and  I  should  advise  tlw  takinjj  away  tiie  Jury  system  of 
trial  in  cases  where  the  excise  laws  are  in  questiun.  I  would  say  that 
all  |>etty  cases  should  be  tried  without  a. jury.  MviMythiiij;'  here — cost, 
<listance,  and  sparse  settlement — isaj^ainst  it.  The  whole  system  needs 
an  overhauling'.  Thing's  aie  done  in  such  a  slipshod  manner  that  (iov- 
ernnu'nt  iut«'rests  are  nej-lected  and  the  weak  attem])ts  nnide  to  uphold 
the  law  are  a  complete  t'ui'ce.  No  serious  attempt  has  i)een  made  to 
entbr<re  the  licpuu-  law,  and  liqnor  is  sold  here  publicly.  I'har^fc  ■'!<I,(KK) 
for  license  and  then  eidbree  the  law.  Had  I  tlie  power  to  do  it,  1  w<udd 
enforce  the  law  at  any  cost;  tor.  as  now  carried  on,  we  are  teachiiij,'  the 
risiiij;  fjeneration  to  utterly  disre^jard  all  law,  and  they  are  .urowin;,'  up 
io  be  our  <lanj;erous  classes." 

Tlu^  fore};oinj«'  are  sample  conversations  with  the  l»est  people  in 
Alaska,  and  I  coiiUl  quote  sciu'es  of  them  were  it  necessary. 

('(Miiplaint  was  made  on  all  sides  by  men  of  that  larjic  <|;iss  who  are 
too  poiu'  to  purcliase  liquor  in  lar;;e  (|naiitities  and  are  not  inlluential 
enoiii^'h  to  jjet  permits  from  the  customs  autlnn  ities  to  briiiff  it  in  on  the 
mail  steamer.  Tha*^  only  a  few  favored  ones — mostly  lii|noi-  dealers — 
'Were  allowed  this  privile<;'e  seemed  to  be  a  source  of  much  in<li;;nation. 

I'lxliibit  marked  1».  Iiamh'd  me  l»y  the  district  attorney,  shows  the 
quantity  of  liquor  that  j'lilered  by  permit  from  .lannniy  I.  IS'M.  to 
March  10,  !.si>."» — fourteen  moiiliis;  d.iiin;;'  wliirli  time  permits  were 
issued  to  .'It  persons  to  brinu'  in  several  hnndied  barrels  of  distilled  and 
malt  li(piors. 

It  SI  eined  that  the  neci'ssily  to  obtain  a  jtermit  had  reused  to  exist 
when  1  was  in  .luneau  in  May.  for  lepi'cseiitativi'  salesmen  lor  wlnde- 
Hale  liipior  houses  at  San  I-'rancisco,  Seattle,  and  I'oill.ind  weri' oiler- 
inj;  to  deliver  tlu'  li(|uoi'  into  the  saloons  at  .luneau  belbre  they  would 
ask  pay. 

Tills,  in  liriet'.  is  a  true  outline  of  the  liquor  question  in  Alaska,  nor 
eaii  it  be  remedied  unless  the  (foveriinient  jjoes  to  work  to  enforce  lU' 
repeal  the  present  pndiibitorv  law  lelutin;;  to  the  liipnu- tratVic  in  the 
Territory. 

So  hniffas  the  (iovernment  does  not  own  or  control  a  boat  of  any  sort 
in  a  stretidi  of  country  1,500  miles  Ion;;,  where  the  only  roa<i  is  a  water- 


i  i! 


m^ 


»■  I 


I 


m 


3G() 


8KAI,    MKi;    l)N    TIIK    PKIHIUM'    ISLANKS, 


way — so  1(m^  as  (iovi>riinuMit  nlliriTs  art'  coiiipolird,  bccaiisr  of  lack  nf 
boat  service,  to  staiul  liclpless  on  siiorc  wiiile  I  lie  snui^i^lcr  plies  his 
illej;itiiiiate  tra<Ui  heiieatli  tiieir  very  eyes,  so  loii^  will  the  pieseiit  state 
of  alia i IS  (continue  to  eiu-Me  Alaska  and  to  be  a  <lis<;i-are  to  oi:r  whole 
eoiiiitiy. 

While  at  .liiiieaii  in  May  I  wa'^  int'ornied  of  an  attempt  that  was  about 
to  be  made  to  land  a  eai';;o  of  li<pior  destined  for  the  Yukon  N'alley 
trade,  and  one  of  the  most  ener;:eiie  inspectors  in  Alaska  was  on  the 
watch  to  capture  it  if  possible,  lie  did  not  succeed,  however,  for  by 
the  time  he  secured  a  boat  to  transport  him  to  the  rcnde/.vous  of  the 
8inu}>';>lers  he  foiiinl  he  was  twenty  tour  hours  late.  Speakin^fol  the  atl'air 
afterwards  he  ssud  to  nu>:  >'lf  I  only  had  a  boat  that  was  always  at 
my  disposal  I  think  I  could  break  up  a  •^rcat  deal  of  this  smu;;^'lin{;; 
but,  hampered  as  I  am  now,  I  am  powerless,  for  no  sooner  do  I  hire  a 
boat  to  jfo  anywhere  than  the  sij^nal  llies  over  tiie  district.  It  will 
require  tlie  presence  of  a  reveniu'i'Utler  and  half  a  dozen  steam  launches 
to  kill  olf  smu},'}iiin<;  in  Alaska."     I'lvery  word  of  which  I  indorse. 

The  peculiar  conditions  surrounding;  the  .Maskau  liquor  question 
have  not  been  taken  into  account  by  many  men  of  extreme  \  lews  who 
have  written  or  spoken  on  tln'  subject:  iiuleed,  I  question  if  they  ever 
untlerstood  it.  The  liutli  is  tluit  if  there  is  a  climate  under  the  sun 
where  liquor  is  a  necessity  to  man  that  climate  is  in  Alaska,  and  con- 
iseqiieidly  white  men  dennind  and  must  have  it  at  any  cost  and  in  spite 
of  all  obstacles. 

Tids  is  the  reason  we  lind  ".M>  piTceiit.  of  the  white  population  bitterly 
opposed  to  the  present  piohibitory  law.  This  is  why  no  otlicer  can  be 
found  to  attempt  to  enforce  the  law  or  a, jury  to  uphold  it.  And  where 
public  sentiment  and  publit;  opinion  are  so  plainly  a};'ainst  a  law,  iu> 
matter  how  well  intentituied  or  jjood  in  itself,  it  is  wise  to  heed  the  sijju 
uiid  amend  or  repeal  it.  During;  a  conversaticui  with  the  assistant  dis- 
tri<*t  att(Mney,  Mr.  Ilofjy-ert,  on  this  subje«t  he  said:  "During  the  past 
four  years  $I4S,(MKI  were  spent  in  Alaska  on  eases  of  Indians  and  half- 
breeds  who  had  j;otten  drjinkor  had  peddled  whisky  with<)Ut  any  lastiiifj 
or  deliidte  results.  Had  we  had  ahi;;h  li(;ense  (luring  that  time  we  could 
have  saved  that  expense  to  the  < JoveinnuMit  ami  collecte«l  revenue 
enough  to  nnik«^  the  Territory  self-suppoitin}f." 


DESTIJUCTION    OF    GAMKFoWL   E(S(iS. 


The  stories  tohl  of  the  wanton  destnuition  and  the  systematic  steal- 
ing of  wild  ^ame-fowl  e;>'<;s  have  no  foundation  in  fact. 

I  have  traveled  ctver  thousands  of  miles  of  the  coast  line  of  Alaska, 
niakihji*' dili<>-ent  intpiiry  into  this  nmtter,  without  lindin^- one  person 
who  knew  anythinj'' about  it.  I  have  c(»nv«'rsed  with  nu'U  who  spent 
twenty  t(»  thirty  years  in  the  inii'rior  uf  Alaska,  mininji'.  huntinj;.  an<l 
tnulin^,  men  who  had  ;;'one  over  every  mile  <»f  habitable  lanu  in  the 
Territory,  without  ever  hcarin;*'  of  such  a  tliin.u'  until  I  asked  them.  1 
have  written  to  traders  whose  business  takes  them  fothe  Upper  Yukon 
countiy,  far  into  the  Uriiish  possj'ssions.  men  who  travel  tVom  the 
Boiiree  to  the  mouth  of  the  nivM  livcr;  I  liave  written  to  missionaries 
whose  labors  call  them  into  all  the  nati\e  settlements  on  the  Yukon, 
Kuskoquim.  and  other  riviMs,  and  the  unvarying  reply  is,  "  VVt' never 
heard  anythiufi-  about  such  thinj;s." 

As  ti  matter  of  fact,  it  is  not  yet  known  for  certain  where  the  wild 
fowl  lay  their  e^iys.  They  certainly  llnd  some  islantl,  marsh,  morass, 
swamp,  or  tundra  where  man  can  not  penetrate,  or,  at  all  events,  where 


<t('ill- 


8KAL    LIFK    ON    THK    PlillULOF    ISLANDS. 


aei 


lie  liiiM  not  us  yet  pttu;  nor  is  likt-ly  to  ;;o  until  tbe  inducement  is  sonie- 
t\iU\ii  of  far  more  vnlne  than  wildfowl  e;igs. 

DKSTIirCTlON  OK    DEER. 

The  destruction  of  deer  in  southeastern  Alaska  and  in  ail  tlu'  tim- 
bered portion  of  tiie  Tt'iritory  from  (.'ape  l-'ox  to  Tort  Moller,  a  distance 
of,  say,  1,-*<M>  to  1, ."»(»(»  miles,  is  carrieil  to  such  excess  tliat  it  would 
hardly  he  credit<'d  in  a  civilized  cominnnity. 

I  saw  bales  of  the  dried  deei-skins  at  many  of  the  trading;  posts  await- 
in;;  shipment, and  when  I  asked  what  use  lia<l  been  madeof  the  carcasses, 
1  was  tohl  the  <lecr  were  shot  for  their  hides  only, 

I  was  informed  by  many  men — ollicers  and  citizens — that,  as  the 
weallu'r  be«-anuMvarmer  in  the  early  spring,  the  smell  from  decavin;; 
d»'er  eanrasses  became  lion  ibiy  otlensive  around  the  towns  and  villages. 
White  men  ;>o  out  and  kill  the  animals  tor  fun.  just  to  see  who  can 
knock  ilown  m<»st  in  a  yiven  time.  The  natives  kill  them,  because  they 
can  yet  a  drink  of  whisky,  valued  at  L'*»  cents,  for  every  skin  secured. 

That  such  thin^rs  have  been  allowed  to  continue  at  any  time  is  to  be 
deeply  regretted;  but  that  it  is  still  allowed  to  continue  after  the 
natives  on  the  seal  islands  have  become  a  lairden  on  the  (iovernment, 
and  other  tribes  to  the  northward  soon  will  be  because  of  the  wanton 
waste  of  their  natural  foo<l  supply  (Ui  land  and  water,  passes  the  coin- 
preheuHion  of  every  sensible  citizen  who  understands  the  present 
situation. 

To  the  northward  we  are  endeavoring  t(»  procure  and  foster  the  rein- 
deer for  a  future  Ibod  supply  tor  the  natives  of  that  barren  region,  ami 
it  is  a  very  laudable  enterprise;  but  at  the  same  time  we  allow  the 
continued  wanton  destruction  of  the  deer  that  covers  the  whole  tim- 
bered ]>art  of  Alaska — an  em]>ire  as  lar^e  as  Texas.  In  the  winter, 
when  the  snow  is  deepest  and  the  aninmls  can  not  make  a  way  through 
the  dense  undergrowth  beneath  the  timber,  the  so-called  spoilsmen  as- 
semble, and  with  do^s  drive  them  out  on  the  seashore,  whose  beaclies* 
are  kept  clean  by  the  tides,  where  ritlemen  are  ready,  stationed  in  boats 
ollshore,  to  beyin  the  manly  sport  of  shooting  down  helpless  creatures^ 
who  can  neither  resist  nor  escape. 

The  fcdlowin^  letter  from  an  eyewitness  explains  itself: 

STKAJIKII   Al.HATJlOSS,   riitilunkii,  AhijuhI  Z'S,  Iff!)'). 

Mv  Dkak  Sik:  I  have  not  ho-ii  tililo  to  uncart li  tlio  notes  I  liail  on  ilct-r  killinjr  in 
AliiHkii.  Itiielly,  tln'irslanf;liler  lias  Ik'1'11  vitv  uroat.  I>urin«  tin- wintfior  IS'.II  (Iciir 
were  killed  and  waMteil  iiisoMtlieaNrerii  Ala.Mka.  Snow  wa.s  nnn.snall.v  deep  and  thrdeer 
were  I'oreed  to  the  heachi'H,  wliieh  were  left  clear  l>\  the  tides.  Shootin:,'  was  dune 
IVoni  lioats  and  canoes  Ity  Ixitli  whites  and  Indians.  I  know  (d' three  Indians  killing 
17")  deer  from  eano(>s  in  two  days.  Many  wliites  shot  for  hides  alone,  :ind  at  many 
places  hides  could  he  li<Mii;lit  for  ICt  cents  each.  I  do  not  think  that  Indians  should 
he  jirevented  from  shootin<r  all  kinds  of  ;!amu  for  tlicir  own  needs,  Imt  killing;  for 
hides  alone  is  certainly  re]»relK'nsihle,  .'iiid  if  the  rale  of  slaui:liter  thiit  has  lieen 
jfoiiii;  oil  for  the  past  few  years  is  coiitinueil,  there  will  he  very  lew  deer  left. 

As  tile  hides  art*  of  compariitively  litth*  value,  their  exportation  nii^iht  he  stopped 
without  cauainir  any  seritnis  hardshi)i  to  anyone,  and  of  course  when  the  hides  oi^como 
uiisalnl)le.  the  Indhins  will  not  kill  luiiny  more  than  they  ined. 

I  have  never  heard  ot  any  destruction  of  hirds  (U-  hirds'  e;;jjH  mid  can  not  imagine 
h(>\v  there  c(Uild  he  any  remarkalde  waste  of  that  nature,  although  I  am  familiar 
with  the  natural  history  of  u  considerahle  portion  of  the  Territory. 


Verv  truly,  yours, 


t'.    If.    ToWNSRNI). 


Col.  JosKi'ii  Mi: 


IMiAV. 


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362 


SEAL    LIl'K    ON    THK    PKIMILOF    ISLANDS. 


FOXES. 


After  we  |)iihs  the  tinilu'r  belt  to  t\\v  w«\st\vai(I  we  tiiid  Imt  very  littlt; 
piiiie,  the  only  viihiable  land  animal  on  the  Alentian  chain  of  islainis 
bein^'  the  fox,  which  until  recently  was  a. source  of  income  to  the  natives, 
who  spent  the  greater  ])art  of  the  winter  hnntin;;'  and  trapping'  the 
aninnd. 

All  that  has  been  said  about  the  wanton  destruction  of  deer  can  liu 
said  with  etpial  tinth  aliout  the  wiiolcsale  poisoning;  by  which  wliolf 
islands  arc  stripped  of  their  foxes  in  one  winter,  and  the  native  hniitcr 
and  his  children  left  to  starve.  So  systematically  is  the  worU  done  and 
8o  desperate  are  the  ^an^  en;>a;;cd  in  it  that  those  who  know  them  best 
are  very  careful  to  say  least  about  them. 

Memliers  of  the  j-anff  are  to  be  found  wlierever  tln're  is  money  to  he 
nnide  suddenly  by  illc^itinnite  nu'ans.  In  the  iishin;;  season  they  diiiii 
the  streams,  <taptnre  tli<>  salmon  by  the  (|inintity.  and  sell  them  to  tlic 
iH'arest  cannery  for  what  they  will  lu'in;;.  They  never  takt'  the  tionlilc 
to  tear  down  the  dams.  They  are  to  l>e  found  in  schooners  in  the  early 
M])rin};  hunting  the  sea  otter  in  forbidden  waters.  Tliey  ao  to  licring 
Sea  after  seals,  and  last  season  some  of  tlnMii  made  a  successful  I'aid  mi 
a  trading  |)ost  and  rol>be<l  it  of  sonu'  ].'>  <u-  IM)  tine  sea-otter  sUins.  valued 
at  $7,0(M>  to  JJtHMHM). 

CJenerally  they  wind  up  the  year's  pinmler  by  selectin;"-  a  }»roup  of 
islands,  where  they  spend  the  winter  poisoning'  foxes  and  .secnrinj;  tlio 
pelts.  These  are  tin'  nn-n  who  are  armed  to  the  teeth  with  the  best 
modern  breeidi  loading;  arms;  nu'U  who  own  switt  sailin;>°  schooners,  in 
whi(!h  they  <!arry  car<>(>es  of  whisky  from  IJritish  ('»>luml»ia,  ami,  follow- 
iuii  the  Alaskan  coast  and  Indian  settlenn>nts,  )>eddle  it  out  to  natives 
for  whatever  skins  and  trinkets  they  nniy  have  to  spare,  aiul  havin;; 
made  them  drunk,  they  sl'p  in  and  rob  them  of  everything. 

No  etVort  has  ever  been  nnnle  to  break  up  their  nefarious  business, 
ami  now  they  swayjjer  into  «'ourt  as  thou;>li  the  (lovernment  were  an 
intruder,  and  liste]i  awhile  to  the  proceedings;  Just  lon^'  enon{;li  tu 
assure  themselves  that  their  tools  at  the  bar  and  in  the  Jury  box  are 
doinjf  their  duty — to  the  jjanj;. 

The  perpt'tual   presence  of  a  revenue  iaitler  that  would  patnd  tlio 
inner  waters  of  Alaska  from  (Jape  Im>x  to  <3hih',at  and  Sitka,  aided  by 
armed  steam  launches  stationed  at  convenient  points  alon^  the  route, 
is  the  only  i)racti<'al  method  that  I  know  of  by  which  the  present  dan 
genms  bands  of  outlaws  can  be  suppressed. 

With  boats  at  his  dis])o.sal  whenever  needed,  the  nnirshal  coulil 
enforce  the  law,  the  collector  c<Mild  follow  the  smujifiiers  to  their  U'li- 
de/.vous  and  bi'cak  up  the  whole  business  atone  bl(>w.  .\s  it  is  now. 
all  the  ollicers  in  Alaska  are  utterly  powerless  to  do  anythinj;;,  ami  the 
con.scquence  is  the  laws  are  deiied  ami  deihled  and  spat  upon. 


THK   SEA  OTTEK. 

The  most  valuable  of  all  the  fur-beariuff  aninnils  in  Alaskan  waters 
aud  the  most  widely  distributed  is  undoubtedly  the  sea  otter,  which,  if 
properly  protected  by  the  tJovernment.  is  <'apable  of  ^'ivinj;  i)rolitabIe 
employment  to  the  native  hunters  tor  all  time. 

Beginning  at  Sitka  they  were  to  be  fouml  till  very  recently  all  aronnd 
the  coast  ami  Aleutian  Islands  as  far  westwani  as  Attou,  a  distance  of 
nearly  5,000  miles;  but  now,  after  a  few  years  of  hunting  by  the  mod- 


SKAL    MFE    ON    THE    TKIBILOF    ISLANUS, 


3f)3 


em  iiieti  xls  of  HtesuiKMs  and  steam  laiinclies,  tlicy  are  seldom  found 
outside  a  few  favorably  secluded  spots.  The  steamer  and  tlie  steam 
laiiiicli  earry  erews  of  wliite  liunters  into  every  nook  and  eranny  on  the 
coast  and  ottei-  hunting;  grounds  where  an  animal  is  to  he  found,  and 
every  one  of  them  is  either  killed  ()r  ehasi-d  away  from  honu' — ehast'd 
out  to  sea  in  nniny  instan(;es,  wh«-re.  il  they  happen  to  elude  th(>  hunter, 
tiie.v  die  ()f  starvation,  for  they  ran  not  mt  down  tor  food  in  deop  water. 

None  Itnt  native  hunters  should  he  prrmilted  to  hunt  sea  otter, 
hecaiiso  it  is  almost  the  only  support  of  all  the  native  pcoplo  i'nnn 
Cooks  Iidet  to  Attou  Island,  and,  it  left  to  them  o\(;lusively.  their  simple 
iiM-thods  of  hunting'  «m  the  water  in  skin  hoats.  in  whi«-h  they  dare  not 
venture  far  fi'om  Inml,  ean  not  |i(»ssildy  diive  thoaninml  away  from  its 
(•u>lomary  haunts  luu- exteriidnate  it. 

1  include  in  the  term  native  hunters  all  whites  who  were  married  to 
Indiiin  wonu'U  prior  to  |.S".>;{,  when  the  rulin;;  was  chan^icd.  The  orijr. 
iiial  rnliii};  of  the  Departnuuit.  made  sonu'  twenty  years  a;iO.  reimiined 
in  force  until  is*).;,  and  in  the  nH>antinu'  nuiny  white  hunters  married 
Uiitive  w(unen,  maile  htuues,  ami  raised  laniilies,  ami  be«-ame  initives  of 
Alaska  to  all  intents  and  purposes. 

All  their  eaithly  possessions  aic  invested  in  sea  otter  liuntin<;  prop- 
erty, their  families  hav<'  heen  hron^ht  up  to  that  husiiu'ss  «'xclnsive!y, 
the  men  tlu'inselves  have  macle  it  tiu'lr  life  work,  iind  are  now  to(»  old 
to  clianfje  or  to  jjo  away  from  home  ',o  attempt  t<>  nndie  a  liviii;;'  at  any 
other  business,  ami  theieloie  it  would  he  an  act  of  <;ross  injustice  to 
«listuih  them  at  this  late  day.  W  ith  the  whili'  imui  who  married  a 
native  woman  alter  the  Depaitment  had  ^iven  fair  warning:'  that  he 
would  not  la^  jjiven  the  i-ijjhts  of  a  nntive  hunter  the  ease  is  alftfjether 
4litferent,  and  in  his  case  the  rulin<>  of  the  Depaitment  ou;rht  to  stand. 
The  farther  away  from  the  native  settlements  the  aviuaj^e  .Maskau 
white  hunter  can  be  kept  the  better  for  the  natives. 

1  rU   SEALS. 

Sailinp:  from  Sitka  .luiu'  L'.  on  board  the  I'.  S.  leveinie  cutter  /»'//.v//, 
<'apt.  C.  li.  Hooper  commaiidinf;.  1  laiMb'»l  at  St.  (leor;;t'.lune  IS,  wIumo 
I  learned  that  the  precedinj;'  winter  had  bcj-n  one  of  niinsual  severity, 
that  ice  had  lain  around  the  island  until  .lime  I.'),  and  tlint,  up  to  the 
<liite  of  my  landing:,  very  few  leinale  seals  had  appeai<'d  umoii  the 
rookeries. 

The  same  st(M'y  was  re|M'at<'d  on  St.  I'aul  Island,  where  1  spent  the 
l!)tli  and  L'Uth  of  dune  visitin<>'  the  oriiieipal  rookeries  and  hauling 
jirounds,  after  which  I  saih'd  away  and  visited  many  of  the  nati\e  set- 
tlements ahm;;  the  .Vicutiiin  chain,  particulars  of  whieli  will  be  y;iven 
in  my  repent  on  the  conditicm  of  the  iiati\e  tribes. 

I  returned  to  the  seal  i>laiids  early  in  .Inly  and  spent  tin*  tith.  Till, 
ami  Sth  on  tlu'  rookeries  ohservin;''  their  daily  j;rowth  and  expiinsioii, 
as  the  cows  were  now  arriviii};  and  tlu'  harems  were  well  deliin'd  ami 
the  pups  be(;oininff  numerous. 

neiiijj  well  aware  of  the  i'wU  however,  that  it  is  not  till  about  .Inly 
20  the  rookeries  are  full  for  Ih.'  t  asoii,  I  continued  to  follow  theinstrue- 
ti<nis  which  called  me  to  o  her  d'lds  until  duly  I.S,  when  I  letiirned  to 
the  seal  islands,  where,  all  b;  in,  ready.  I  entered  on  the  most  careful 
and  tlioroiij,''!!  inspection  of  '!:»>  ii>okeries  ever  nnnleby  me.  The  result 
is  shown  in  the  inclosed  talde  nnirked  Kxhihit  A. 

Mcfiinniii;;  at  St.  I'iiiil  Island  .Inly  L'I,and  completinj;  the  work  at  St. 
<«eorge  August  14.  I  walked  over  the  several  rookeries  and  counted 


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SKAL    LIKK    ON    THE    PKIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


evcMy  individual  breeding  male  or  bull  seal  who  bad  a  liareni,  noting 
and  counting  very  carefully,  too,  every  idle  bull,  or,  in  other  words, 
every  bull  whose  youth,  strength,  and  vigor  fitted  and  (ini«li(ie<l  him  tor 
a  harem  had  there  been  cows  to  be  found  in  sutlicient  numbers  to  sup- 
ply them,  which,  unfortunately,  there  were  not.  So  carefully  and  so  sys- 
t  'matically  was  the.  counting  done  that  I  feel  J  can  lecutmmend  tlie 
figures  as  being  as  nearly  correct  and  rehable  as  it  is  possible  to  get 
them. 

Under  the  head  of  bachelors,  or  young  males,  are  included  all  tlie 
seals  on  the  islands  other  than  those  on  the  breeding  rookeries,  many 
of  them  being  young  females,  too  young  to  go  on  to  the  breeding 
grounds. 

The  bachelors  have  been  estimated  by  me  in  the  usual  nnniner  of 
estimating  a  bunch  of  seals,  and  they  may  very  possibly  run  a  thousand 
or  two  more  or  less  than  the  tiguies  given. 

The  number  of  breeding  fenuiles  (U*  cows  is  based  on  an  arbitrary 
average  of  40  to  the  harem,  or  4((  cows  to  every  breeding  bull,  as  was 
adopted  in  and  followed  since  1S!>1,  though  J  am  of  the  oiiinion  it  was 
an  overestimate  and  that  the  harems  never  did  and  do  not  now  contain 
an  average  of  40  cows  each. 

Having  adopted  that  number,  however,  and  having  used  it  so  long 
in  our  estinuites,  it  was  necessary  to  use  it  in  the  present  instance  for 
the  sake  of  making  fair  comparisons  when  considering  the  steady 
annual  decrease  of  the  seal  herd  and  the  shi  inkage  of  the  rookery  area. 

Admitting  the  average  number  of  cows  in  a  harem  to  be  less  than 
40 — and  1  believe  all  who  know  anything  about  seal  life  on  the  rook- 
eries will  admit  it  is — then  the  total  number  of  seals  in  the  herd,  as 
estiunited  by  me,  will  be  that  much  less  in  proportion. 

By  way  of  explanation  I  will  say  that  when  we  first  attempted  to 
count  the  bulls,  in  1891,  for  the  pnrjwse  of  getting,  approxinuitely,  at 
the  nuniber  of  seals  on  the  islands,  it  was  deemed  best  to  run  the  risk 
of  overestimating  the  herds,  lest  tlreat  Britain  should  object  to  our 
figures  and  insist  on  a  recounting  and,  jmssibly,  discover  an  error  upon 
which  to  base  an  argument  against  us  for  the  ])urpose  of  showing  our 
anxiety  to  pi-ove  the  wicked  wastefulness  of  pelagic  sealing. 

As  the  seals  were  at  that  time  too  numerous  and  the  harems  too  com- 
pact to  admit  of  our  going  through  and  among  theuj  as  we  can  now,  we 
simply  aimed  to  count  every  bull  we  could  see  and  multiply  the  num- 
ber found  by  two,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  not  possible  to  penetrate 
the  mass  far  en<mgh  to  see  more  than  one-half  of  them. 

And,  lest  that  was  not  enough,  we  allowed  an  average  of  40  cows  to 
each  hareuj,  although  we  were  quite  certain  it  was  too  high. 

I  have  gone  over  the  rookeries  every  year,  in  season,  since  1891,  and 
I  have  noted  the  steady  decrease  of  tlie  herd  from  500,000  then  to 
237,800  in  ISO."*,  when,  because  of  the  decrease,  I  was  able  to  go  in 
among  the  heid  at  the  height  of  the  season  and  count  every  bull  on  the 
islands. 

Whether  we  erred  in  our  estinnites  in  our  first  crude  elibrts  to  get  at 
the  facts  is  of  no  conse<iuence  iu)W,  for  the  fact  remains  that,  no  matter 
what  the  actual  numbers  were  in  ISOl,  more  than  one-half  of  the  whole 
herd  has  been  exterminated  since  then. 

Taking  it  for  granted  that  the  estinnites  were  wrong,  the  proportion 

poses,  so  that  if  we  take  t!:e  500,000 


1» 


purp 


of  1891  against  the  237,800  of  1895,  we  fiiul  an  average  annual  decrease 
of  52,440  for  the  five  years  beginning  with  18tH  and  ending  with  189."». 
That  the  average  annual  loss  has  been  greater  than  this  can  be 


Ills  too  coin- 
an  uow,  we 


n 


SEAL   LIFE    ON    THE    PRIWLOF    ISLANDS. 


365 


(Icmonstrated  from  the  statistics  on  ftle  in  the  l)e[)iirtineTit  which  show 
a  i)eli»j,'i<'  catch  of  Ahiskan  seals  to  have  been  as  follows: 

1891 4n.  I!)l 

lX!t2  .   Jti,  042 

18!)3 L'«,(>13 

18114 • .">,">.  Wis 

1895  (estimated) 40,  (M)0 

Total  for  five  years 21t),  xt)4 

to  which  I  add  (50  per  cent  for  the  loss  of  jtups  tliat  died  on  the  rookeries 
because  of  the  Uillin^  of  theirdanis  at  sea  durinj;'  the  nursing'  sensoii. 

1  base  the  proportion  of  pups  on  what  I  witnessed  this  year  in  liering 
8ea,  where  the  loj^s  kept  by  the  sealers  showed  a  killinj;'  of  (i(>  per  cent 
females  for  the  season:  21(),S(»4  plus  (»(►  percent  ecpnils  ;i4(J.!>iS2  seals 
taken  or  destroyed  in  five  years  by  jtelajjic  sealers  wlio  pay  nothing 
whatever  for  the  care  of  the  animals. 

I  have  estimated  4(),(K)()  as  the  catch  for  1S95.  I  left  l>erinj>-  Sea  Sep- 
tember 1(S,  when  31,L'Ui  seals  had  been  taken  by  pelagic  sealeis,  of  which 
number  IS.SGSor  (iO  per  cent  were  females  as  per  the  logs  of  the  several 
vessels.  These  females  were  nursing  mothers  in  milk,  whose  young 
were  left  upon  the  rookeries  while  tiiey  went  out  to  sea  for  food  and 
rest,  instead  of  which  they  met  the  pelagic  sealer  who,  according  to  law, 
killed  them  and  carried  off  their  skins  and  left  their  helpless  young  to 
bleat  themselves  to  death  upon  the  lookeries. 

In  a  former  report  I  pointed  out  the  absurdity  of  the  regulations  that 
would  protect  the  female  seals  from  the  i)elagi(!  sealer  during  the 
months  of  iMay,  .lune,  and  -July,  most  of  wiiich  time  they  are  on  the 
islands  and  beyond  his  reach,  and  that  would  give  him  a  clear  and 
free  field  in  August,  as  soon  as  tiie  mother  seal  takes  to  the  water 
in  search  of  much  needed  food  and  rest  and  when,  above  all  other  times, 
she  needs  protection. 

The  taking  of  ol,()0()  seals  in  the  month  of  August,  181>5,  proves  the 
correctness  of  my  position,  and  renders  it  needless  to  dwell  upon  the 
absurdity  of  the  position  the  nation  has  been  placed  in  by  the  present 
sealing  regulations. 

I  therefore  most  respectfully  call  the  attention  of  the  Department  to 
the  five  suggestions  made  by  me  in  my  report  of  last  year,  the  adop- 
tion of  which  I  believe  will  forever  settle  the  seal  question. 


'If   ! 


i  ! 


40  cows  to 


SALMON. 

Owing  to  a  lack  of  traveling  facilities  to  the  several  canneries  duiing 
the  Hsliing  season,  and  to  the  fact  tinit  the  whole  revenue  fleet  of  the 
Pacific  <Joast  ha<l  to  do  duty  in  llering  Sea.  I  fourid  it  impossible  to 
visit  many  of  the  cannei'ies  beyond  Karluk,  where  I  found  that  one  of 
the  rival  establishments  had  sold  out  to  the  Alaska  Packers'  Associa- 
tion and  quit  the  business,  thus  leaving  oidy  two  prin(tlpal  competitors 
on  the  river — the  Alaska  Imi)rovement  Company  and  the  Alaska  I'ack- 
ers'  Association. 

Much  crimination  and  recrimination  were  iiululged  in  on  both  sides 
as  each  eiuieavored  to  show  it  was  the  other  <uie  who  violated  the  law, 
and  a  string  of  complaints  was  jiresented  by  the  Indians  similar  to 
those  presented  by  the  same  party  in  1894,  and  of  which  I  treated  in 
my  report  for  that  year. 

I  found  the  flsherraen  with  their  nets  in  the  narrowest  i)art  of  the 
Karluk  River,  and  so  systematically  do  they  work  the  nets  that  I  could 


ijij 


i 


r^i 


i;i 


366 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


not  see  how  it  was  possible  for  a  flsb  to  ever  pass  them  to  the  spawn- 
ing grounds. 

llemonstrating  with  the  foreman  Jiboutsuch  flagrant  violation  of  tlie 
law  and  of  his  own  promise,  made  in  1804,  that  such  methods  should 
not  be  (continued,  he  replied:  "  I  was  sent  liere  to  take  tish;  my  orders 
are  to  take  them  wheiever  I  can  find  them,  and  1  am  going  to  obey  my 
orders." 

lie  afterwards  explained  to  nie  how,  during  the  storms  when  tlie 
water  is  too  roi  gh  to  allow  the  sj)reading  of  nets,  enough  salmon  pass 
into  and  up  the  river  to  supply  twice  the  ([uantity  of  spawn  required 
for  i»erpetuatiiig  the  stock. 

His  rival  acioss  the  river  indorsed  him  in  all  tliis,  but  added:  "As 
soon  as  the  storm  ceases  the  fishermen  follow  tlie  salmon  upstream  to 
the  playground  and  capture  every  one  of  them.'" 

Exhibit  11,  whi(;h  accompanies  this  report,  is  a  copy  of  a  bill  which  I 
would  like  to  see  become  law,  for  I  believe  it  would,  if  enforced,  put  an 
end  to  tiie  ])resent  wasteful  methods  of  salmon  slaughter  in  Alaska 
without  <loing  injury  to  any  honestly  conducted  enterprise  in  tlie 
Territory. 

Exhibit  C  is  a  detailed  statement  of  the  salmon  pack  in  Alaska  for 
181>5,  showing  the  number  of  tish  taken,  the  inimber  of  cases  put  up, 
and  the  number  of  men — white,  native,  and  Chinese — employed;  also  the 
cost  of  the  tin  consumed  in  the  business,  the  amount  invested  in  each 
plant  owned  by  the  Alaska  Packers'  Association,  and  other  data  as  per 
instructions.  The  only  item  of  juime  interest  I  have  been  unable  to 
secure  is  the  selling  ))rice  of  the  product  of  each  cannery  in  the  market 
to  which  it  is  consigned. 

Through  the  kindness  and  courtesy  of  the  Alaska  Packers'  Associ- 
ation 1  have  learned  that  the  average  selling  price  in  San  Francisco, 
where  the  greater  bulk  of  the  whole  pack  is  sold,  is  as  follows:  Silver 
salmon,  <S2  cents  per  dozen;  red  salmon,  92i  cents  per  dozen;  king 
salmon,  924  cents  per  dozen,  and  barrels  of  2<ro  pounds  net,  $4.75. 

Considering  that  only  very  few  silver  salmon  are  taken  and  packed, 
it  is  safe  to  say  that  the  whole  number  of  cases  put  up  in  1895  averaged 
$3.00  per  case,  or  a  sum  equal  io  ■*2,229,704.4(),  which,  added  to  the 
price  of  lt),f<57  barrels  at  $4.7"),  makes  a  grand  total  of  $2,326,908  as 
the  price  realized  on  Alaskan  salmon  in  1895. 

Exhibit  F  is  a  summary  of  the  salmon  pack  of  the  Pacific  Coast  and 
Alaska  for  1895,  showing  a  grand  total  of  2,040,010  cases  of  48  pounds 
each,  the  largest  yearly  catch  on  record.  An  examination  of  the  figures 
shows  that  about  one  third  of  this  catch  was  taken  from  the  streams  of 
Alaska. 

That  adequate  protection  should  be  given  to  these  streams  by  which 
the  salmon  may  be  i)eri>etuated  indeflnitely  goes  without  saying,  and 
yet  1  find  it  the  hardest  part  of  all  to  nuike  men  believe  there  is  any 
danger  in  the  present  methods  of  fishing. 

That  I  might  not  be  accused  of  setting  my  own  individual  opinion 
against  men  of  practical  experience,  I  addressed  letters  of  inquiry  to 
many  gentlemen  who  are  deeply  interested  in  Alaska,  whose  homes 
are  there,  and  who  have  everything  at  stake  in  the  success  or  failure 
of  the  Territory. 

To  Mr.  William  Duncan  (Father  Duncan),  of  Metlakahtla,  I  sent  a 
series  of  questions  which  I  requested  should  be  submitted  to  his  peo- 
ple for  consideration  and  the  answers  given  to  me  when  I  called  at  the 

>  The  play^ouud  in  that  part  of  the  stream  where  the  salt  and  fresh  waters  meet 
and  mingle,  m  which  the  salmon  prefer  to  live  for  several  weeks  before  spawning. 


i 


SEAL    LIFE    OX    THE    PRIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


367 


>»J 


f 


settlement  in  the  lUll.  As  I  did  not  have  the  opportunity  to  return  by 
that  route,  I  could  not  call  at  Metlakahtla  as  I  intended,  so  Mr.  Dun- 
can very  kindly  sent  nie  the  following  letter: 

Mr.TI.AKAIlTLA,  Al.ASKA,  Oitohvy  l.'i,  !S0.'>. 

My  Deak  Mk.  MriJUAY:  Your  letter  dated  Uiialaska,  SejitenilKr  11,  only  reached 
me  the  latter  part  of  last  week.  It  had  heeTi  detained  at  Kitcheean  over  a  week 
through  the  lack  ofeonrtesy  of  the  postniaHter  tlu^re. 

On  uiy  arrival  home  last  May,  after  the  |)leasant  trii>  in  your  company  to  Sitka,  I 
called  a  meeting  of  our  i)eo])le  and  propounded  to  them  the  several  knotty  ([Uestions 
you  had  suggested  i'or  our  consideration.  Last  night  we  held  another  meeting,  to  a 
iate  honr,  on  the  s:inie  husiness,  and  1  was  much  jileased  with  the  sensible  way  the 
natives  took  part  in  the  discussion. 

Question  I,  '■  How  to  secure  possession  of  Annette  Islan<l  to  our  people  and  to  such 
other  Indians  as  may  Join  them  from  surrounding  bands,  whether  by  individual  or 
community  title." 

Our  answer  to  this  question  is  a  nnanimons  voice  in  favor  of  a  community  title, 
and  the  town  council  being  empowered  to  grant  allotments  of  land  for  legitimate 
puri)ose8  to  individuals  as  circumstances  may  arise  calling  for  such  action. 

Ity  this  yilan  the  present  unity  and  regulations  in  the  community  could  be  pre- 
served, whereas  if  individual  titles  of  KiO  acres  were  granted  by  the  Government, 
the  holder  of  each  allotment  being  thus  indei>endent  of  the  comnnmity,  contlicting 
interests  might  result  in  a  rupture  which  would  be  very  prejudicial  to  the  character 
and  progress  of  the  settlement. 

Question  2.  "How  can  the  rights  of  the  natives  to  the  salmon  streams  be  best 
secured  aiul  maintained  ?" 

Our  answer  is,  that,  pending  the  Indians  arriving  at  full  American  citizenshij)  and 
responsibility,  the  Government  might  proclaim  all  salmon  streams  Indian  reserva- 
tions or  (iovernment  property,  .and  only  allow  tishing  in  them  to  proper  jiersons  and 
under  proper  regulations. 

Such  a  law  would  prevent  canning  companies  from  taking  e>  elusive  control  of  the 
salmon  streams,  and  might  be  made  an  important  factor  for  bettering  the  condition 
of  the  natives. 

At  present  Alaska  is  in  danger  of  losing  one  of  its  greatest  ford  supplies,  through 
cannery  operations.  The  Indians  are  born  fishermen,  and  being  permanent  residents 
of  the  country  lishing  should,  to  a  great  extent,  be  in  their  hands,  not  as  employees 
only,  but  as  vendors  of  the  salmon  to  the  canneries. 

Question  3.  "How  best  to  preserve  salmon  life  in  Alaska  f  " 

Our  answer  to  question  2  partly  applies  as  answer  to  this.  I  will,  however, 
enumerate  our  views : 

(1)  Let  the  salmon  streams  be  declared  Government  property,  and  the  fishing  in 
them  be  absolutely  controlled  under  Government  regulations  and  by  Government 
agents. 

(2)  Only  permit  a  certain  number  of  salmon  to  he  taken  from  each  stream,  the 
number  being  decided  by  the  capacity  of  the  stream. 

(3)  Allow  no  modern  barricades  to  be  used  in  the  streams,  and  even  the  simple  ones 
which  have  always  been  used  by  the  natives  ought  to  be  removed  on  Saturdays  in 
each  week. 

(4)  A  limit  should  be  placed  to  the  pack  of  each  cannery.  I  think  20,000  cases 
should  be  the  limit.  If,  however,  crnneries  can  keep  on  increasing  their  pack  and 
extending  their  time  each  year,  as  at  present,  fewer  salmon  each  season  will  be  left 
for  reproduction. 

(5)  No  cannei  y  should  be  allowed  to  work  on  Sunday,  and  if  fishing  was  forbidden 
after  noon  on  Saturday  till  midnight  Sunday  of  each  week  Sunday  labor  would 
cease.    We  strictly  keep  to  this  rule  at  Metlakahtla. 

Question  4.  "How  best  to  suppress  liquor  trattic?" 

(1)  Our  answer  is,  give  the  present  liquor  law  a  fair  trial,  and  to  that  end  every 
liquor  saloon  in  Alaska  should  be  suppressed  and  every  drop  of  liquor  now  in  it 
should  be  destroyed. 

(2)  Any  person  found  smuggling  or  selling  lii^uor  in  Alaska  should  be  fined  and 
imprisoned. 

(3)  Do  away  with  the  juries  at  the  trial  of  liquor  cases.  Let  the  judges  or  com- 
missioners appointed  by  the  Government  decide,  upon  certain  given  evidence,  on  the 
guilt  of  the  persons  arrested  for  ofi'ent>es  against  the  liquor  law  and  an  appeal 
allowed  only  to  the  supreme  district  court. 

(4)  Let  every  person  found  intoxicated  be  imprisoned,  and  in  the  case  of  natives 
the  sentence  to  be  commuted  if  the  prisoner  will  give  information  leading  to  the 
conviction  of  the  person  or  persons  who  supplied  him  with  the  liquors  that  intoxi- 
cated him. 


^T 


368 


SEAL    LIKE    ON    THE    PHIHILOF    ISLANDS. 


(5)  Ijet  every  intoriiinr  ;i;;ainst  otVemlers  in  lic|n(>r  eaues  (iC  his  evidence  lends  to  a 
conviction)  be  rewanled  li\  recoivinjj;  a  part  of  tlie  (iue  imposed  on  tlie  oli'ender. 

(6)  Let  every  connnissioner  in  Alasi<a  l)e  instructed  to  swear  in  a  ;;<>odly  nnnilicr 
of  Hpecial  jioiice,  without  salary,  especially  ainon^f  the  natives,  and  let  these  lie 
eiicoiira<j;e<l  to  assist  in  earryinji  out  this  law. 

(jiutstion  r».  "  Should  al)solnte  title  to  land  in  Alaska  ho  j^iveii  to  cannery  corjin- 
rations?" 

Our  answer  to  this  is,  we  think  that  title  to  the  land  on  which  they  have  phu-eil 
canneries  shonld  he  jiiven,  lint  not  to  lands  used  only  as  lisliin<;  stations, 

(^ntistion  (t.  "As  to  th«^  grantinj;  of  titles  to  land  to  whites  in  jjjiMieral." 

A\'e  think  that  Jnst  so  loiiji  as  the  (jovernirient  refuses  to  jjivo  titles  to  land  ia 
Alaska  the  country  will  he  ov(^rrun  with  an  irres|)oiisihle  lloatin<;  populatimi. 
Owinjj;  to  the  charaeteri-tics  of  the  country  this  will  he  true,  to  a  lar;;o  «!xteiit,  in 
any  event;  lint  the  ownershij*  ol'  iirojiorty  would  have  a  tendency  to  locate  some 
pernninent  residents. 

Question  7.  "Shoulil  the  exjiortation  of  lumber  from  .\laska  bt;  allowed'" 

We  think  that  until  the  country  is  more  settled  -ip  the  law  forliiddin;;  the  expor- 
tation of  luinlier,  which  now  exists,  shouhl  remain  iu  force. 

Question  H.  "  Indian  citi/.enshi])."' 

We  think  that  (itiestion  had  better  be  delayed.     No  doubt  there  are  some  uat'ves 
ripe  for  the  ]ioHiti<Mi,  but  the  mass  are  not  so.     Let  the  missionary  an<l  school  tea-  her 
continue  their  work  till  the  jjoal  be  reached. 
Yours,  verv  respect  full  v, 

W.  Dlxcan. 

Hon.  .Josri'ii  MruitAY, 

I-'ort  Collins,  Colo. 

I  respectfully  ask  imrtit-nlar  attention  of  the  l)e])aitinent  to  this  letter 
of  Mr.  DiMK^an,  for  1  believe  thr.t  the  a(loi>tion  of  many  of  his  su{j;<;es- 
tions  would  be  a  full  and  satisfavtory  solution  of  the  many  knotty  luob- 
leins  at  present  perplexinj?  all  who  feel  a  worthy  and  laudable  interest 
in  the  present  good  and  future  welfare  of  Ahiska. 

Another  and  an  entirely  diffei(»nt  i)hase  of  the  salmon  (juestion  wiis 
brouglit  to  my  attention  by  Mr. .John  C  ('allbreath,  of  Fort  Wranjiell, 
who  has  been  endeavoring,  single-handed,  to  introduce  and  propagate 
salmon  in  streams  where  they  did  not  exist,  or  from  which  they  liad 
been  driven  before.  I  pronused  him  in  the  spring  that  I  would  visit  liis 
liatchtM'y  in  the  fall  during  my  stay  in  the  vi<'inity,  but  1  did  not  get  an 
opportunity  to  return  that  way. 

The  following  letter  was  written  afterwards  by  Mr.  Callbreath  and 
deserves  careful  consideration.  Particular  attention  is  called  to  that 
portion  of  it  treating  of  special  "  property  rights  to  the  producer  for  all 
tisb  in  excess  of  the  natural  product  of  the  stream." 

What  Mr.  Callbreath  wants  is  assurance  that  after  he  has  success- 
fully stocked  a  stream  with  salmon,  where  none  or  but  very  few  existed 
before,  he  will  be  given  rights  in  the  flsh  as  against  Jill  other  claimants 
who  might  desire  to  establish  cainu'ries  on  the  stream.  But  here  is  his 
letter  to  speak  for  itself: 

Skatti.k,  Wash.,  Dvoemhev  10,  lS9'i. 

Di'.Ait  Siu:  I  reyjret  my  inability  to  have  forwarded  you  an  account  of  salmoa 
I'atchery  at  an  earlic^r  day.  Ibisiness  in  the  interior,  from  whi<'h  i)oint  there  was  no 
i.\e'nis  of  communication,  detained  rae  until  late  in  the  fall.  1  have,  however,  a  trus(ed 
tini)erintendent  trained  under  my  own  care,  who  has  made  a  complete  success  uj)  to 
November  1.  I  shall  return  soon  aiul  fj;iv(?  the  business  my  jtersonal  attention  until 
the  young  fry  are  out  and  ])laceil  in  their  res]toctive  i>reserves. 

My  ])rocessof  hatching  is  the  same  as  that  followed  by  the  (iovernment  hatcheries 
at  Clackamas,  in  the  State  of  Oregon,  and  need  not  be  described  here. 

My  hatchery  is  situated  on  the  w<>stern  side  of  l^tholine  Island,  on  a  lake  discharg- 
ing through  a  small  stream,  a  mere  brook,  into  McIIenry  Inlet — ami  jiroducing  from 
3,000  to  .5,000  Bukkesh  (OncorlwjncliuH  nerkit)  salmon,  an  amount  too  insigniticaiit  to 
be  lished  by  the  canners  or  salters — and  known  among  the  Indians  and  lishermen  as 
a  "  cuttus  chuck,"  or  worthless  stream.  The  lake  on  which  my  hatchery  is  locatetl  is 
about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  tide  water  and  contains  about  500  acres. 

I  have  built  a  dam  8  feet  high  across  the  creek  a  few  yards  above  tide  water,  over 
which  no  tish  unaided  can  pass.     When  the  sukkesh  start  to  ascend  the  stream  for 


'< 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    rUIlULOF    ISLANDS. 


3G9 


iiiiery  <!<ir|)(i- 


:  liatclicries 


siiiiwiiiiiy,  tlit^y  are  iiiipoiiiidLMl  in  a  trap  below  the  daiii.  picked  uji  with  a  dip  net,  and 
earet'nlly  jdaced  aliove  the  dam,  from  wlienee  tiiey  (|uiekl.\-  proceed  nj)  to  the  lake, 
where  they  lie  in  the  still,  deep  water  until  ripe  tor  spawning;,  a  period  of  from  two 
to  six  weeks.  They  then  take  to  the  small  clear  streiimsrnuninf;  into  the  lake,  wiiere 
tliey  are  a;;aiu  ini]ionn(led  l)y  nuians  of  a  weir  and  trap,  and  are  stri])ped  of  their 
egffs.  The  t'fi'^a  are  then  fertilized  l»y  strijipinj;'  the  male  overtiiem,  placed  in  baskets, 
and  set  ill  tron<rbs  in  the  way  nsnal  in  all  liatcheries.  A  peculiarity  about  this  class 
of  salmon,  the  (iiirorlniiirliiiH  nirku,  is  that  they  will  not  fre(|Uent  a  stream  unless  it 
has  a  lake  where  they  can  lit;  and  ripen  befon;  spawninj^,  although  they  never  spawn 
in  the  lake;  all  the  other  species  of  Alaskan  salmon  fre(|uent  the  streams  where  they 
can  olitain  siiawning  ground  indiscriminately  whether  they  have  lakes  or  not. 

My  object  in  damming  my  stream  near  tide  water  is  to  kee]»  back  ai'  enemies  of 
the  young  fry,  such  as  sea  trout,  bull  heads,  8euli)ins,  sticklebacks,  etc. ;  by  this 
means  1  have  my  lake  and  streams  cleared  of  these  sconi'ges  of  tlu;  young  salmon, 
as  they  are  all  salt-water  lish,  .md  only  go  ui»  to  the  lakes  for  i)lunder,  returning  to 
salt  water  when  their  season  is  over.  t>f  course  there  w<!ro  many  of  them  in  the 
lake  and  streams  the  first  yeiir,  but  when  they  (lasseil  down  over  the  dam  they  could 
never  return.  To  protect  the  young  fry  from  their  enemies  in  the  fresh  water  I 
believe  to  be  the  great  secret  of  successful  salmon  j)roi>agation.  There  is  no  bar  to 
(he  numli(;r  of  young  that  can  be  produced  at  the  (Joverninent  hatcheries,  where  the 
spawn  in  unlimited  quantities  can  be  obtained.  But  nnless  ])ri)tecte<l  from  their 
enemies  while  young  (and  everything  l:irge  enough  to  swallow  them  are  their  ene- 
mies) a  large  ^iroportion  of  them  are  destroyed  in  fresh  water.  In  my  own  ca.se, 
however,  the  supply  of  lish  is  lindted,  and  all  are  utilized. 

My  lake  now  fairly  swarms  with  young  salmon  where  horct(d'ore  scarcely  one 
could  lie  seen.  1  find,  however,  that  the  sea  trout  and  others  named  are  not  their 
only  enemies.  Their  older  brothers  feed  on  the  young  fry.  The  young  sahnoii 
remain  in  the  fresh  water  where  they  were  hatched  fourtt^en  to  eighteen  months,  so 
they  have  from  two  to  four  months  to  ])rey  on  their  young  brothers.  Then,  after 
going  to  sea,  they  will  retnrn  for  a  short  time  to  their  native  streams  for  a  cannibal- 
istic least,  and  herj  again  in  n)y  case  my  <lam  acts  as  protector  to  the  little  (tnes,  as 
when  once  they  ))a8s  down  they  can  not  return.  I  have  seen  them  in  vast  numbers 
about  the  size  of  sardines,  and  j)acked  almost  as  close,  below  the  dam,  trying  to  get  u}>, 
but  they  soon  disap])ear  and  return  to  salt  water.  In  connection  with  this  matter 
of  i»rotecting  the  younger  from  their  older  brothers,  I  last  year  commenced  an  ex])er- 
imental  process,  which  I  feel  encouraged  to  believe  will  ])rove  successful;  that  is, 
by  turning  out  a  portion  of  my  young  fry  in  streams,  on  which  there  are  lakes  that 
fall  into  the  sea  Ity  falls,  over  which  no  lish  can  pass.  As  a  ci)nse<iucnce,  most  of 
these  streams  and  lakes  are  entirely  barren  of  Hsh  of  any  kind.  There  are  three 
streams  and  lakes  of  this  desciiption  contiguous  to  my  hatchery.  In  the  winter  of 
1894-!l.5  I  jdaced  1,000,000  young  fry  into  one  of  these  lakes,  and  the  i)re8ent  season 
of  lSll,">-!t6  will  place  2,000,000  in  another  lake,  and  so  keej)  t>n  alternating  until  I 
prove  whether  they  will  return  to  these  streams.  At  the  same  time  I  will  keep  on 
stocking  my  own  hatchery  lake  with  as  many  as  I  think  it  will  sustain.  If  my 
experiment  of  stocking  these  heretofore  barren  lakes  and  streams  jiroves  successful, 
and  1  can  see  no  reason  why  it  shouhl  not,  it  will  jjrove  of  groat  value  to  the  salmon 
lisheri<'s  of  this  coiist,  as  these  lakes  abound  all  along  the  Alaskan  coast. 

I  commenced  my  hatchery  in  thi;  fall  of  18!ll',  but  owing  to  the  impure  wat(a-  of 
the  creek,  which  contains  a  larg«!  amount  of  impurities,  hail  but  indiH'«jront  success, 
turning  ont  only  about  000,000.  I  then  moved  my  hatchery  up  to  the  lake,  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile,  where  I  found  streams  of  pure  water  and  even  temperature, 
15^  in  sunnner  and  never  below  l<8  in  winter,  and  then  the  fish  ripened  more 
healthily,  as  they  were  in  their  natural  water.  In  the  fall  of  WX\,  however,  there 
was  but  a  small  run  of  salmon,  but  the  eggs  hatched  nnich  better  and  I  turned  out 
about  1,700,000  young  fry.  The  season  of  1X04-0.5  we  had  a  better  run  and  turned 
out  1.500,000  in  one  hatchery  lake  and  1,00(),(KX)  in  the  barren  lake  before  mentioned. 
The  jtresent  winter  of  18!)5-!M>  wo  will  turn  ont  4,000,(M)0  or  over,  having  had  a  much 
larger  run  than  usual,  which  we  will  distribute  between  our  hatchery  lake  and  two 
other  barren  lakes.  These  three  barren  lakes  are  sitmited,  resi>ectively.  S,  (i,  and  9 
miles  from  our  hatchery,  and  entails  a  good  deal  of  labor  and  expense  cutting  trails 
and  carrying  the  young  fish  in  bnc^kets  to  their  nursery.  There  are  a  few  cohoes 
(OticoihjjiichuK  kiDiitcli)  that  frequent  our  stream,  but  never  more  than  400.  As  they 
are  a  good  fish,  although  not  as  valuable  iis  the  sukkesh,  we  also  pass  them  over  the 
dam  and  strip  them.    Their  time  of  running  is  about  six  weeks  later  than  the  sukkesh. 

Owing  to  thesmallnes^of  onr  hatchery  stream,  wo  have  opportunities  of  observing 
the  habits  of  the  sahnon  with  greater  accuracy  than  on  large  streams.  From  close 
observation  made  for  a  number  of  years,  1  am  of  the  opinion  that  no  salmon  return 
to  the  sea  after  ascending  for  propagating  purposes,  unless  their  natural  habits  of 
<'opulating  are  interferred  with.  1  am,  however,  of  the  opinion  that  some  of  the 
nudes  will  retnrn  if  they  are  kept  from  the  spawning  beds  and  from  performing  the 

S.  Doc.  137,  pt.  1 24 


...,;,      ,    1    M            1 

. ' '    ! 

;  t  /,  1 

370 


SEAL    IJFE    ON    THE    IMillULOF    ISLANDS. 


w 


ftilictionH  of  iijitnrc  Ibr  wliicli  they  ascond;  that  is  to  a:i,v,  if  left  tu  their  natiiriil 
state  thoy  will  all  tlii-.  Ami  the  feinalcH  will  all  (lit!  anyway.  Hut  the  mah's.  if 
they  do  not  conniM't  with  a  spawning  hnl,  tlioii'  milt  in  .some  rases  dues  not  li(|iiify, 
hut  rumainH  solid,  and  Homo  of  them  will  return  to  the  sea.  lint  hail  tbry  not  lieon 
bamid  from  the  »i)awnin<4;  Imds  tlndk  milt  would  liijuify  mid  they    "ould  all  dio. 

We  have  discovurod  what  seems  to  us  to  ho  anew  variety  of  sea  t.'out,(|iiitesimilar 
to  the  rainliovi',  with  the  addition  of  a  j;ristly  hook,  .»r  turning  up  of  the  lower ,jaw, 
and  fitting  into  a  recess  in  the  end  of  t!ie  upp«ir  jaw,  completely  eovcriii};  the  cncl 
of  the  snout  ami  litting  in  the  recess  so  neatly  that  it  will  n(tt  he  (dtserved  unless 
the  Jaws  an^  ojten.  1  ean  tind  nodeHeri]>tion  oi  a  similar  trout  in  the  treatise  sent  me 
in  June,  WM,  by  the  Fish  (.'onimissioner,  lion.  Marshall  MctDonald,  which  <iavo  a  full 
de8eri]ition  of  all  the  diti'erent  species  of  trout.  We  have  no  ah'oliol  or  would  have 
preserved  a  spei-imen. 

Ae(;ordinj{  to  the  rule  fioiierally  accepted  hy  scientific  men,  the  salmon  will  return 
four  years  from  the  time  their  parents  enter  the  stream  forspawnin^rpurjioses,  which 
will  bring  my  lirst  salmon  back  the  coming  sunnier,  when  I  will  he  able  to  give 
you  a  moredelinitc  account  of  my  venture. 

I  think,  in  cases  like  uiy  own,  where  hitherto  worthless  streams  are  built  up  and 
made  to  produce  large  (|uautitieH  of  valuable  tisli  that  will  asseinhlo  in  the  bays  or 
inlets  at  the  mouths  of  the  streams,  whore  they  have  been  bred,  that  hitherto  i»ro- 
duced  none,  so  to  speak,  a  law  <if  t'ongross  should  be  passed  giving  property  rights 
to  the  producer  for  all  tisli  in  excess  of  the  natural  jiroduct  of  the  stream.  It  is  held 
by  legal  men  that  I  have  consulted  on  the  siil>j<H;t  that  1  will  have  a  iiroperty  right 
in  such  lisli,  but  it  would  be  far  better  if  such  rights  were  reenforced  by  an  act  of 
Congress. 

I  have  kept  a  careful  account  of  all  the  sukkcsh  and  colioes  that  we  passed  over  the 
dam  from  day  to  day,  so  that  I  can  tell  exactly  the  number  of  tisb  that  the  stream 
normally  produced. 

Hoping  I  may  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you  on  your  return, 
I  rtimain,  yours,  truly, 

.lOIIX    C.    CAI.I.intKATII. 

Hon.  Joseph  Mikhay, 

Special  Atjeiil  for  the  J'rotcrtion  of  Salmon  Fisheries  in  Alanka. 

P.  S. — I  will  be  at  Fort  Wraiigell  during  February,  and  should  be  pleased  to  hear 
firom  you. 

J.  C.  C. 

Now,  here  is  a  man  who,  though  not  wealthy,  has  spent  money  anil 
many  years'  vahtabh'  time  making  exiieriments  in  one  of  the  most  useful 
and  honorable  of  the  arts — the  produetion  of  human  food. 

Such  men  deserve  a  patient  hearing  and  every  possible  encourage- 
ment, and  in  the  hope  of  his  getting  both  I  respectfully  recommend 
his  very  timely  and  practical  letter  to  the  serious  consideration  of  the 
Department. 

Exhibit  ])  gives  the  u.ames  of  the  canneries  and  ])acking  stations, 
Exhibit  E  shows  the  sailing  distances  one  must  travel  from  cannery  to 
cannery  in  order  to  see  all  of  them,  and  shows  conclusively,  I  think, 
that  in  order  to  see  all  of  them  in  one  season  it  will  be  necessary  to  detail 
a  revenue  cutter  to  carry  the  agent. 

A  revenue  cutter  could  make  the  trip  between  June  1  and  July  2(t, 
completing  the  .journey  at  the  canneries  in  Bering  Sea  in  ample  time  to 
report  for  ])atrol  duty  in  August. 

Exhibit  (1  gives  a  summary  of  the  Alaskan  ami  Pacific  Coast  salmon 
pack  from  1800  to  18!)5,  both  inclusive,  showing  at  a  glance  that  the 
Alaskan  streams  were  drawn  upon  to  their  utmost  capacity  in  1891, 
when  789,21)4  cases  of  48  pounds  each  were  packed,  with  the  result  of  a 
falling  oft"  of  40  per  cent  the  following  year. 

The  wisdom  of  inotectingan  industry  that  has  yielded  in  the  thirteen 
years  of  its  existence  5,505,002  cases  of  salmon,  worth  $22,000,000, 
should  not  be  lightly  questioned  or  set  aside,  and  when  it  is  remembered 
that,  excepting  the  civilized  Indians  with  Mr.  Duncan  at  Metlakahtla, 
there  is  not  a  resident  cannery  owner  in  Alaska,  and  that  not  one  dollar 
of  all  the  millions  taken  from  her  streams  is  left  or  spent  in  the  Terri- 
tory, it  will  be  conceded,  I  think,  by  all  fair-minded  men  that  the  least 


-♦ 


>ir  natural 
<>  niah'8.  ii 
lot.  ]i(|llil'y, 
'V  not  lic'uii 
!ill  die. 
iiitesimihir 
lower  jaw, 
iij,'  the  cnti 
•v«'(l  nil  less 
:iH<3  sent  ine 
<iave  a  I'nll 
voiiltl  liuve 

will  return 
iim'.H,  which 
hie  to  give 

iiilt  up  an*l 
I  lie  lia.vH  or 
therto  pro- 
erty  ri^litH 
It  i.s  helil 
l»erty  rijfht 
y  an  act  of 

c»l  over  the 
the  streisni 


.HIilCATII. 

jed  to  hear 
J.  C.  C. 

oiiey  and 
)st  useful 

icourage- 
Bommeud 
on  of  tlie 

stations, 

uuiery  to 

I  think, 

to  detail 

July  20, 
e  time  to 

it  salmon 
that  the 
in  1891, 

BSUlt  of  il 

I  thirteen 
J,00(>,()OU, 
lembevod 
lakahtla, 
ne  dollar 
lie  Terri- 
the  least 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIUILOF    ISLANDS. 


371 


-♦ 


the  General  (lovernment  can  do  is  to  protect  the  lisli  a};ainst  extermi- 
nation, and  the  mitive,  dependent  solely  upon  a  salmon  diet,  in  hisrij^ht 
to  an  abundant  supply  of  salmon  for  food.  Tiiese  two  thinf^s  arc  easy 
of  aeeomplishment  if  immediaie  teps  are  taken.  'Mit  if  neglecte<l  mueh 
longer  tiui  task  will  \h'  a  most  <li..ieult  one. 

in  order  to  ])rotect  the  salmon  streams  tlu'  laws  must  be  enforced, 
and  it  is,  unfortunately,  only  too  tiue  that  up  to  date  there  has  not 
been  a  united  attemj)!  made  to  enforce  them. 

The  Cnitcd  States  commissioner  at  l-'ort  VVrangell — one  (►f  the  few 
fearless  ones  who  only  know  their  duty — wrote  nu'  a  full  account  of  how 
the  law  is  disregarded,  evaded,  and  not  enforced  by  ollicers  whose  duty 
it  is  to  uphold  the  law  at  all  hazards.  The  letter  covers  a  witle  field, 
and  is  «piite  plain  and  (uitspoken,  using  men's  real  names,  the  printing 
of  which  in  my  report  is  not  now  considered  necessary;  I  will  tlierefore 
sujipress  mimes  and  quote  only  a  tew  passages  relating  to  salmon 
matters. 

Case  after  case  has  been  comiirouiised  at  tlio  iiiBtance  of  attorneys  for  their  clients 
in  criiiiiiial  cases.  Take  one  example:  In  .Inly,  lS!t;{,  Mr.  ,1.  (i.  Biady,  who  was  then 
acting  UiiittMl  StatcM  attorney  in  the  aliHciuM'  of  Mr.  .Johnson,  entertained  a  com- 
plaint of  the  natives  against  caniii'ry  men  for  olistiiicting  salmon  streams.  Mr.  Hrady 
prevailed  upon  ('oinmander  Unrwell,  of  the  U.  S.  8.  I'inla,  to  convey  liim  and  other 
necessary  otlicers  to  Klawak  and  Lorlng.     '  '    They  came  via  Fort  W'rangell  and 

re(iuested  me  to  accompany  them.  The  I'inta  reached  l.oiing  in  the  night,  and  we 
found  the  river  "  fe,nce<l ''  from  shore  to  shore,  and  about  4  tons  of  salmon  in  the  traps 
and  nets.  Wo  caustid  the  arrest  of  Mr.  Ilecknian,  tlie  Miperintendent  of  the  cannery, 
and  placed  him  under  bond  ol  •+,'>, 000,  re((uiring  him  to  appear  before  the  Initerl 
States  district  court  at  its  next  session. 

The  law,  as  you  are  aware,  imposes  a  line  of  .fL'.'iO  for  every  day  a  stream  is 
obstructed.     *  *     Court  did  not  convitne  until  after  the  retirement  of  the  dis- 

tri(;t  attorney,  Mr. ,  and  the  appointment  of  his  successor,  Mr.  ,  who 

agrceil  to  accept  the  nominal  line  of  sflOO.      '  Kn))erintendent  Wadleigh,  of 

the  Klawak  cannery,  was  also  jdacied  under  bonds,  and  although  two  terms  of  court 

have  since  been  held  he  has  not  been  re(iuired  to  ai>pear.     The is  lending  a 

hand  in  helping  to  whitewash  his  case.  *     ' 

These  two  eases,  iiicliidini;'  the  trip  of  the  I'hita,  hiive  cost  the  (ioveriiment  more 
than  .+1,000. 

The  officers  who  jilaced  the  men  under  bonds  have  been  humiliated,  while  the  vio- 
lators of  tile  law,  aided  by  olbcials  disloyal  to  the  (ioveriiment,  have  won  a  great 
victory.      *     '     * 

I  could  cite  many  cases  in  whicdi  ollicial  jiositioiis  are  used  to  shield  crime  and 
defeat  the  ends  of  Justice. 

Your  obedient  servant,  W.M.  \.  Kki.ly,  Commixsioner. 

Were  it  necessary  to  add  to  or  contirni  the  commissioner's  words,  I 
would  say  that  while  at  I.oring  in  1894  lion.  ('.  S.  iriamlin,  Assistant 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  accompanied  by  Capt.  C.  L.  Hooper,  com- 
manding the  revenue  (fitter  /»'».s7/,  attempted  to  go  ujt  the  river  in  a 
small  boat,  but  soon  foun<l  theiuselves  barred  out  by  the  itleiitical 
"  fence ''  mentioned  in  the  commissioner's  letter. 

The  Wadleigh  ca.se  referred  to  was  called  in  court  at  Juneau  last 
May,  and  in  my  presence  his  attorney  tirose  ami  said:  Mr.  Wadleigh 
had  written  and  olfered  to  pay  as  much  as  it  would  cost  him  to  trav?l 
back  and  forth  on  the  steanu>r  from  Klawak  to  Juiu'au,  some  840,  on 
condition  that  the  CJovernment  dropped  the  complaint. 

Now,  here  is  a  <'a.se  where  the  man  was  taken  retl-handed  in  the  act — 
he  does  not  attempt  denial — and  yet,  although  it  happened  in  I89.'{,  he 
has  not  been  brought  to  trial,  but  instead  of  answering  the  sunnnons 
of  the  court  he  imi»udently  writes  back  his  ultimatum,  which  was  .seri- 
ously considered  by  the  district  attorney,  who  would  have  accepted  it 
had  I  not  been  present  and  strongly  protested  against  the  whole  farce. 

In  justice  to  the  present  district  attorney  for  Alaska,  I  will  say  all 
tiiese  things  happened  prior  to  his  appointment. 


I      ! 


372 


SKAL    IJl'E    ON    TIIK    PUllSILOr    ISLANDS. 


CONCLl  SI(»N. 


Kiiougli  lias  boeii  said  1  tliiiik  to  show  tlie  iioi-cissity  of  some  radical 
cViaiij;es  in  Alaska,  tin'  liist  of  wlii'li  should  be  the  enforcement  of  the 
law. 

1  therefore  most  respeetfully  re<'ommend  tlu'  foUowinji': 

First.  The  repeal  of  the  ])resent  prohibitory  licjuor  law  and  the  sub- 
stitution of  high  liiM'Use. 

Second.  That  a  revenue  cutter  ami  three  armed  steam  launches  be 
permanently  located  in  Alaskan  waters. 

Third.  That  the  custom  house  on  Mary  Islan<l  be  discontinued  and 
removed  to  a  more  desirable,  because  more  useful,  location  in  the 
Tongas  Narrow  s. 

Fourth.  That  Alaska  be  divided  into  at  least  two  judicial  districts, 
with  one  Judge  at  Sitka  and  one  at  dircle  City,  on  the  Yukon. 

Fifth.  That  three  additu)nal  commissioners  be  appointed, one  at  LT nga, 
one  at  St.  Michaels,  ami  one  at  Circle  City. 

Sixth.  That  a  deputy  collector  (if  not  a  custom-house)  be  located  at 
Uuga. 

Seventh.  That  a  marine  hospital  be  erected  at  Cnalaska.  (Either  of 
the  trading  companies  will  erect  and  furnish  a  building  if  the  Depart- 
ment will  furnish  medicines  and  a  physician.) 

Eighth.  That  Alaska  be  allowed  a  Delegate  to  Congress. 

There  are  nuiny  important  matters  that  1  have  not  referred  to  in  this 
report,  such,  for  instance,  as  the  condition  of  the  native  tribes  on  the 
Aleutian  Islands  and  in  southeastern  Alaska;  schools  and  j)ost-ottices 
on  the  Yukon  liiver  and  in  the  gieat  interior — all  of  which  will  be  dealt 
with  in  a  future  report. 

The  proposed  changes  are  really  necessary  to  the  present  and  future 
welfare  of  Alaska,  and,  because  of  the  i-apidly  iuijreasing  white  popu- 
lation tlocking  to  the  rich  gold  diggings,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
the  law  should  be  rigidly  enforcicd.  The  wealth  of  Alaska  in  furs, 
fish,  and  gold,  if  i)roperly  protected  by  the  Government,  will  be  of 
immense  value,  which  nmy  be  made  to  increase  annually,  but  which,  if 
neglected  by  the  (lovernment  and  left  to  the  present  system  of  no  law 
at  all,  or  what  is  far  worse,  lawlessness,  will  soon  end  in  disgrace  and 
disaster. 

Very  respectfully  submitted.  Joseph  Murray, 

Special  Affent  for  the  Protection  of  Salmon  Fisheries  in  Alaska, 

Hon.  JOHN  (x.  Carlisle, 

Secretary  of  the  Treas%try. 

ExiniuT  A. 

Xumber  of  seals  on  Si,  Pant  and  iSt.  Gvortje  islands,  season  of  1895, 
ST.  PAUL  ISLAND. 


Rookery. 


•Bull  8  with 
;  hareniH. 


Northeast  I'oiut. 
Halfway  Point... 

Lnlcaiiiioii 

Katnvie 

Keef 

Lagoon 

Tolstoi 

Middle  Hill 

English  Bay 

!!!ai>aduie 


Total . 


1,725 
:!50 

noo 

20U 

1,  000 

50 

400 


100 
500 


4,625 


Cows.    I 

09,000  j 
14,000  I 
12, 000  ! 

8,000 
40,000 

2,000 
16, 000 


4,000 
20,000 


185, 000 


Uach- 
eloi'N. 


9,000 
2,000 
1,000 
300 
5,000 
50 


1,500 

800 

3,500 


23, 150 


Idle 
hulls. 


1,000 

200 

200 

50 

500 


250 


100 
300 


Total. 


80, 725 
16, 550 
13,500 

8,550 
46,  500 

2,100 
16,650 

1,500 

5,000 
24,300 


2, 600         215, 375 


;i!^,:     ;.'  !■  r      i 


SEAL    LIFT,    ON    TIIK    PlilltlLOK    ISLANDS. 


373 


) 


Xnmher  of  geah  on  N/.  J'diil  and  SI.  Oeoryc  inlantln,  kcuhov  of  lS9-'i — Continued. 

ST.  (iK()U(;K  LSI.  AN  I). 


JkOoklT.V. 

Starrv  Arteel 

Nnrtli 

East 

Little  Kast 

/apudiiie 

Total 

Total  on  both  islauds... 


'Iliillswitli 
,  hiirt'iii.s. 

.'      60  ' 
100 
80 
25  i 
110  I 


(^'OW.'*. 


2,400 
4,  OUO 
H,  200 
1,000 
4,400 


liauh- 
elors. 

aoo 

500 

3,000 

50 

3,  OoO 


;!75         15,000  0,8.50 

5,000  i     2WI,  000         30,000 


Idle 
hulls. 


Total. 


40  2, 800 

'lO  4. 050 

40  6, 320 

20  1, 095 

60  7,  .'iWt 


200 
2,800 


22,425 
237, 800 


KX  111  HIT   H. 

Liquors  rleayed  from  I'uijel  Soinid  for  .llaska,  .lanuari/  1,  lS9t,io  March  la,  IS05. 
Date.         mitNo      Kinds  and  i)iumlili(.s.  ('oiiNignee.  i  Name  ol'  vessel,    Dalecleurod. 


0  1 

80,725 

0 

16, 550 

0 

13,500 

J 

8,550 

) 

46,  500 

2,100 

» ; 

16,650 

1,500 

i| 

5,000 

J    : 

24, 300 

.1.111.     6, 1894 

51 

1  barrel  bottled  bii-r. . . . 

Adolpli  Mver 

City  ol'  Toiieka 

Jan.    15,1894 

l)ee.  22,1893 

40 

1  ban  el  r\»nvlii>l<v 

do 

....;do 

Do. 

Do 

40 

1  barrel  lloiirboii  whi.s- 
kv,  10  barrels  beer. 

C.  V.  Kiieher 

do 

Do. 

Do  

44 

H     barrels     California 
'biaiidv.     U     barrels 

William  Nelson 

do 

Do. 

1 

(;aliroiiiia    ('laret,    ') 

I 

harielslicer,  3  liairels 

1 

ale,  3  eases  porter,  10 

iialhiMssherrv.  IO;jal- 

1 

lons  Irish  whisky   10 

yallons  Scnieh  whis- 

1 

k.v.  lOKallon.s  nm,  10 

gallons  nun.  1  ease  im- 

ported braiidv.  1  ease 

im|iorled   wliiskv,    2 

i 

easert  (  hiim|iiii;ne. 

Der     01    igu'i 

41 

1   (iailon   port   wine,    1 
gallon  lirandv. 

C  J   Ivostroineliiioll 

do 

Do. 

Jim.     ,'),  18fi4 

50 

0  liottlesl'hiiialii|iior.. . 

Hung  Sing  (iee 

tio 

Do. 

Dec.      0, 18!i;i 

39 

1  ease   wliisky.    1    ease 
wine,  1  case  porter. 

Duncan  MeKiinon. . 

do 

Do. 

Jan.     2,  1804 

49 

1  lianel  beer 

■W.C.Mills 

do 

Jan.   30,1894 

Dec.    2'J,  1803 

45 

1  barrel  porter 

(.'has.  1  litt'ey 

do 

Do. 

•  Do 

47 

1  bail!  1  w  liisky.  U  bar- 
rels  riiin.   li   barrels 
biaiiilv,  1  liarrel  por- 
ter. 1  barrel  lieer. 

Will.  Miilciiliy 

do 

Do. 

De<-.     0, 180;) 

37 

30  gallons  claTi't  wine  .. 

C.  S.  Johnson 

do 

.Fan.    15,1894 

Fell.      7, 18114 

57 

')  gallons  whisky 

Sniebv  liros 

do 

Feb.    17,1894 

Feb.     8, 1894 

59 

2  liarr  -Is  beiT 

K.  DeCrotl' 

do 

Do. 

Feb.     7, 1894 

58 

1  barrel  wliisk.v,  5  bar- 
rels   beer.   :'.'  barrels 
porter,  2  h.irrels  ale, 
(i  eases  Irish  whisky, 
Oeases  Uennesy  bra'n- 
<lv. 

W.Xtulctthy 

do 

Do. 

Do 

55 

1  bairel  whisky.  1  bar- 
rel bnmdy.  S  bairels 
beer,     1    lase    ehaiii- 
paj;iie,2  barrels  wiiis- 
kv. 

William  Xidson 

do 

Do. 

Jan.    20,1894 

53 

1  barrel  jiiii,  5  jjallons 
.lamaieii    iniii,  'J  ;;al- 
lons    .Madeira    wine, 
12   "gallons    sherry 
wine.  30  millions  elu- 
et.   1   ease   lirandy,  1 
ease     (■haiiipaf;ne,     1 
barrel    ale.   1    barrel 
jioiter,  f)  (,'allons  jiort 
wine,  lOnallons  wbis- 
kv.  5  eases  whisky. 

E.  DeCroH 

do 

Do. 

Jan.    16,1894 

52 

1  ease  wine 

W.r.  Mills 

Mexico 

Feb.   27,1894 

Jan.    22,1804 

54 

60  gallons  whisky.   20 
gallons     brandy.     20 
.uallons  port   wine.  10 
jiiillons     alcohol.     50 
;;allons  ilaret,  6  bar- 
rels beer,  2  cases  giu. 

J.  C.Kooslier 

C'ltyolTopeka.. 

Mar.  14,1894 

n 


I         I  M 


374  SEAL  Lino  ON  thk  piuiulok  islands. 

Luinora  vleared  ffoii)  I'lit/el  Sound  for  Alickd,  rlv, — Cuntiiniod. 


Date. 


I'lT- 

iiiit  N<i 


Feb.  211 

ISIM 

fil 

Fob.  24 
Mar.    1) 
Ffb.  20 
Miir.    !i 

Do. 

Do. 

18'.)4 
IH94 

fill 
04 
(III 
07 
till 
11.') 

Di). 

08 

Feb.    2;i 

I.SU4 

02 

Apr.    4 
Do 

1801 
18U4 

70 
72 
71 

Mav  1!' 
■j)o. 

18'.I4 

T)o 

91 

Do 

92 

Juno    4 

1894 

1110 

t       Do. 

99 

Mav    !) 

i«i)4 

84 

Jiiiu'  i:! 

1894 

lO'i 

JllDO  ll^ 

181)4 

107 

June  28. 1894 

108 

May   19,1894 

94 

July     1,1894 

llli 

JllllO 

28, 1894 

109 

June 

18, 1894 

llli 

A  Hi;. 

3, 1894 

120 

Julv 

IS,  1894 

114 

Aug.    3,1894 


Auii.  13,1894 

123 

Aug.  13,1894 

121 

Sept.    0.1894 

129 

Auj..  13,1894 

122 

Sejit.    0,1894 

128 

Oct.      4, 1894 

139 

Se))t.    0,1894 

130 

Oct.      3, 1894 

138 

Sept.  25, 1894 

132 

Oct.    17,1894 

142 

Do 

145 

Sei)t.  25, 1894 

135 

Oct.    17,1894 

144 

Do 

144 

Dec.  19,1894 

150 

119 


KindH  and  ((Uatititlus.  Con.tlKuee.  Name  ul' vessel.    Date  cleared. 

.!_. 

Willliiiii  Nelson Cllyoflopekn..    .Mar.  14,  18'H 


2  baiii'l-*  lioiirlioii  wIiIm- 

U.v,  HI  yalloiis  n;iii,2il 
K.'illoii.i  liniiiily,  10 
milloiis  port  wiur. 

3  liiirrels  liotlliil  Ihmt.  . . 

1  case  whisky 

3  casc'H  wine 

I  case  whisky 

I  nalliiii  riiiii 

1  cast'  ale.  1  CISC  pcu'ler. 
I  hiirrcl  wirsky,  1 ;,  Ipmi- 

rets  hrandv.  3  (^ascs 
Irish  whisky,  0  bar 
rels  iiccr, 

10  i;;illijns  wliisky.  I 
Ciise  bcrr.  1  milloii 
btaiiily,  2  nmcs  wine. 

1.')  ;;alloMs  jMirl  wine 

3  gallon  .  wliisiiv 

|0;.^,lloM^ah■oh.■.l 

,'>  ualloiis  .'ilcohol 

2hiiiifls  w  lli^ky,  1  bar- 
rel lir.iii(ly,2caHes;;iii, 
20  ;;iilliins  luiM,, 'leases 
wliisk\  .fi  cases  bran- 
(1,\.  10  liarrels  liecr,  10 
cases  )MirlcT',  In  ciiscs 
ale,  2  cases  chain 
imiine,  1  barrel  ]iorl 
wine,  1  barrel  sheii-y, 

I  barrel  <  hirel ,  1  bar 

rel  alcoJKil. 

1  barrel  heei' 

....  do 

:i  liarrc  Isbeer 

I  li.'irrel  lioi'r 

4  barrels  beer 

1  dozen  iinltles  brandy. . 
l.'i  barrels  heel-,  1  liarrcl 

sherry  «  ine,  1  barnl 
wliisliy,  5  cases  ]io:'- 
ter,  1  hiirrel  port  w  ine, 
5  eases  ale,  .")  cases 
Kin,  ,")  cases  claret 
wine. 
1(1  barrels  heei' 

2  cases  whisky 

20  barrels  beer,  1  barrel 

brandy,  1  barrel  pent 
wine,  1  biirrel  sherry. 
1  barrel  claret,  3casi's 
clianipamie.  •'>  ca.se» 
])orler,  'i  cases  ale, 
:j  <  ascs  br.ind.V. 

10  yallons  whisky 

1  case  w  liisky 

10  b.irrels  hi  er 

1  ease  whisky.  1  case 
w  iio',  1  ease  porter. 

1  ease  coj;ii;,^,,  10  cases 
port  wine.  10  cases 
shcrrv,  10  cases  whis- 
k.v.    ■ 

1  case  ale.  1  case  ]>ortor. 

10  barrels  beer 

Ill  barrels  beer 

311  barrels  wine 

10  barrels  whisky 

10  barrels  alcohol   

10  bands  w  bite  wine,  1 
barrel  claret. 

1  case  whisky 

I  barrel  claret 

1  case  whisky 

5  barrels  beer 

1  case  whisky 

311  galhiiis  wl'iiaky 

10}iallonsnnii... 

1  bottle  brandy,  1 4  gal- 
lons whisky,  1  gallon 
porl  wine. ' 


i:  Dedroil do Mar,  29.  IH91 

Uobert  lieiil do Do, 

Mrs.  1!.  (!.  Uogers do Ko. 

II.  F.  SwiCt do Do. 

W.  .M.l'iivhir Chilkal Ajir,     7,  Ism 

.1,  M,  D.ivis do Do. 

\V,  Miilcahv d Do, 


Itobeit  Duncan, ,ir    .    (.'ily  ot  Topeka. .    Apr,   13,1891 


Kalher  Doiiskcv do Apr,  28,1894 

.\rihv  Canipbill do Mav    14,  1H94 

(;,  F.Kcnher do Do. 

K.  D.  Nowell l{o.salie May   29,  l.SlM 

Max   lOndleinaii   do Do, 


Mrs,  Hannnoiul do Do. 

V.  I'.ach do Do. 

K,  De  (irolV Cit  vol'Toi»eka. .  .1  me  12,1894 

U.  E.  l;i.;,9rs '.d Do, 

K,  De  (iroll (^leen lime  22,1894 

do (•it,,ol"ropeka-.  June  29,1894 

\\n\  );iii!lenian do Do. 


i:.  DedrnlV (^ueen July     8.1894 

(',  SluiliiT do Do. 

Ma\  Fndlenien City  ol'  'I'opekn.    July  27,  »8»4 


K,  De  (Irotr Queen Aug.    6,1894 

Karl  Koehler do Do. 

E.  De  CrotV Oily  of  Topeka.  Aug.  13,1894 

1).  McKiiUion do Do. 

E.  DeOrott' Queen ,\ug.21,1894 


J.Mont.  David Citv  of  Topeka.  Aug.  31.  1894 

E.  DeGrolf do Do. 

do do .Sept.  19,1894 

li.C.ltogcrs ilexico Sept.  25,  1894 

E.  DeGrolf do Do. 

do Cilvof  Topeka.. Oct.    11,1894 

do Mexico Oct.    2.->,  1894 


K.  C.  Kogers do Do. 

Karl  Koehler do Do. 

Hobert  Iteid do Do. 

Ed.  DoCrotl do Nov.  10,1894 

>r.irpalv ill) Do. 

Ed.  De  ('.rotr Cliilcat Nov.  21, 1894 

do Mexico Nov.  26, 1894 

Dr.  C.  Theving do Do. 


SKAL    lAFE    ON    THK    I'UIBII.OF    ISLANDS. 

Liqiiurn  chared  from  I'lujet  Soiniil  for  Alaxko,  itc. — Contiiiuod. 


375 


Bate.         niii  Xi>     l^iixl'*  »i><l  (|iiuiitlti«>it.  ('i)iiHi)(i>i 


Xumf  of  vi'ssol.    Dnti' rlxiiiad. 


Xov.  10, 1H94 


147 


10.  Dilircill. 


Vi'C.    19.  18!U 

1.51 

Jan.     2,  18U5 

1,'>7 

Do 

l.-i? 

Miiv     4.  1HSI4 

«•-' 

Jim.    i;,  iwir, 

1.-.5 

Do 

lti2 

Jim.    Ill,  }K'.>r, 

i.tu 

Jan.     'J.  imt.") 

l,')l 

Dec.    lit.  IH'.H 

l.VJ 

Kcli.    1.-1,1  S'.i.'i 

170 

Do  

ItiO 

Jan.  -.'I,  l«!t.'> 

101 

Jan.   11)  18115 

lUi) 

1.^  (lo/.i'ii  Kiiiiinrl,  \\ 
tlozrn  I'liirdiitln''.  Ij 
llo/,  I'M      ilbsilltll,      I.J 

iloziii  UiiHcliHiiHHcr, 
\\  (|ii/rn  anisi'lto,  l.j 
ilo/.rn  Miai'a'«'liiiii>.  l.J 

llozill     (,'lllirtl<ll.sr.     I 

caHr  ui".  1  rase  cliiMii- 

)i:ivriii  .    1    ii.irii'l   ))iir- 

ItT.  1  liiincl  :ili'. 
1  liaiTil  liolllid  )mitfM'. 
■'i  \):irri'l,s  IkiIIIi'iI  lieor  . 
12  liottli'M  CliiiiJi  tii|iiiii' 

.')  iialloii.-i  alcohol    

12  holtli'S  asHoi'ti'il   lli|- 

iicnH. 
10  barrel.^  linr- 

0  ilo/.i'ii  lioltlrH  iiiirlcr. 

1  liaiTcl  I  laril 

.')  gallons  poll  wiiif. . . . 
10  y/illoiis  whisky 

0  gallon «  alcohol ili 

1  ih>zcii  livanilv <lii 


Mi-xico 


Will.  Miil.ahv 
K.  Dcliniir. .'. . 

Siiii;  1 

I).  \  alciitiiii'  .. 


(" 
Mc 


'ileal  . 
•\ic(>  , 
ilo. 
Chilkat 


20  iialloiis  claret liiririje   Kyrago.. . 


.do  . . 


Due.   2H,  1804 


It.c.  I;ii:,'cr.i 1  City  of  Topcka. 


K.  Dcliioil' llo  , 

('.  K.  rilpliitM llo 

a.  S.  .liilinHoii (Ill 

I'liil  Mall   llo 

i;.  Dciiriiir ill) 

iiii 

llo 


Jan.     n 

1895 

J, III.    12 

1895 

Do. 

Jan.   2;i 

1895 

Do. 

Fi'li.     7 

1895 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Klip.    21 

1 8115 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

!■ 

t  I^H 

1 

I 

\    < 


The  within  |iiTiiiit.H  arosijiiicil  li\   Mcn.jamiii  .Moore,  eolli'ilor  of  iiiMtoiiis,  Sitka,  Alaska. 

I'OIIT    I'dWN.-iK.NIJ,    U'A.-ill.,  Mdich   1,   l^'S. 


I 


Kxiiiiin  (;. 

iS7flii«/' >  of  Jlanka  salmon  pack,  acaxun  of  /S9.'i 


Xanie. 


BriHtol  Hay  tJanniii^  Co.. 

Alaska  Paekin^  (.'o 

Arelie  l'ackinK(.'o 

Do .*: 

Thin  Point  Paekina  Co.. 

Karliik  I'atkiug  Co 

Tanjilefiiot  l!ay  Packing 
Co. 


Kiiniher  of  men 
eniiiliiyeil. 


N'imiiii  1  of  Maliiion  taken. 


Location. 


Niislianak 

llo 

do 

Xakuck 

Thin  Point 

Karlnk 

do 


,;       AiiparatMs  I 

^         >         i  lisud. 

•=     I  •;:        a  ;  King.  '     Ueil.        Silver. 

>."■•«  I  i 

s=    ;  1^      o  '  I  ' 


oa 

44 

6-> 

46 

01 

48 

47 

21 

28 

20 

84 

48 

:i5 

21 

!l,-.      (iillnets..      4,544  202, 776 

U8   do 8, 82:i  :)."i6,  (ii;j 

H5    do 5.  loO  ;i20,.')48 

70    do  ....       1.047  2«i),8r>l 

Seine 2:1,  45;i 

14'.:    do 58<,t,  Oili) 


n,250 
111.  IIIU 
8,700 


«5 


do 


172,(149 


ill) 

84 

.-)2 
18 

142 
.■)2 

....  do  .... 
do.... 

... 

(io:!,  421 
174.508 

Aietie  Packing  (^o 

Alitak 

8,  321 

Arctic  I''i«liing  Co 

Kiisiloll' 

02 

48 

77 

do  .... 

25 

109 

;i24,  277 

Cliigiiik  llay  Packing  Co. 

Chi"nik              ... 

8!) 

31 

HO 

(iill    nets 

08:i,  ;ii9 

and  seine. 

Paci(icP.aikiiijjCo 

Prince     Williams 
Sound. 

U5 

:i9 

o;j 

do  .... 

4 

:ii9 

u;!,  100 

142,  937 

Pyiiiinid    Uarhor   Pack- 

Pvi'Uiiiid  Harbor. 

80 

62 

77 

(iill  nets.. 

B 

iCvl 

ino,  75'J 

7.  023 

iiig  Co. 

Glacier  P.aeking  Co 

Fort  Wrangell... 

41 

71 

00 

do  ... . 

3 

294 

l;f.l,  509 

154, 183 

Alaska  Salmon  Packing 

Loring 

;io 

SO 

71) 

Seine 

14.7;i3 

435. 368 

and  Knr  Co. 

Ponit  Itoberls    Packing 

Koggiimg 

;i4 

10    . 

(iill  nets.. 

40.5 

14:1,80(1 

Co. 

tJgashik  Fishing  Station. 

Selina  Uiver 

4!) 

2'* 

fiilt    nuts 

0.5.219 

and  seine. 

Egegak  Fi.shiiig  Station. 
Togiak  Fishing  Station.. 

Egegak 

Togiak 

12 

Uill  nets.. 

54,:t21 

12 

do  .... 

... 

1.800 

Total 

1,002 

681    1 

211 

02. 

190 

4,846,215 

775, 887 

p   'I 


ff 


m  I 


\l 


*    f 

I  :1 

■^ 

\    1 

J.,4 

ff 

'i'j.r 

W  i 

ff  J 

i 

1' 

ipl 


376 


SEAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 

Stathtics  of  Alaska  salmon  imck,  season  of  lS9'i — Continued. 


Xiiiiu'. 


Bristol  liny  Ciiiiniiij!  Co.. 

Aluska  I'arkill;:  Co 

Aritir  Pai.'kiiii;  (Jo 

Do 

Tliiii  I'oiiit  Packing  (,'o  .. 

Karliik  racking'  Co 

Tanglefoot   liav  Packing 
Co. 

lluini'  Talking  Co 

Arcti<'  Packing  Co 


Antic  KiHliing  Co 

Cliignik  lia.v  Packing  Co 

Pacific  PackinjiCo 

Pyramid    Harlior    Pack- 
ing (yO. 

(ilacicr  Packing  Co 

Alaska   Salmon   I'acking 

anil  Kiir  Co.  I 

Point   liobci'ts    Packing 

<'o. 
Ugasliik  Fisliing  Station.; 
Egcgak  Ki.sliing  .Stalioii.. 
Togiak  Kisliing  Station.. 


CaHes. 


:i»,  434 

;i4,  m-i 
an.  n:ii 

22.  731 

'•is'imV 

1 J,  277 

47,  5(10 
15,  :i3i 

30, 188 
70,  050 
21,4.')3 
35. 373 

27,416 
32.  554 


Har- 
ri'ls. 


1,  045 
3!t5 


30U 
"(15 


Steam- 
erH  cm- 
ployed. 


3, 142 


1,3.')4 

1,  048 

4U 


Total I     473,!)4!t     7.455 


Lighters  and 
boats. 


Xiim- 
licr. 


42 
44 

43 
23 
10 
■17 
28 

48 
23 
40 
24 
43 
31 


12 


504 


Nets. 


Value. 


,$18.  000 

13.  000  ' 
12,  ,5011 
15,000 

C.  01 '0 
30,000  I 
15,2(0 

21,000 
11.000 

iH, 200 
19,000 
45,  000 
18.  000 

14,  200 
li.  10(1 

0,200 

2,  500 
000 
400 

278,  !tOO 


N  iiin- 
tier. 


80 
84 
83 
42 
4 
15 


Value. 


$4, 000 
4, 200 
4,  100 
2. 100 
KOO 
3,000 


Sail 

ton-       Valiu' 
nagc      of  tin 
em-       idatc. 
ployed. 


1,  355 

1,100 

1,  040 

900 

255 


.tl!),  360 
1!).  V.M 
19,  000 
13, 2UU 


10         2,000  1     4,500       00,200 


15 

4  : 

80 

HO     ; 

75  1 
50 

30 
4 


fi 
3 
2 

684 


3,  000 
800 

4, 000 

4,  .500 
3, 800 
2,  700 

1,.')00 
800 

1.  400 


1,350 
1,320 
1,  520 
1,340 
1,132 

77B 

771 

234 


9, 100 
21,600 
42,  OOO 
13.  200 
21,000 

16,  200 
10,200 


1,200  555 
600  126 
400     130 


44,000  18,404  279,760 


Statistics  of  Alaska  salmon  pack,  season  of  1S9') — Continued. 


Name. 


Location. 


C.  K.  Whitney  <S:  Co    Nnsliagak 

Prosper  Fishing  and  Trading  Co Kvicliak . . . 

L.  A.  Pedi  rson Is'aknek  ... 

Bering  Sea  I'acking  (,'o L'gashik  . . 

Korton,  Teller  \-.  Co do 


discs.      liarri'ls. 


14,2,53 
12,  007 


Lyiidc  \-  lloiigli Shiiniagiii  islands 

Alaska  Improvement  (Jo Karliik 26.  000 

C.  I).  Ladd Cooks  Inlet 

Pacilic  Steam  Whaling  Co Prince  William  Sound 25.037 

Peniuiisdlar  Kisliing  Co Jopper  liivcr 15,000 

Bnranoll' Packing  Co Itaranotf  Island 14,805 

North  Pacilio  Kisliing  and  Trading  Co Klawitk 12.  228 

Boston  Fishing  and  Triiding  Co Yes  liav 14, 100 

Metlakahtla  Indii.strial  Co Mdtakiitta 12.  000 

Miller  \-  Co Cordova  Hay 

Cape  Fo.\  Packing  Co Cajie  Ko\ 

Various Snutheastern  Ala.ska 


Total 145,  430 


1,043 

2.300 

300 


220 
75 


350 


104 


1,800 
1,  200 
2. 000 


9,  392 


SEAL    LIFE    ON   THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


377 


u- 

Valiii' 

'ii*' 

lit'  till 

!ll- 

lilatc. 

yeil. 

3:>5 

*1!),  ;!G0 

100 

10.  l(,(l 

04(1 

li>,  000 

yoii 

13,  2UU 

•255 

500       (i(i,  2UII 

350 

9,  loo 

320 

21,600 

5:.'0 

42,  000 

,U0 

13.  200 

132 

21.000 

77« 

1«,  200 

771 

10,200 

->;(4 

J  5.*) 

126 

i;io 

104 

270, 760 

Hiiri'fls. 


1,043 

2.300 

300 


220 
75 


350 


104 


1,800 
1,  200 
2.000 


9,  392 


KXHIIUT   D. 

Salmon  packing  stations  in  Alaska. 


No.  I 


1 
2 
3 
4 

5 
C 

7 

8 

» 

10 

11  i 

12  ' 
13 
14 

15  [ 
I 

16  i 

17 
18  i 


19 
20 
21 
2'* 
23 
24 
I 


25 
26 


Locality. 


C'liilcat 

Port  Althui']) 

KillisiKH. 

Ued  Fish  liay 

Fort  WrangcU 

Yes  Jiaj' 

Liiriiifi 

Tort  Chester 

Kluwak 

(/ordovia  Bay 

Tolstoi  Hay 

I'ort  KUis 

Cape  Fox 

Copper  Hiver,  Delta  Peninsula 
KyaK  Villai;r 


Name  of  company. 


Can-    Salt- 
nery.    ery- 


Alaska  Packing  Assueiatiou 

Fonl  &  Stokts 

HoiTing  Kisliery 

BaruiiutI'  I'aukiug  Co 

Alaska  Packing  Assiiciatiou 

Boston  Fishing  and  Trading  Co. 

Alaska  Pac'king  ^s.so(!iation 

Mothikahtia  Industrial  Co 

North  PafUic  Packing  Co 

Miller&Co 

do 

Kniu  Island 


Cuoks  Inlet,  Kussilo  Kiver.. 
AVcst  side  of  Cooks  Inlet. . . . 
AfoOTak  (not  in  operation). 

Karliik  Kiver 

Alaska  Improvement  Co 

n.  i).  Hume  \  Co 

Alilak  Bay 

I'gak  Bay,  Eagle  Harbor  .. . 

Chignik  Bay 

Pirate  Cove,  Popotl' 

Thin  Point 

Ugasliil 

do 

do 

do 

Naknik  Kiver 

do 

Kiiicliak  Kiver 


Fi.sh  and  Trading  Co 

Paeitie  Steam  Whaling  Co 

Alaska  Packing  Assoeiation  . 

do 

CD  Ladd  it  Co 


Alaska  Packing  Assochilion 


Nushagnk 

Fort  Alexander. 


Alaska  Paiking  Association  (used  up) 

Oliver  .Smith 

Alaska  Paiking  Association , 

McCoUum  Tindiug  I'o 

.\hiska  Packing  Assmiiation 

Bering  .Sea  Packing  Co 

Alaska  Packing  .Association 

Sullivan  Kiver  Packing  Co 

Jfdinson 

.\laska  Packing  Association 

Peterson 

.\laska  Pacliin;;  Association 

Prosper  Kisli  and  Trailing  Co 

Alaska  Packing  .\ssociatioii 

Whileiicv  Co 


Total  . 


27 


Exhibit  E. 

t^ailiiKj  disluncca  from  Citpc  Fox  to  the  different  salmon  oanneriva  in  Alaska. 
(Figures  in  parcnihises  are  ma)i  numlicrs.] 


Her- 
ring. 


14 


Miles.  .  Miles. 
(U)   Coi>i»t'r  Kiver  Delta  to   (l.">) 

SO'       Evak  vill!ij;o "0 

i30     ( l.'o'  Evak  village  to  (17)  Afo>>iiak .  500 
100     (17)   Afoijuak  to  (20)   Uj;al<    Hay, 

Kaf^lc  Harbor 75 

tiO     (L'O)  L'fiak  liav  to  (111)  Alitak  Itav.  100 
t!0     (ID)   Alitak    bay  to    (18)    Ktirliik 

L'.5         Kivor 100 

(18)  Kailiik   K'iver  to  (21)  Chignik 

100  j       15av 300 

!  (21)   Chignik   Bav  to   (22)  I'irate 

100         C'ove.. ". 200 

l.">0  !  (22)  I'iiiito  Cove  to  (23)  Thin  Point.  l.'iO 

;  (23)  Thin  Point  to  (21)llga»liik...  500 

tliorp ." 150     (25)  Naknik  Kiver  to  (20)  Kvicliak 

(2)  I'ort  AltL-.rp  to  (3)  KillLsnoo..       200         River 25 

(3)  Killisuoo  to  (1)  Chilcat  Iiili't..      200  ;  (26)  Kvichak  Kiver  to  (27)  Niislia- 

(1)  Chilcat   Inlet   to  (14)    Copper                    gak 100 

RiverDelta 1,000!  

!             Total 4,376 


(13)  Cape    Fox    to    (10)   Cordovia 

1% 

(13)  Cajie  Fox  to  (8)  Tort  Chester. 

(10)  Corilovia  Hay  to  (!t)  Fvlawak.. 
(8)  I'ort    Chester    to  (11)    Tolstoi 

liay 

(8)  I'ort  Chester  to  (7)  Loring 

(7)  Loring  to  ((i)  Yes  Mav 

(11)  Tolstoi  Hay  to  (5)  Fort  Wran- 
gt'll 

(5)  I'ort    W'rangell    to    (12;    Port 
KlliH 

(9)  Klawak  to  (4)  Ketl  Fi.sh  liay. .. 
(4)  Ked  Fish  Bay  to  (2)  Port  Al- 


ff 


r 


FT 


r    1    I 


■i 


378  SEAL   LIFE   ON   THE   PRIBILOP   ISLANDS. 

Exhibit  F. 

Summary  of  salmon  pack,  1895. 

Cases. 

Columbia  River 617, 460 

Alaska 619,379 

British  Columbia 512, 877 

Outside  rivers 290,300 

ii['(irf  M  y  

Total 2,040,010 

Cases. 

Columbia  River 617,460 

Alaska  (16  locations) 619,379 

British  Colmnliia: 

Fraser  River 347, 674 

Skeeiia  River 66,  9S3 

■    Lowe  Inlet 8,500 

;       Nass  River 19.000 

Rivers  Inlet 61,720 

.    Alert  Bay 5. 500 

•;^Cl!iyoqnot 3,  .500 

512, 877 

Outside  rivors  and  bays: 

Nehiilein  River 6.  300 

Sinslaw  River 8. 552 

Coquille  River 9,  468 

Umpcjue  River 10.  300 

Tillamook  River 5, 0(K) 

Alsea  Bay 5.  000 

CoosBny 10,  ,380 

Pu{i;«*t  Sound  (4  locations) 1.57, 000 

Grays  Harbor 18, 0(H) 

Shojilwater  Bay 16,000 

Rogue  River 14,  000 

Sacramouto  rivers 24,000 

California  rivers (!,  300 

290, 300 


2, 040, 016 


EXIIIHIT  G. 


Alaskan  and  Pacific  Coast  salmon  pack,  from  ISOG  to  1S95,  both  inclusive. 


Tear. 


Cnluiubia 
River. 


1866 4.000 

1867 18,000 

1888 28, 000 

1869 100,  000 

1870 150.  000 

1871 200,  000 

1872 2.">(),  000 

1873 ; 250, 000 

1874 ;i50,  000 

1875 ;!75.  000 

1876 450,  000 

1877 461),  000 

1878 460,  000 

1879 480,  Olio 

1880 Olio,  000 

1881 ^r>l.  000 

1882 541,300 

1883 620,400 

1884 65fi,  179 

1885  524,530 

1880 454,  943 

1887 373.800 

1888 367,750 

1889 325,  500 

1890  433,500 

1891 300, 1 83 

1892 481,900 

1893 42,5,200 

1894 511, 000 

1895 617,460 


<  )ut8icle 

rivers  nnrt 

bays. 


liritiHli 
Culumliia. 


2, 500 

3, 000 

3.3, 900 

40, 300 

66,  500 

61,000 

«8, 200 

229, 700 

249, 300 

108, 000 

122, 800 

100,2.50 

170,400 

231,000 

212,000 

265, 734 

102, 123 

82. 447 

160,  fiOO 

209,  490 

214,  896 

290, 300 


Alaska. 


9.847 
67,  387 
113,601 
.57, 394 
61,3110 
175, 675 
255, 061 
243, 000 
138,945 
106,  865 
103, 004 
201, 990 
135, 600 
414,400 
409, 464 
314, 813 
221,  797 
.590, 229 
494,470 
512,877 


36, 000 
54,  000 
74, 850 
120, 700 
100,  200 
427, 372 
709,  ,347 
688,  332 
789,  294 
461,482 
645, 545 
678, 501 
619, 379 


Total. 


4,000 

18, 000 

28, 000 

100,000 

150, 000 

200, 000 

250, 000 

2.50, 000 

352, 500 

378,  000 

493, 747 

.573, 687 

640, 101 

598, 394 

779,  500 

966, 375 

1,045,661 

1,106,400 

971, 924 

806,  495 

909,  047 

997, 890 

1, 142, 722 

1,714,981 

1,633,419 

1.576,737 

1,  325,  979 

i,  870, 470 

1, 898, 867 

2, 040, 016 


• 

617, 460 
619, 379 
512,  877 
200, 300 

0 
9 

2,040,011! 

0 

-  2, 040, 016 


iii'e. 


Total. 


4,000 

18,  000 

28, 000 

100,000 

150, 000 

200, 000 

250, 000 

2M,  000 

352, 500 

378, 000 

493,747 

,')73. 687 

C40, 101 

598, 394 

779, 500 

950, 375 

1,045,661 

1,106,4011 

971,  924 

806,  495 

909.  047 

997, 890 

1, 142,  722 

1,  714,  981 

1,633,419 

1, 576, 737 

1,  325, 979 
1, 870, 470 
1, 898, 867 

2.  040, 016 


REAL    LIFE    ON    THE    PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


Exhibit  H. 


379 


A.  BILL  to  anieuil  All  act  ootitlud  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  protection  of  tlu^  .saluiMn  fisheries  of 

Alaska." 

Be  it  eiiacu'd  by  fhe  Soiate  and  House  of  Uepresentatives  of  the  United  States  of  Avierica 
in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  act  approved  March  seconfl,  eighteen  liundred  and 
tijfhty-nine,  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  for  tlie  protection  of  the  salmon  iisheriesof 
Alaska,'"  is  hereby  amended  and  reenacted.  as  follows: 

Skction  1.  That  the  erection  of  dams,  barricades,  lisli  wheels,  fences,  traps,  pound 
nets,  or  any  tixed  or  stationary  obstructions  in  any  part  of  the  rivers  or  streams  of 
Alaska,  or  to  lish  for  or  catch  salmon  or  salmon  trout,  in  any  manner  or  by  any  means, 
witli  the  purpose  or  result  of  jneventinjr  or  impeding  the  ascent  of  salnirm  orsalmon 
trout  to  their  spawning  ground,  is,leelared  to  be  unlawful,  and  the  .Secretary  of  the 
Tri'iisury  is  hereby  authorizod  an<l  directed  to  remove  sucli  obstructions  and  to  estab- 
lish a?td  enforce  such  regulations  and  surveillance  as  may  be  necessary  to  insure  that 
this  prohibition  and  all  other  provisions  of  law  rehiting  to  the  salmon  lislieries  of 
Alaska  are  strictly  complied  with. 

Skc.  2.  That  it  shall  be  unlawful  to  tish,  catch,  or  kill  any  salmon  or  salmon  trout 
of  any  variety,  except  with  rod  or  spear,  above  tlu!  tide  waters  of  .'iny  of  the  creeks 
or  rivers  of  less  than  live  huudre<l  feet  wide  in  the  Territory  of  Alaska,  or  to  lav  or 
set  any  drift  net,  set  net,  or  seine  ior  any  purpose,  across  the  tide  w.iters  of  any  river 
or  stream  for  a  distance  of  more  tliau  one-third  of  the  width  of  such  nver,  stream, 
or  channel,  or  lay  or  .set  any  seine  or  net  wit  bin  on(!  hundred  yards  ol'  any  other  net 
or  seine  which  is  being  laid  or  set  in  said  stream  or  chaiii-el,  or  to  take,  kill,  or  lish 
for  salmon  in  any  manner  or  by  iiny  uieaus  in  any  of  the  waters  of  the  Territory  of 
Alaska,  either  in  the  streams  or  tide  waters,  from  noon  on  Saturday  of  each  week 
until  six  o'clock  [lost  meridian  of  theSuuday  following,  or  to  tish  for,  or  catch,  or  kill  in 
any  manner,  or  by  any  appliances,  excejjt  by  rod  ors]>car,  any  salino]i  or  salmon  trout 
in  any  stream  of  less  than  one  hundred  yards  in  width  in  the  s;iid  Territory  of  Alaska 
between  the  hours  of  six  o'clock  in  tlie  morning  and  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the 
same  day  of  each  and  every  day  of  the  week. 

Si;c.  3.  That  the  .Secretary  of  the  Treasury  may,  at  his  discretion,  set  aside  certain 
streams  as  spawning  grounds,  in  which  no  fishing  will  be;  ])eruiitted;  and  wheu,  in 
his  Judgment,  the  results  of  tishing  operations  on  any  stream  iinlicate  that  the 
number  of  salmon  taken  is  larger  than  the  capacity  of  the  stream  to  produce,  he  is 
authorized  to  establish  weekly  close  seasons,  to  limit  the  duration  of  the  fishing 
season,  or  to  proliibi*:  tisiiing  entirely  for  one  year  or  more,  so  as  to  permit  the 
salmon  to  increase. 

Ufa:.  4.  That  to  enforcie  the  provisions  of  law  herein,  and  sucli  regulations  as  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  may  establish  in  ]>ursuance  tliereof.  he  is  authorized  and 
directed  to  appoint  one  inspector  of  lislieries  ,at  a  salary  of  ten  <lollars  per  ilay, 
and  two  assistant  inspectors  at  a  salary  of  eight  dollars  each  jier  day,  and  he  will 
annually  submit  to  Congress  estimates  to  cover  the  salaries  and  actual  traveling 
expenses  of  the  oHicers  hereby  authorized  and  for  such  other  ex](en<lituros  as  may  be 
necessary  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  the  law  herein. 

.Sr.c.  5.  That  any  person  violating  the  provisions  of  this  ait,  or  the  regulations 
established  in  pursuance  thereof,  shall,  upon  conviction  thereof,  be  punished  by  a 
line  n6t  exceeding  one  thousand  dollars,  or  imprisonment  at  hard  lal)or  for  a  term  of 
ninety  days,  or  both  such  line  and  imprisonment,  at  the  discretion  of  the  court: 
And  provided  further,  I'hat  in  case  of  the  violation  of  any  of  the  jirovisions  of  sec- 
tion one  of  this  act,  and  conviction  thereof,  a  further  line  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  per  diem  will  be  imposed  for  each  day  that  the  obstruction  or  obstructions 
therein  are  maintained  after  notice  tt  remove  the  same.  .Said  notice  may  be  given 
by  any  Government  officer  or  private  citizen. 


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